Maybe his hype is well earned, or maybe it’s a growing word-of-mouth phenomenon. Either way there is little doubt which member of Penn State’s 2013 recruiting class fans are looking forward to seeing the most this fall.
At 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, quarterback Christian Hackenberg will enter training camp this summer hoping to win the starting job. The moment the Fork Union, Virginia native steps foot into Centre County will be the exact moment Hackenberg’s story will begin to reach mythological levels.
And that hasn’t slowed Hackenberg down any.
Just last week, Sean Fitz of Lions247 reported that Hackenberg will wear No. 14 as a freshman. It’s just a number to most people. But that number has been worn by almost all of Penn State’s greatest quarterbacks.
Todd Blackledge and John Shaffer, the school’s two national championship-winning quarterbacks, both wore No. 14.
Chuck Fusina who was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy and a first-team All American in 1978 wore the No. 14 jersey. Wally Richardson had a 20-5 record, two bowl victories in 1995-’96 and played two seasons in the NFL while continuing the number’s tradition.
All four quarterbacks wore the same number and all four played their part in crafting Penn State’s football legacy of success on and off the field.
But the No. 14 jersey comes with a quiet and unwavering caution to those who wear it: expectations can lead to greatness, but failure to live up to those expectations, be it through coaching or a player’s lack of personal development, can spell a long four years.
Most recently Pittsburgh quarterback product Anthony Morelli made the No. 14 his own going 18-8 during two years as a starter beginning in 2006. Despite Morelli’s 2-0 record in bowl games and many noteworthy performances, he never lived up to the hype as the No. 2 quarterback in his class and twelfth best prospect overall. Similarly Hackenberg’s billing pegs him slightly lower in the overall class, but like Morelli, he is the No. 2 quarterback prospect according to Rivals.com
Fortunately for Hackenberg, Morelli’s shortcomings were likely a combination of coaching and personal ceiling.
Penn State coach Bill O’Brien’s transformation of Matt McGloin is proof enough for many that the quarterback position is in better hands now than it was with O’Brien’s predecessor. Either way, Morelli’s career is summarized today as the butt of many Penn State fan’s jokes. “QB 14” has become its own internet meme, suddenly stored on the digital shelf following the news of Hackenberg’s selection as fans hope to use “QB 14” in a different and more positive manner.
If Hackenberg can’t get up to speed in the weeks he will have to fully grasp the offense, junior college transfer Tyler Ferguson will be a plenty serviceable replacement. Perhaps not the savior of Penn State football like many fans are hoping for, but an experienced quarterback, something the Nittany Lion roster is sorely lacking.
“You would say that since Tyler has been here since January that he’s a little bit ahead,” O’Brien said. “But only because he has been through 15 spring practices and countless meetings. So going into the summertime, I believe the freshman report June 22, they’re able to workout and work with the strength staff on their own and things like that. I’m sure Christian will jump in then.”
“I would say that they would both get equal reps in the summer,” O’Brien said. “If you pinned me down on that I’d probably say that Tyler would get a few more reps than Christian but I would say for the most part statistically they will get equal reps.”
When the decision finally has to be made O’Brien will pick the player with the best skills. Considering that Hackenberg has to deal with the college transition on and off the field, a year to learn the system without astronomical expectations on his back may very well be in everyone’s best interest. Even so, O’Brien is confident in his incoming prospect, but won’t commit Hackenberg to the starting role if he isn’t ready.
“We got time. (Hackenberg) will be going to be here for the summer bridge program,” O’Brien said. “The older guys in our program are going to help him. We’re going to be patient with him as coaches. We’ll play the best guy. That’s what we’re going to do.”
Ultimately Hackenberg’s story is a tale of caution. Moving forward, Penn State football faces unprecedented hurdles with depth and recruiting. Things will likely get harder for the program before they get easier. Every quarterback in a new role experiences ill-timed mistakes and problems along the way. It’s part of the game. Penn State’s 2012 season was an inspirational story but no guarantee of better days to come.
Hackenberg made the choice to wear the No. 14, knowing all too well what that meant. So maybe he’s just what fans are hoping for. Maybe Christian Hackenberg isn’t just like every other quarterback.
