Up Close and Personal: WR Mac Hippenhammer

By now, Nittany Lion fans are well aware of James Franklin’s ability on the recruiting trail. Beginning with his first full class in 2015, Penn State has now secured 45 commitments from prospects who have earned a four-star rating or better from Rivals.com. Not only is that the team’s best four-year stretch over the past two decades, but that number is incomplete, as the staff still has to finish off the Class of 2018. Expect it to grow in the months to come.

But one thing that has sometimes gone overlooked is the staff’s ability to identify talent before its competitors. One of the best examples in the team’s most recent class is wide receiver Mac Hippenhammer. A 5-foot-11, 170-pound slot receiver from Fort Wayne, Ind., Hippenhammer didn’t come onto the radar screen until June 2016, when he attended one of the staff’s satellite camps in Ohio. Once he was able to show the coaches in person what he could do, it didn’t take long for things to get serious.

“Before that camp, Coach [Josh] Gattis followed me on Twitter, but we weren’t really talking,” Hippenhammer said. “I actually reached out to Coach Gattis to start it all. He was saying that he liked my film but wanted to see more from me.

“So I attended their satellite camp at Bowling Green. I actually didn’t test that well. I could have done better with my 40 time, but once I got the opportunity to show what I could do during one-on-ones, I felt like I killed it. I think that made up for some of my testing times.”

While he didn’t leave with an offer that day, Hippenhammer knew he’d caught the coaches’ attention when most members of the Nittany Lions’ staff followed him on Twitter just a few days later. By the end of the week, Hippenhammer had what he called his “first real big offer,” but it wouldn’t be his last. As was the case with several of Penn State’s previous under-the-radar prospects, many of the Nittany Lions’ rivals took notice immediately, as Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana all offered within a matter of days.

About a month later, Hippenhammer visited Penn State for the first time. The staff’s annual Lasch Bash barbecue in July proved to be a perfect opportunity, as it allowed him to get to know not only the coaching staff, but also the players who had already committed.

“Honestly, I thought I was going to be uncomfortable,” Hippenhammer said. “I’m used to the Midwest schools, like Michigan State, Indiana and Notre Dame. I thought [Penn State] would be a lot different, and it was to some degree, but I loved it. I loved the scenery around campus and really everything I saw.

“But maybe most importantly, I really liked all the guys I met. I became close with Sean [Clifford] right away. We really connected after meeting each other, and I got to know a bunch of the other commits, too. Of course, the coaches were also great. I really fell in love with Penn State then.”

Hippenhammer also checked out Michigan State, Iowa and Wake Forest that summer. While each school had a lot to offer, Penn State had the complete package. Ultimately, that's what led to his commitment on Aug. 13.

“It was just the perfect fit for me,” he said. “When I also learned about their alumni association and all the different majors, my family and I were in agreement.”

Following an excellent senior season – Hippenhammer totaled more than 1,700 all-purpose yards, scoring 18 touchdowns – it looked as if it would be a quiet few months leading up to signing day. Then came an offer that he had coveted all through high school.

“I’ve been to Notre Dame so many times,” Hippenhammer said. “I used to go to games with other players, all the way back to freshman year, so I’ve been there a lot. That was always a school I really liked, but they didn’t end up offering me until really late in the process.”

The offer became official on Jan. 15, and Hippenhammer visited Notre Dame the following day. All of a sudden, it looked as if the Nittany Lions were going to have to fight to keep Hippenhammer. But after he returned home from South Bend and began to think about his options, his enthusiasm started to wane.

“It wasn’t what I expected,” he said. “They kind of played me throughout my recruitment. They always said that they really liked me, but they didn’t offer until the very end, so that kind of left a bad taste in my mouth.”

On top of that, his official visit to University Park was scheduled for the following weekend, Jan. 20-22. With the entire coaching staff on campus, along with nearly all of the committed players, Hippenhammer realized that he needed to stick with his original decision.

“I had a really good time at Penn State that weekend. Just like at the Lasch Bash, I had a great time hanging out with the coaches and the other recruits. I ended up telling Coach Gattis that I was staying with Penn State after we finished breakfast on the last day.

“They were always there for me, and while I did grow up following Notre Dame, Penn State was the school that really wanted me. That was really important to me.”

Hippenhammer is now on campus, preparing for the season in the hope of earning early playing time. It may be tough for him to crack the two-deep at receiver in 2017, but during his three full seasons of varsity football, Hippenhammer scored nine touchdowns on punt and kickoff returns. He’s open to reprising that role this fall, but he also understands that his future is brightest at wide receiver.

“They’ve been telling me that I have a great opportunity to return kicks and punts if I want it my freshman year,” Hippenhammer said, before enrolling in June. “I’m still not sure what I want to do. Obviously, I’m going to do whatever the coaches want me to do, but personally, I’m not sure if I want to burn a year of eligibility if I’m just playing special teams my freshman year. So, on one hand, I want to do it. But I also want to maximize my time at wide receiver.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about helping the team. So if the coaches want me, I’ll be there for the team.”

Football may not be the only sport that Hippenhammer ends up playing at Penn State. Throughout high school, he was also a key player on Snider’s baseball team, leading the Panthers to the state tournament his junior and senior years. In fact, his senior year was his best season yet, batting over .400 and leading his team in steals. That caught the eye of Nittany Lion baseball coach Rob Cooper.

“I’ve talked to Coach Cooper about it,” Hippenhammer said. “He said he would welcome me with open arms, so I think I’m going to try and give it a go my freshman year and we’ll see how it goes. That was another thing I liked about Penn State. Iowa talked to me about it a little bit, but Penn State was the one school that really offered me that opportunity. I know I’m going there for football, but just the opportunity to keep playing another sport I love was appealing.”