Penn State's blue-chip quarterback prospects for 2009 dropped by one over the weekend when San Diego's Tate Forcier committed to Michigan on Sunday at the completion of a visit to Ann Arbor.
Forcier's decision is full of irony. First, his older brother, Jason, signed with Michigan a few years ago but then transferred to Stanford. Second, Virginia's Kevin Newsome, the only highly-rated quarterback left on Penn State's offer list for this year, verbally committed to the Wolverines in April but changed his mind and reopened his recruitment in mid-August.
Of course, there is some speculation that Newsome's reversal might have been partly influenced by Rich Rodriguez's continued pursuit of Forcier when Michigan already had two other quarterback commitments.
The part Penn State might have played in Forcier's decision is also clouded in rumor and speculation. The Nittany Lions haven't signed a quarterback in two years, so most think one has to be added in this class. Recruit Curtis Drake does play the position, but many see his future elsewhere on the field.
Word has filtered out that the Lion coaches were not completely sold on Forcier. Forcier himself said shortly before his trip to Michigan that he wanted to move his visit to Penn State to the Oregon State but was asked by a coach to keep it for Illinois.
There will be a couple of top 2009 prospects at Beaver Stadium this weekend for the Nittany Lions' game with Oregon State. Maryland receiver/return specialist Devon Smith and New Jersey linebacker Glenn Carson are both expected to be on hand.
Smith will be making an official visit. It's not out of the realm of possibility that he could commit, either - Penn State has long been considered a strong favorite to land him.
At 5-foot-7, 140 pounds, Smith isn't big, but he is one of the fastest players in this part of the country and could be a return threat in the mold of LSU's Trindon Holliday.
According to BlueWhite Illustrated, there are also going to be a number of top junior and sophomore prospects at the game, including Canon-MacMillan linebacker Michael Hull, Sto-Rox quarterback Paul Jones, Cardinal O'Hara running back Corey Brown, State College receiver Alex Kenney, Bishop McDevitt quarterback Matt Johnson and Pottsgrove defensive back Terrell Chestnut.
- Philip Cmor
