Q&A: OL Caedan Wallace

Ryan Snyder: I know you’ve been asked this a lot in recent weeks, but what were some of the key reasons you committed to Penn State? If you could pick one or two things that really set Penn State apart, what are they?

Caedan Wallace: I would definitely have to start by saying the family vibe around the team and really the whole school. I just feel that every time I come to State College. Whether I’m walking around town or meeting with the coaches and stuff like that, it really does feel like a big family there. Another big thing is, when you look at Penn State and the type of recruits they got last year and really the last couple of years, plus the type of recruits we’re going to get this year, we’re building something special. I truly believe that we’re building a national championship caliber team. I really feel like we’re building something special here and I want to be part of that.

Snyder: Talk to me about Matt Limegrover and your relationship with him. How big of a role did he play in your decision?

Wallace: Of course, he played a big role. I’ve gotten to know him well for about a year now and right from the start, when I first met him, you could just tell that he cares about his guys. He’s a good all-around guy. He cares about seeing his guys succeed on the field, but it’s more than that. He wants to make sure we succeed in everything. So, when I saw the way he coaches his players, plus the ways he interacted with me and my family, I knew that he was the kind of guy I wanted to play for. He’s a great guy and a great coach. You can’t go wrong with that.

Snyder: We talk about your relationship with the coaching staff a lot, but are there any current players on the team that you’ve become close with? Is there anyone that really helped answer some questions for you and helped you realize that Penn State is the place for you?

Wallace: Yeah, I would say that Trent Gordon and Zack Kuntz, two of the early enrollees, both helped me out. I hung out with them a little bit during one of my visits this spring and they just talked to me about how they’ve been transitioning from high school to college. It’s a big step for anyone, especially when you’re an athlete. Both of those guys kind of went out of their way to talk to me about the Penn State lifestyle and what I can expect when I get up there.

Snyder: You mentioned enrolling early. Is there any chance you’ll be an early enrollee? Have you talked to the staff about potentially enrolling next January?

Wallace: I haven’t talked to the staff about that. I have looked into it and I am thinking about it, but I don’t know if my school will allow it. It’s something I need to learn more about, but it is something I’ve thought about.

Snyder: Throughout most of your recruitment, it felt like Penn State was the team to beat. What other schools were you seriously considering? Did any schools really come close to PSU or were they always a clear favorite?

Wallace: I would say that Oklahoma and Stanford, at one point, were two schools that were up there with Penn State. But I always had Penn State up top. Obviously, I wanted to go around and see what other schools could offer. I feel like I did that early in my recruitment, but Penn State was always the school that I kept coming back to when I would compare schools. I never wanted to make a closed-minded decision. I kept a lot of schools in mind and narrowed them down, but Penn State was at the top of my list for awhile.

Snyder: You took an unannounced visit to Penn State to watch spring practice a few weeks before your commitment. Was that the weekend you realized you were going to end up at Penn State? When did you actually fill the coaching staff in on your plans to commit?

Wallace: I personally knew when I went up for that practice, which was at the end of March, that I was going to end up at Penn State, but I didn’t tell the coaches until the day I committed. I wanted to surprise them that day, so I kept it on the low.

Snyder: Now that you’re committed, how hard do you plan to recruit other players? Are you someone that likes to message guys regularly or are you the kind of guy that lets players come to you when they have questions about Penn State?

Wallace: I’m pretty active with recruiting. Guys like Keaton [Ellis] and Ta’Quan [Roberson] were always pretty active in recruiting me, but it kind of goes both ways. If I see a recruit that I know we’re really trying to get, I’ll reach out to them to see where they stand with us. That’s especially true with some of the offensive line recruits. I’m the only offensive lineman right now, so I’m kind of like the student recruiter for offensive lineman. (laughs) So now, with guys like Devyn Ford, Saleem Wormley, Xavier Truss, they reach out to me and I reach out to them. It’s kind of a symbiotic relationship with those guys.

Snyder: So, you know my next question then. I have to ask: which recruits do you believe Penn State has a good chance with? I know you’re a classy guy. You don’t want to blow up a special moment for some guys that may be close to committing, but are there at least a few players that you believe Penn State sits in a good position with?

Wallace: I definitely feel like we’re going to be getting a couple other recruits in the future, maybe the near future. We’ll see. I see us getting a few offensive lineman, maybe a running back or maybe a defensive back or two. That’s all I’ll say.

Snyder: I like to ask you guys about some of your strengths and weaknesses. So, for strengths, what are one or two things that have always come naturally to you as an offensive lineman? Also, what are a few things that you really want to work on and improve at this upcoming season before arriving at Penn State?

Wallace: One thing I’ve always been good at is my movement. Whether it’s my lateral movement or my acceleration to get to the next level or pull, I think that’s something that I’ve always had and has always helped me. I would say that my hand placement and my punching is something I really want to work on and improve. Also, just making sure I’m doing the right moves at the right time. I’ve always been working to improve my technique over the years and I’ll continue to do that this season.

Snyder: In addition to working out with your team, do you work with any personal trainers? Are there any specialist that you work with? Also, do you know any of your max numbers for weight lifting? Bench press, squat, power cleans, etc.?

Wallace: There are a few specialists that I go and work with when I need to work on things that are specific to offensive lineman. One group I work with is Team 85, which is ran by Kevin Johnson. He was a wide receiver in the NFL. That’s in Bordentown [New Jersey]. I also went to Division I Sports, which is in Lake Mary, Florida. I just did that for a week during my spring break. It’s ran by a former Ohio State football player. That was really good. They taught me a lot in just that one week that I was there. I also workout sometimes at Pro Edge, which is in North Jersey. They specifically work on football technique and things like that. So, there are a few places that I workout at. Obviously, I then lift and work on conditioning with my teammates. I really haven’t maxed out in awhile, but I know some of my bench press and squat numbers. For bench, I can do 365 pounds five times. For squat, I can do 655 three times. I make sure I put up weight. (laughs)

Snyder: I know academics are very important to you and your family. How much did Penn State’s academic stature weigh into your commitment? Also, do you know what you plan to major in yet?

Wallace: I’m looking to be a business major. Penn State has a highly-ranked business program, so that definitely came into play when I was making my decision. Academics are very important to me. Like all of my teammates, the dream is to make it to the NFL someday, but you can’t just focus on that. Making sure I get a good degree and a good job someday is what you have to prepare for when you’re in college. So, academics played a big part with me and my family.

Snyder: I like to give the committed players an opportunity to say something to all the Penn State fans out there. Is there anything you’d like to tell them?

Wallace: I would just want to say that we’re building something really special here. We’re building a national championship team at Penn State University these next couple of years. I’m so happy that I committed now and can finally call this my home. Now, it’s time to continue getting better and do my part so we can have a national championship team in the coming years.