5* OL Dorian Johnson decommits from PSU and list of transfers to date

Submitted by bdsisme on

2013 5-star OT Dorian Johnson decommitted from Penn State last night.  He's said to be considering Pitt, Ohio, and VT.  Urban must be salivating.

 

2013 3-star WR Zach Bradshaw also decommitted yesterday, and switched to Virginia.

 

I think this is an up-to-date list of the fall-out from the NCAA sanctions -- feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Transfers (new school)

RB Silas Redd (USC)

WR Justin Brown (Oklahoma)

QB Rob Bolden (LSU)

K/P Anthony Fera (Texas)

LB Khairi Fortt (Cal)

TE Kevin Haplea (FSU)

OL Ryan Nowicki (Illinois)

DT Jamil Pollard (Rutgers)

S Tim Buckley (NC State)

 

Decommits (new commitment)

DT Greg Webb (North Carolina)

CB Ross Douglass (Michigan)

WR Will Fuller (Notre Dame)

WR Zach Bradshaw (Virginia)

OT Dorian Johnson (undecided)

bdsisme

August 8th, 2012 at 8:35 AM ^

The NCAA made it as easy as pie: there is no cutoff date.  Current players are free to transfer whenever they want -- can be this summer, can be the middle of the season, can be two years from now.

The only "restriction" is that if a player plays in a GAME for PSU this year, then they can't play in a game for another team *this* year (but of course, they could transfer and play immediately next year).

That said, we've probably seen most of the transfers that will happen this season because camps at other schools are starting (if someone was to transfer, they'd want to transfer in time to start camp at the new school).  However, after this season, I'm sure some players will be "evaluating their options", especially if it becomes evident that the team is not going to be competitive in the B1G.

LSAClassOf2000

August 8th, 2012 at 9:05 AM ^

Here is a link which explains the extent of the transfer waiver ruling for Penn State.

One bullet point here does confirm that the deadline for transfer without sitting for a season is the start of 2013 preseason practices. There's also this related point:

"Any current football student-athletes who begin preseason practice or enroll in classes at another school for the fall term of 2013 (begin preseason practice or enroll in classes at another institution) will be immediately eligible, provided they are admitted through the normal process and are otherwise eligible"

One thing that is also on that page I found interesting is that the off-campus and telephone recruiting rules were suspended (until August 27th anyway) as well as the permission-to-contact rules (which we inferred because O'Brien explicitly wants people to call him).

 

 

Leaders And Best

August 8th, 2012 at 9:00 AM ^

Current players can transfer anytime from now until August 2013 (before 2013 fall camp starts) and be immediately eligible (play immediately).  If they participate in any game in 2012 though, they cannot transfer and compefe for another school in 2012 (but would still be eligible in 2013).

Technically, a player could still up and leave at any point this season and play for another school in 2012 as long as they had not played a down in a game. But in reality, the true cutoff date for this season is a school's add/drop date as that is the latest a school could get a player into class. But they could still transfer at any time this academic year and be immediately eligible for 2013.

The players who are there participating in camp will most likely have to stick it out for at least a semester.  But after the 2012 season is over, I am guessing there could be another wave of departures before the 2013 season. Any player who has a breakout season for PSU this fall will be heavily recruited to transfer for the 2013 season. Start of PSU fall camp in 2013 is when this loophole closes.

If I thoroughly confused you, here is the NCAA statement of PSU transfer policy:

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/20120723/21207234

bluebyyou

August 8th, 2012 at 8:26 AM ^

Perhaps I will be wrong, but I just can't see many top commits going there.  O'Brien may get some  bodies, but they won't be top talent and the program will sink into mediocrity.  Why would top talent go to a school with no bowl games and the reputation that is now associated with the program?  

Not to hijack the thread, but there is another report that former players are challenging the NCAA sanctions - this time it is about the vacated wins over fourteen seasons.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8245600/former-penn-stat…

 

"Paul V. Kelly, an attorney for former Nittany Lions quarterback Michael Robinson and seven others who played for Penn State at some point during the 14 seasons in which the NCAA vacated victories, sent an intent to appeal letter (PDF) to the NCAA dated Aug. 7."

 

 

julesh

August 8th, 2012 at 8:41 AM ^

That's ridiculous. When it comes to vacated wins, there are always players who get wins taken off their "record" (but it makes no difference in real life) who had nothing to do with whatever the violations were. Why do these players think they are special?

seegoblu

August 8th, 2012 at 8:44 AM ^

Individual athletes are not members of the NCAA (only academic institutions are members), only the academic institution was sanctioned by the NCAA, and the wins they speak of are not individual records (again, they belong to the academic institutions).

What is their standing to appeal sanctions levied against PSU?

Seems like a waste of time and money (well, except for their attorneys who win either way).

True Blue Grit

August 8th, 2012 at 8:58 AM ^

philosophy and going after mostly "under the radar" kind of guys.   These are players that may be "late bloomers" or haven't hit the camp scene much, or just haven't gotten the attention from the rating services.  But as you say, players who are rated highly and have lots of options probably won't be picking PSU any time soon.

y2mh

August 8th, 2012 at 2:16 PM ^

IMO the keys are Adam Breneman & Christian Hackenberg. If they stay then PSU has a significant chance to weather this punishment and come out in fair shape on the other side. Of the two, to me the real linchpin is Hackenberg. He has to stick to keep recruiting at PSU afloat, though personally I doubt he will.

Breneman demonstrates what should be the main focus of PSU recruiting in the near future; the PA recruits that are ingrained to go there and can overlook the punishments. I agree they will search for the “undiscovered” talent in their region, get those strong 2-3* (that for one reason or another haven’t frequented the camp circuit) and the only top-flight recruits will be those instate that Pitt or WVU can’t pull.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

August 8th, 2012 at 9:19 AM ^

On the other hand, the players had literally nothing to do with it (one hopes) whereas at places like FSU or UNC, it was the players' shenanigans that got the school in trouble in the first place.

Not arguing for the vacated wins to reappear, just pointing out why PSU's players see it differently than at other schools.

Roachgoblue

August 8th, 2012 at 9:28 AM ^

The players didn't have anything to do with it at any of the colleges punished. They are either gone or there wasn't a player involved. The punishment is against the institution to keep things from getting out of control. Why can't people comprehend this? Wake up! People arguing the punishment are literally stupid.

Butterfield

August 8th, 2012 at 9:49 AM ^

Except that this one component of the sanctions, the vacated wins, affects players who have been gone for years, not the current players. The poster you were replying to didn't deserve your derisive response.

LB

August 8th, 2012 at 11:03 AM ^

be less than happy. It is more difficult to understand how they can put voice to their personal feelings given what happened at PSU.

Sorry fellows, your alma mater gave up the wins. If you feel powerless, take a moment and consider how powerless the victims must have felt.

I'd love for someone to ask them if they really  went to school there for a number of years and never heard a whisper. 

Thorin

August 8th, 2012 at 8:40 AM ^

After everything that's happened, Nebraska's 2013 class is still arguably worse than Penn State's.  Welcome to the Big 2, Little 10 n00bs.

LSA Aught One

August 8th, 2012 at 8:45 AM ^

this guy goes to Pitt.  They are doing some good things with recruiting lately.  The new staff looks like they are coming in ready to make thing happen.  Good luck to them!

Needs

August 8th, 2012 at 9:54 AM ^

For a lineman with NFL potential, going to play for Paul Chryst (Wisconsin's former offensive coordinator) and Bob Bostad (Wisconsin's former o-line coach) would be very, very appealing, given their track record. 

Marvin

August 8th, 2012 at 9:01 AM ^

I can't believe these players are decommitting. If they would just stay at PSU they would get their names on their jerseys for gosh sakes!

flysociety3

August 8th, 2012 at 9:17 AM ^

If you are a middling 2/3 Star recruit without any other major offers, do you go to PSU????

Say your offer list is something like.... Penn State, W. Michigan, Miami OH, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Syracuse.....

Where do you go??? 

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

August 8th, 2012 at 9:24 AM ^

PSU looks like a pretty strong option in that case.  I mean, Indiana's nice and an appealing school to me, and maybe they'll be on the upswing eventually, but then again, if you're gonna play in the Big Ten and not go to a bowl, Penn State sure sounds like a better choice.