P L A Y E R B I O S
That was also a big factor in commit-
ting."
Another factor: Penn State's academic
o;erings. Shorter is eyeing a degree in
mechanical or biomedical engineering.
Although combining that kind of course
load with his football commitments will
be daunting – "It's going to be a very
challenging degree to obtain, so I want
Justin to really stay on track," Paula said
– he's already working toward his goal.
He's taken a couple of design drawing
courses during his senior year, and his
parents have continued to emphasize
the importance of academics, even if an-
alysts are already predicting an NFL fu-
ture for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound pass
catcher.
"We have to," J.D. said, "because foot-
ball is not guaranteed to anyone."
Justin knows that, but he's also at-
tempting to ensure himself a long and
bountiful career. In addition to the
short-range catches he practices each
morning in the basement, he follows a
routine inspired by former Penn State
great Chris Godwin
and introduced to
him by Gattis. Be-
fore going to bed,
Shorter performs
three workouts
aimed at strength-
ening his grip. He
begins by repeatedly
squeezing handfuls
of uncooked rice. Next, he drops a paver
brick, then catches it before it hits the
:oor. A
