Recruiting: Lackawanna duo off to great start in 2019
James Franklin made two recruiting stops this past weekend, one of which was in Scranton, Pa., to watch future Nittany Lion wide receiver Norval Black and safety Ji’Ayir Brown. Landing in a helicopter in an open field behind the stands, his arrival and departure grabbed the attention of just about everyone at Lackawanna Saturday. Just like previous years, tweets of his transportation went viral.
But the real story Penn State fans should be following is the play of both Black and Brown so far this season. Just last week, they helped Lackawanna defeat Erie Community College, 83-0. The Falcons have not only put 195 points through four games, but the defense has allowed just 31 points. According to assistant coach Josh Pardini, Brown is a major reason why teams are struggling to score against them.
“We’re having [Ji’Ayir] play the middle of the field. He’s basically our centerfield safety in a cover three look,” said Pardini. “So, for us, he really eliminates all big plays. He has a great knack for stopping those things. He’s always been great at finding the ball and cutting off routes.
“I think this year, he’s really taken off in the run game, too. He’s got great instincts to come downhill and make plays. Also, if we matchup against a great receiver, we use him to double-team. So, he’s another versatile player. He offers us so much flexibility by keeping him back there. It’s hurt his numbers a bit, but he’s been extremely effective for us. He shuts down any breakaway runs and teams are having problems throwing deep. He’s a big reason why.”
So far this season, Brown has totaled 13 tackles, including one tackle for loss, and another four assisted. He has one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Not bad when you consider he’s only played two complete games.
Black’s numbers are also impressive. Despite just 11 receptions, he’s totaled 332 yards and four touchdowns. His 30.2 yards per catch puts him near the top of the NJCAA.
“Norval was always our top deep threat for us,” said Pardini, who serves as the team’s offensive coordinator. “It’s really hard to cover him down the field and he’s done a great job with that again this year. But also, another thing he’s really starting to improve on is his intermediate routes. Over the last couple of weeks, he’s made some really good plays running those routes.
“He’s also in better shape this year. He committed himself in the offseason and now he's stronger than ever. He actually leads the country in yards per catch right now and I don’t see him slowing down. He’s a huge part of our game plan every week.”
With Lackawanna regularly producing top talent nowadays, there’s no shortage of Division I programs regularly checking in on the junior college program. Maryland, Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia are just a few of the schools expected in the coming days, with more to come in the weeks and months that follow.
However, as Pardini explained, schools know that both players aren’t going to waiver on their decision.
“We’ve had schools ask about how firm they are, but most of these coaches have come to the realization that they aren’t going anywhere else," said Pardini. "Penn State was in first, identified them first and offered them first. They’ve also done an excellent job keeping up with them, so schools know that they’re just spinning their wheels.”
Lackawanna, who currently sits at No. 5 in the NJCAA rankings, is about to enter the meat of its schedule, squaring off against conference opponents ASA and Monroe College these next two weekends. They’ll also face Nassau C.C. at home at the end of the month. If they can win those games, the Falcons have a great chance to go undefeated for the second-straight season.
You can watch Lackawanna’s home games each week via YouTube. Below is a replay of the game against Snow College from Sept. 14. Black had five receptions for 129 yards, while Brown has eight solo tackles.