Haley confident in Lions' future at corner

Grant Haley can attest to a different era in Penn State football.

The former Nittany Lion cornerback doesn’t need to plunge the depths of the history books to do so, either. As recently as four seasons ago upon his arrival to Penn State as a true freshman, Haley was met by a starkly different landscape than the one he left behind late last month following a Fiesta Bowl win.

“I think when we came in, it was a completely different situation. Penn State was still trying to get back the scholarships and really finding their fit with a new coaching staff,” said Haley. “I think nowadays, especially with this next season coming up, we've got some great players so it's tougher to get on the field.”

Certainly, Haley and fellow graduated senior Christian Campbell will no longer be an obstacle to playing time for the corners who remain. Campbell, participating in the Senior Bowl this week, and Haley, who himself took part in last week’s East-West Shrine Game, are not leaving a vacant room though.

With the expected return of John Reid for his redshirt junior season following an ACL tear last spring, plus contributors including Amani Oruwariye, Garrett Taylor, Zech McPhearson, Tariq Castro-Fields, Lamont Wade, transfer Jabari Butler, and redshirt freshmen D.J. Brown and Donovan Johnson, Haley said he’s optimistic about the position’s future.

“I think we have great guys coming back,” said Haley. “Amani, John Reid, guys like Zech McPhearson this will be his second and third year in the room. We've got quality players coming back, and having Tariq and Lamont play their freshman year, they got a good set of experience.”

At the forefront, he continued, will be a pair of valued leaders with experience in Reid and Oruwariye. In his third season of action, Oruwariye led the Nittany Lions with four interceptions on the season while finishing with 28 tackles.

“John's kind of like me in that he'll lead by example, Amani will probably lead by example but I think he'll step up more into a vocal leadership way as well,” said Haley. “It's a group of guys that Coach Smith feels comfortable with and I feel comfortable with. Being able to help train and aid these guys on and off the field, I feel confident in who is coming back to help Penn State's cornerback room.”

That confidence, in turn, is largely a symptom of the experience and improvement in recruiting talented players that have delivered the program to this point.

Having created an environment in which the competition within the room is as fierce as its play on the field, the Nittany Lions will continue to enjoy success moving forward, he said.

“We have players with experience in the cornerback room… so you're going to have to find your niche,” said Haley. “It's a great thing because it creates a lot of competition, and if you want to be a great team you need to have a competitive room at every single position. I think that's what Coach Franklin and the defensive and offensive staff are trying to promote is that competition aspect. It doesn't matter who you are. You can be a two-year starter, but if you're not doing your job then you can get passed up real quick.”