Oladipo Recaps PSU Official

Huntley, Ill., defensive lineman Olalere Oladipo was one of a handful of official visitors that Penn State hosted this past weekend.

A three-star prospect who’s currently committed to Illinois, Oladipo’s relationship with Penn State goes back to the spring, as the Nittany Lions offered in May. He then took his first visit to Penn State in July for the Lasch Bash barbecue.

“Their coaches have been reaching out to me every so often,” said Oladipo, who committed to Illinois in August. “They really wanted to get me on campus for an official visit so I could see them play. It was a good opportunity for me to get out and see more of Penn State, and it was really cool to see them upset second-ranked Ohio State.

“It was shocking, to be honest. (Penn State) were big underdogs going into the game, so to see them upset Ohio State was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like that in-person. I was sitting with a bunch of recruits during the game, so when they won and we saw everyone rush the field, we decided to jump over the fence, too. That was a lot of fun.”

While the game was clearly the highlight of his trip, Oladipo got the complete Penn State experience, as he toured campus and facilities Saturday afternoon. He also met with head coach James Franklin at his home before heading back to Illinois.

“We got in Saturday morning and they took me on a campus tour then that afternoon,” Oladipo said. “I saw a lot of the different buildings. I saw their new hockey rink. I also talked to the coaches that afternoon. They’re all nice people. Then, on Sunday, I went to Coach Franklin’s house for brunch. It was a nice experience.

“He was saying that he really likes my character. He thinks I would fit in well with their program. He also likes my playing style and my versatility. He likes that I can play either the three-technique defensive tackle position or defensive end.”

Despite a successful visit, Oladipo made it clear that he’s still firmly committed to the Illini.

“I’m committed to Illinois. That’s still where I want to go,” he said. “Anything can happen in college football, but my heart is still set on Illinois. If anything changes, Penn State will probably be one of my top schools, but I’m still planning to play for the Illini.”

Penn State won’t be giving up any time soon, as multiple coaches are expected to be at Huntley’s playoff game this upcoming Friday. Penn State will play at Purdue on Saturday.