When elite high school athletes are choosing the college they will presumably play for over the next four years, a lot of things need to be taken into account. Prestige, winning, the head coach and so many other things play a significant role.
In the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal, however, Penn State university is overcome with uncertainty. Not only will many recruits likely not want to be involved with an institution that has been tarnished by perhaps the biggest scandal in college football history.
There have been plenty of pay-for-play scandals over the past few years, but that doesn’t seem to have affected the recruiting of schools like Ohio State and Miami (FL). In fact, dare I say that such a thing may actually attract more recruits depending upon their moral code.
In Penn State’s situation, though, things reach far beyond improper benefits. The way Sandusky’s actions were handled was completely irresponsible and the people who failed to report him to the authorities are finally getting what they had coming to them.
Not only did athletic director Tim Curley take a leave of absence and senior vice president Gary Schultz step down, but the heads have continued to roll. President Graham Spanier was removed from power, as was legendary head coach Joe Paterno.
With all of that said, Penn State is a school that is in a state of flux. The mere presence of Paterno was probably enough to garner Penn State some high-class recruits, but that allure is present no longer. Now all that is left is a university that is sure to be the brunt of jokes for years to come.
Although the alleged actions of Sandusky shouldn’t bring down the entire institution, it appears as though that is what is happening. Players like to take pride in their school, but it would have to be very difficult to be proud of Penn State at this moment.
The scandal already seems to have had an immediate effect on recruiting. Noah Spence, a top-notch defensive line prospect that Penn State has been targeting, took to Twitter to express his dismay for what is going on at the university.
While Spence has been the most vocal, it stands to reason that there are plenty more players out there with the same train of thought. Penn State used to be the No. 1 choice for Pennsylvania-bred players, and was even a desired destination from recruits across the country.
I would be very surprised if that were the case anymore, especially over the next several years. The NCAA probably won’t place any sanctions on Penn State since no NCAA rules were technically broken, but the scandal has essentially handcuffed Penn State anyway.
Players who might not have normally gotten a second look from Penn State may now have an opportunity to play there, and there will probably still be solid recruits to be had, but that elite talent is likely to go somewhere with a much more solid foundation.
I don’t think Penn State’s football program is going to crumble and dissolve as some have suggested, but it will most definitely take a major hit. The Nittany Lions may want to take advantage of their current position in the Big Ten standings, because it could be a very long time before they compete for another championship.
