PSU leaves impression on Lattimore
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Senior Marcus Lattimore from Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes was a man of few words Saturday.
Sporting a white hoodie and a blue Penn State winter cap, ESPN Scouts Inc.'s No. 2 running back (No. 16 overall) was stone-faced for much of the game against Ohio State. After the third quarter, when the Nittany Lions were trailing 17-7, Lattimore shared one of his first impressions on his visit to Penn State.
"It's a good atmosphere," he said. "Probably the best one."
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Lattimore would be an exceptional addition to a Penn State team that's already widely considered to have one of the top recruiting classes in the nation (currently ranked No. 7 by ESPN Scouts Inc.). Tailback Evan Royster has just one more year of eligibility remaining. His back up, Stephfon Green, has two.
Lattimore said he was set to be hosted by wideout Justin Brown, a freshman from Wilmington, Del., on Saturday night. In addition to PSU, Lattimore is still deciding between South Carolina, UNC, Auburn and Florida State.
The Nittany Lions aren't considered the front-runners.
"I think the environment was great, our fans were great, there was a lot of noise -- we just didn't give enough to cheer about unfortunately," Penn State quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno said. "But this is a very unique and special place, so I don't think it comes down to one game for a lot of recruits."
If Lattimore decides on a school other than Penn State, that might be good news for high school senior Chad Kolumber, an unrated offensive tackle out of Woodberry Forest School in Virginia.
Kolumber was on his second visit to Beaver Stadium. But, as of midnight Saturday, he had yet to receive an offer from the Lions.
"I could definitely see myself playing here," he said with a wide grin about an hour before kickoff against the Buckeyes.
The 6-foot-7, 284-pounder has also visited the Virginia and North Carolina. He said he appreciated the family-oriented atmosphere ("how close everyone is," he explained) at Penn State and just how loud the student section can get.
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