FTB’s All-3-Star and Under Team: PSU Offense

Our Counter to the Ridiculous Hype and Conjecture of National Signing Day, We ‘Wished Upon a 3-Star’ and Assembled a Squad of Penn State Players That Outperformed Their Modest Recruiting Profile  

Concept: Fair warning to all you ‘Star Chasers’ who spend mid-December and early-February decoding emoji-laced social media messages from blue-chip prep prospects…this article isn’t for you. No, this two-part series — Penn State’s All-3 Star and Under Team – is sweet nectar for the Eye Rollers and Cloud Yellers out there who scoff at Carrot Top-inspired, prop-filled televised announcement ceremonies and the exalted status bestowed upon kids who won’t step on a college football field for seven months AT THE EARLIEST. Yes, the players on this team are the exception not the rule, but their careers do remind us that none of us truly know what the heck’s in store for signees once they hit Happy Valley.

Criteria: Candidates had to be rated a 3-Star prospect or less by ONE – not all – of the major recruiting services (Scout, Rivals, 247). Because these databases only go back to 2001 this is a 21st Century Team by default, so don’t blow us up wondering why we left 1950s unheralded Ampipe High linebacker Sergei “Soot Lung” Mesarzos off the list. Your whining is just gonna get lost among the sea of boner-pill-slinging bots encamped in our comments section, anyway. So give us and your angry fingers a break.

Special consideration was given to 2-Star, 1-Star and Walk-on prospects whose Penn State football resumes compared similarly to that of a 3-Star prospect. No consideration was given to what these guys did/are doing in the NFL. Like most All-American/All-Conference teams, we went 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 5 OL (no specific position) on offense and 2 DE, 2 DT, 3 LB, 2 CB, 2 S on defense.  

The Starting Offense:

Click to Enlarge

QUARTERBACK

Trace McSorley

Well, that was easy.

One of a handful of Vanderbilt commits who followed James Franklin to Penn State late in the recruiting cycle, McSorley’s flip generated minimal buzz largely because the Nittany Lions’ NEXT stud QB, 4-Star Michael O’Connor, was the message-board flavor of the class. In fact, a few outlets foresaw McSorley eventually finding a home on the other side of the ball.  

Obviously, they were wrong.

McSorley – the 571st Overall National Prospect (247) who held offers from Purdue, Wake Forest and Boston College, among others – left Penn State with 11 school records and earned MVP honors for directing a 21-point comeback vs. Wisconsin in the 2016 Big Ten Championship. Inexcusably, Big Ten coaches and media members never named McSorley First-Team All-Big Ten, opting instead to dub him Second-Team in 2016, 2017 and 2018. 

ALSO CONSIDERED: Matt McGloin (0 stars), Daryll Clark (3-Star)

RUNNING BACKS

Evan Royster

Not only is Royster Penn State’s All-Time Leading Rusher, he also averaged the same yards per carry (5.7) as Saquon Barkley. A 3-Star recruit and 26th RB prep prospect according to Rivals, Penn State’s biggest competition to land Royster might have been Johns Hopkins University?

Johns Hopkins University?

Yep…because when it came to lacrosse, Royster was a 5-Star, not a 3-Star. Blueblood Johns Hopkins DESPERATELY sought Royster’s stick-in-hand services, but ultimately football won out…and the rest is history. In 2009, Royster earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media and was the first Penn State running back to compile three straight 1,000-yard seasons. 

Tony Hunt 

Hunt’s path to Penn State was anything but a straight shot. Despite only being a 3-Star prospect from T.C. Williams High School in Virginia – the school featured in the Disney movie “Remember The Titans” – Hunt held offers from several big-time programs. In fact, Hunt initially verbally committed to USC but reopened his recruitment when San Diego wunderkind Reggie Bush verbally committed to Pete Carroll. Then, Michigan seem like a lock to land Hunt…that is until Penn State icon Joe Paterno made a rare in-house visit just days prior to 2003 National Letter of Intent Day. Thank goodness Joe did, because Hunt was definitely worth the trip.

Like McSorley, Hunt was also overshadowed by a more-heralded signee (Austin Scott) but proved the worthlessness of recruiting stars by beating out the blue-chipper for the starting RB role.  In 2005, Hunt rushed for a team-best 1,047 yards. The next year he topped those numbers, finishing with 1,386 yards and 11 TDs. Hunt concluded his college career being named Offensive MVP of the 2007 Outback Bowl – an outing where the only thing more powerful than his performance was Hunt’s post-game on-field interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe.

Enjoy:

ALSO CONSIDERED: Journey Brown (3-Star), Akeel Lynch (3-Star), Rodney  Kinlaw (3-Star). 

WIDE RECEIVERS

Allen Robinson

When it comes to Allen Robinson, the only internal debate we had was whether he or Trace McSorley was a bigger ‘no-brainer’ selection. Two-Time Big Ten Receiver of the Year. Sporting News First-Team All-American. Member of the BTN All-Decade Team. Iconic catch vs. Michigan.  Yeah, we feel good about this choice. 

Coming out of Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary’s High School – same high school KJ Hamler attended prior to finishing at IMG Academy – Robinson held full-ride offers from just four FBS schools: Penn State, Minnesota, Toledo and Buffalo. Robinson’s climb up the depth chart received a boost from Justin Brown’s decision to transfer two months before the 2012 season. That year, Robinson ambushed opposing defenses for 77 receptions, 1,018 yards, and 11 TDs. The following season, Robinson set the Penn State single-season record with 1,432 receiving yards –  331 more than 2nd place Chris Godwin’s 1,101 in 2015.  

Deon Butler

Toughest decision/closest call on the entire team: Deon Butler or DaeSean Hamilton? The two Penn State overachievers put up career stats that share the same zip code…as in, there’s not much separating them.

Both were major weapons but never the focal point of the offense. Butler (2) edges Hamilton (1) in Big Ten titles, but Hamilton clobbers Butler when it comes to memorable moments – think Hamilton’s two-TD finale in the Fiesta Bowl, 100-yard performance in the 2016 Big Ten Championship, even his 11-catch, 165-yard breakout performance overseas in James Franklin’s Penn State debut. What would Butler’s signature moment/snapshot be? In the biggest games of his career – 2005 Ohio State, 2006 Orange Bowl, 2008 Ohio State, 2008 Iowa, 2009 Rose Bowl – Butler contributed but didn’t command the stage. 

Finally, Hamilton and Butler both earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors…so that’s no help, either.

Ultimately, we chose Butler because of his 1-Star status as a recruit. According to Butler’s Rivals.com profile, no school offered him a scholarship…which explains why he walked-on at Penn State. Hamilton was a 3-Star prospect and received scholarships from Penn State, Miami, Illinois, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Michigan State, Wake Forest, and Virginia. 

ALSO CONSIDERED: DaeSean Hamilton (3-Star), Jordan Norwood (0 stars), Derek Moye (3-Star Recruit on Rivals.com…4-Star on 247)

TIGHT END

Jesse James

Despite never earning All-Big Ten honors, Jesse James’ consistency throughout his three-season college career gave him the nod over teammate Kyle Carter – a 2012 First-Team All-Big Ten selection by the media whose stats dipped dramatically in 2013, 2014 and 2015. 

James finished his time at Penn State with 1,005 receiving yards and 11 TDs – at the time, a school record for tight ends that has since been surpassed twice (Gesicki 15, Freiermuth 16.)

ALSO CONSIDERED: Kyle Carter (2-Star), Mickey Shuler, Jr. (3-Star Prospect)

OFFENSIVE LINE

Rich Ohrnberger 

A developmental 2-Star prospect from Long Island, Ohrnberger chose Penn State over Syracuse and West Virginia. As a redshirt junior in 2007, Ohrnberger started all 12 games and earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. During his fifth year in college, Ohrnberger starred on arguably the best Nittany Lions offensive line this century, bumping up to First-Team All-Big Ten.

Dennis Landolt

Landolt, the 9th-best prep prospect out of New Jersey in 2005, according to Rivals.com, served a two-year apprenticeship behind All-American Levi Brown before claiming the starting OT role in 2007. In 2009, the conference coaches gave Landolt the First-Team All-Big Ten tackle spot opposite Iowa’s Bryan Bulaga.  

Matt Stankiewitch

Stankiewitch, a proud Son of the Skook, is the only member of the All-3-Star Offense who actually earn a 4-Star rating from one recruiting service (247), but remained eligible for this prestigious squad because Rivals.com only gave him three stars. A Top 15 PA prospect, Stankiewitch chose Penn State over Rutgers and West Virginia. Stankiewitch anchored Penn State’s offensive line during Bill O’Brien’s first year on the job, earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2012, and was a finalist for the Rimington Award (Top College Center). 

Gerald Cadogan

Originally slated to be an offensive tackle, Cadogan moved inside to guard in 2006 and played in 11 games. The next season, 2007, Cadogan switched back to OT where he started the whole year. Cadogan, a two-time Academic All-American, was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2008. 

John Urschel

Math-magician John Urschel came to Penn State as an under-the-radar 2-star signee. He left as a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten offensive guard and the 2013 recipient of the Campbell Trophy – college football’s academic Heisman. Prior to the start of his senior football season, Urschel already graduated with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mathematics. He also taught Math 041 at Penn State three days a week while playing football. 

Also Considered: Will Fries (3-Star), Garry Gilliam (2-Star), Steven Gonzalez (3-Star), Brian Gaia (3-Star).