Plans change.
It's true in most elements of life and college football recruiting can often be a microcosm. Jacksonville (Fla.) Jackson offensive lineman Deryc Plazz had a recruiting plan to take several official visits, camp at an SEC program and come off the board with a college commitment on September 23.
Instead, on the heels of his first official visit, Plazz has come off the board to Penn State University.
The first, red-carper impression of James Franklin's program was enough to wrap up this recruitment before what was to be a loaded June official visit swing.
"On the second day I knew it was the move," Plazz told Rivals. "So last night at dinner me and the coaches talked and we made that decision.
"They were ecstatic, fired up that I’m coming."
PSU won out for another impressive Floridian over finalists Florida State, Miami, NC State and Duke. Alabama was also to host the rising-senior, who had a pecking order within his top group. FSU and NC State were the front-runners heading into the month of June.
Penn State changed all of it.
"Yea they jumped everyone," Plazz said. "The family atmosphere and the way the players take care of each other stood out.
"But it’s just different here. When you’re up here you feel the family aspect of it. The players are great, too. Then it’s just like a reset."
The head-turner from north Florida plays offensive tackle at the prep level, but he can work up and down an offensive line at the next level.
The latter is part of the new plan in Happy Valley.
"Right now the plan is to enroll early and get straight to work," he said. "Start off at tackle the work into whatever position I’m best at. The guys that are in the room are just like me, guys that I know will push me to be better, and the scheme is very versatile so it will show NFL scouts a lot when it comes to putting things on film."
Franklin and his staff have prioritized the state of Florida over the last decade or so and the class of 2024 is no different. Plazz is the third recruit from the Jacksonville area, alone, to join the rising-senior recruiting class.
"Coach Franklin was great," he said. "Very straight forward, which is something that I love. He’s very transparent and honest and the players love him. He’s a players coach and cares a lot about his guys."
PSU also has one of the biggest offensive line hauls to date in the cycle, with Plazz standing as the sixth projection on that side of the trenches to pick the Nittany Lions.
