Up Close and Personal: Academics were key factor in LBs choice

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There isn’t much that James Franklin has yet to prove following the 2016 season. But even after a Big Ten championship and an appearance in the Rose Bowl, many would likely agree that recruiting is the strength of Penn State’s head coach and his staff.

Following three consecutive top-25 classes, the Nittany Lions finished this year with the nation’s 12th-ranked class, sending a message to the rest of the Big Ten that they intend to be a force moving forward. Yet, if there is one facet of Penn State’s recruiting efforts that hasn’t received the recognition it deserves, it’s the fact that over four classes, Franklin hasn’t sacrificed a Penn State tradition: success with honor.

One of the best examples in this year’s class is linebacker Brelin Faison-Walden. A four-star prospect from Greensboro, N.C., Faison-Walden had an offer sheet that most could only dream of. Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan and Southern California were just a few of the two dozen universities that extended offers. While all of those schools boasted elite football programs, there weren’t as many that he felt would provide the complete college experience that he was looking for.

“It was always school before football for me. I always wanted to play for a great team that can compete for championships, but getting a great education was the priority for me and my family,” Faison-Walden said. “When you look at Penn State, they just had everything I needed. Plus, they have an amazing alumni base, and that does a lot to help recent grads. That was really appealing to my family.”

Faison-Walden earned an offer from the Nittany Lions last February, but he didn’t see the school for himself until the Lasch Bash barbecue on July 15. Following a visit that he called a “home run,” he decided it was time to conclude his recruitment, verbally committing to Penn State five days later.

But in the months that followed, he and his family decided that it would be best to reassure themselves, so he used all five of his official visits in October and November, checking out Penn State, Michigan, North Carolina State, Georgia and Virginia Tech. He kept in touch with each school and watched as the season played out. Then, two days after the regular season concluded in late November, he announced that he would be sticking with the Lions. But it wasn’t their strong performance in 2016 that convinced him to follow through on his original commitment.

“Honestly, it didn’t really have that big an impact,” Faison-Walden said. “Before the season, I already knew the direction this program was headed. I already knew they were only a year or two away. They have the best coaching staff in the nation and they have a lot of great players that they’ve brought in over the past couple classes.“When I took those visits, I was really just trying to see if I misjudged some relationships and also how comfortable I felt at those schools. It reassured me that Penn State was the right school.”

In addition to academics, Faison-Walden also spoke very highly of his relationship with the entire coaching staff, most notably defensive coordinator Brent Pry.

“I got to know them before my visit, but when I was up there and I got to meet with Coach Pry, Coach Franklin and everyone on the staff, it just felt right,” he said. “I was also impressed with Coach Pry this season. He moved up to defensive coordinator in the [2016] off-season, and I thought he was great at switching things up when the time was right. In different games, he brought pressure when teams weren’t expecting it. He also switched up coverages at different times, so I think he showed that he’s absolutely the right man for the job.”

An early enrollee, Faison-Walden is already working toward his goals. Despite all the accolades – he earned All-Conference and All-State honors this past season – he knows he has to prove himself all over again. And he also knows that one of the keys to success will be to keep his priorities in mind at all times.

“Getting my academics in order is most important for me,” he said. “I refuse to fall behind on my academics. That’s actually a big reason why I enrolled early. Getting into the weight room and practicing with the team in the spring will be nice, but being able to acclimate to everything a whole semester before the season starts is big for me.

“But football is a close second. I plan to be in the weight room as much as I can. I want to do everything I can to become stronger and faster so I can help the team. But school will always be first, with football a close second.”