Rouse learns all about Penn State's academics

Three-star offensive tackle Walter Rouse was back in Happy Valley Saturday for the staff’s Lasch Bash Barbecue.

Last month, the 6-foot-6, 280 pound prospect made his way to Penn State for the staff’s Whiteout Camp. That gave Rouse an excellent feel for the coaching staff, most notably offensive line coach Matt Limegrover. However, he still needed to learn more about one of the most important factors in his recruitment: academics.

“A big thing about me coming to the Lasch Bash was so I could see the academic side of Penn State,” Rouse said. “During the first part of the trip, I didn’t really do any of the activities that everyone else was doing. I didn’t do the scavenger hunt or anything like that. Instead, they had me sit down with the head trainer, the team doctor, plus one of the students working in a lab who was working on concussion testing.

“Me and my mother had a great talk with them and some other people about the requirements for pre-med and what it’s like to be a student studying that at Penn State. I appreciated that. I learned enough to get a much better feel for Penn State’s academics and what all it’s going to take for me to play football and balance it all.”

Once he met back up with the rest of the group, Rouse said that he spent much of his time with one of the staff’s other top targets along the offensive line: Zachary Franks.

“One of the recruits I spent a lot of time with was Zachary Franks,” he said. “He’s from Baltimore, so not that far from me. We were just talking about when he may be committing, what he’s thinking about doing, all of that kind of stuff. I know he really likes Penn State, obviously. He just had them in his Top 4.

“When we were eating then, each one of the coaches came up on stage and had us then come up there and introduce ourselves. That helped me get to know their committed guys, like Saleem Wormley and Caedan Wallace. Overall, it was good to spend all that time with everyone, the coaches and the recruits.”

Like so many other recruits that attended the barbecue, Rouse also stressed the family atmosphere that Penn State prioritizes.

“What I saw was how much they stress family. It really is a way of life for them and that’s really important to me. That’s what I like to look for in a university,” said Rouse. "It’s the most important thing there. It’s a way of life for them. Only a couple universities that I’ve visited really stress that as much as Penn State.”

Earlier this week, Rouse visited both Ohio State and Stanford. He’ll now head to Duke on Monday before the August dead period begins Wednesday. He plans to take official visits this season, but as of now, he has just one trip set, which will be to Notre Dame on Sept. 1 when the Irish host Michigan.

During his meeting with head coach James Franklin, he stressed to Rouse that, no matter what school he ultimately ends up at, he needs to take an official visit to Penn State before he makes any sort of commitment.

“Coach Franklin was really just stressing that, no matter what I end up doing, I need to take an official there during the season so I can get a real feel for what it’s like in the stadium and around town. He wants me to get that full experience.”