Blue White Illustrated

LAST WORD T I M O W E N | O W E N . T I M . B W I @ G M A I L . C O M n theory it's a win-win situation for both individual and team. There's a lot about it that makes sense. One recruit recently told me that his decision to enroll early was based largely on what he'd seen from others who had come before him, those who stuck around their hometown for another six months before heading off to school. "They don't do anything and they get lazy," he laughed. "They get fat and then they get to college and they're out of shape. I don't want to be like that." Midyear additions are a common trend across college football, and there's a positive correlation between the na- tion's elite teams and the number of prospects who graduate in the winter. From 2012 through 2017, for example, Alabama had 50 recruits enroll in Janu- ary. In that same span, as we all know, three championships followed, includ- ing Nick Saban's latest this month. Across the country, save for three or four here and there, every major pro- gram brings in at least a couple of early enrollees annually. It's here to stay in Happy Valley, too. In 2018, head coach James Franklin welcomes the most in his tenure. With six making the leap with the turn of the new year, PSU isn't bringing in players en masse compared to some of its Southern brethren, but it's inching forward at a university with rigid academic standards. A look at the Crimson Tide shows that it can be an effective practice – and the recompense can be immediate. In the Tide's recent win over Georgia in the College Football Playoff, some of last year's early enrollees played crucial roles. Najee Harris led the rushing attack. Alex Leatherwood filled in at left tackle when an All-Southeastern Conference starter went down, and the offense didn't miss a beat. Jerry Jeudy caught one pass for 20 yards, and it was thrown by the player of the game – quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Not even one year before that night, those four were part of a 12-man con- tingent, junior college transfers in- cluded, who began their Alabama careers between semesters. They had seen occasional action throughout their first season, and when they were needed most, with the Tide trailing by 13 in the second half, they were ready. By that time, there wasn't much freshman left in them. Without those players, it would likely have been the Bulldogs who hoisted the sport's shiniest trophy on Jan. 8. With them, Alabama was a more-complete team. But was its success a template for teams across the country to follow? Not entirely. Penn State, for example, has had mixed success. Franklin's arrival in 2014 coincided with that of four new freshmen and a juco transfer, defensive tackle Tarow Barney. Of the early high school grads, two are now steady con- tributors (offensive tackle Chasz Wright and receiver DeAndre Thompkins), but they didn't assume those roles until years after enrolling. The other two (quarter- back Michael O'Connor and defensive tackle Antoine White) transferred. The following year, Franklin welcomed two more in quarterback Tommy Stevens and offensive tackle Sterling Jenkins, as well as juco tackle Paris Palmer. It was a smaller sample size from the year before, but the hit rate has been nearly identical. Four more graduated early in order to start in 2016, and for most, the jury is still out. Offensive lineman Connor Mc- Govern is the only contributor – and there's no doubt he gained an inside track by arriving in January. But tight end Danny Dalton, offensive lineman Alex Gellerstedt and quarterback Jake Zem- biec have yet to make significant contri- butions on Saturdays. Last year, offensive lineman Michael Miranda closely followed McGovern's path before the coaches decided to pre- serve his redshirt. Linebacker Brelin Faison-Walden and wideout K.J. Ham- ler were able to rehabilitate injuries with PSU's medical staff and give themselves an opportunity to compete for lineup openings this coming season. The star of that group, Lamont Wade, played in every game but one. As has been the case at Alabama, higher-rated recruits tend to have better odds of seeing the field early. But the predictive power of recruiting ratings is limited. They tend to be more accurate on a macro scale. While Wade recorded 31 tackles and broke up a few passes, there was an- other true freshman in PSU's secondary who made as much of an impact, if not greater. Tariq Castro-Fields showed up in June, but he, too, played in all but one game while forcing two turnovers. It was proof that an athlete can enjoy the final portion of his senior year and still show up ready to play. Enrolling early is not always a harbinger of early success, at least on an individual basis. But by increasing the overall numbers, the team improves its odds of finding play- ers who can provide an immediate lift. Earlier this month, Penn State wel- comed defensive backs Trent Gordon and Isaiah Humphries, linebackers Jesse Luketa, Nick Tarburton and Micah Par- sons, and tight end Zack Kuntz. Parsons, a five-star prospect, was the headliner and the one who has the best shot at playing in 2018. National trends suggest that with these six, the Lions are step- ping into the upper echelons of the sport. Recent Penn State history, however, im- plies that it might be a while before some of them actually see the field. ■ Early risers I

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