Penn State Football: Nittany Lions Hoping Breneman And Switzer Can Keep Recruiting Momentum Going

Having received verbal commitments from three four-star prospects in the past six days, Penn State coach Bill O’Brien is starting to make a name for himself on the recruiting trail.

Quarterback Christian Hackenberg, from Virginia, cornerback Ross Douglas, from Ohio, and defensive end Garrett Sickels, from New Jersey, have all verbally committed to Penn State’s class of 2013 despite having several other big-name schools pursuing them. 

The commitments of Hackenberg, Douglas and Sickels not only marks a strong start for O’Brien and his staff, it gives them momentum with other high-profile recruits who are considering the Nittany Lions. 

Perhaps no name on Penn State’s radar is bigger than Cedar Cliff’s Adam Breneman, a five-star prospect and Pennsylvania native, who is the top-rated tight end recruit in the 2013 class. 

Penn State hosted Breneman on Feb. 17,  a visit that may very well have sealed the deal for the lifelong Penn State fan.

“We wanted a chance to meet the coaching staff 1-on-1,” said Breneman’s father, Brian. “The visit was excellent.”

Adam Breneman insists that popularity will not impact his college decision, but those around him believe he could be O’Brien’s biggest catch yet.

‘Penn State, Penn State, Penn State,’ Mike Farrell, Rivals.com recruiting analyst said when asked to predict Breneman’s selection.

Breneman is scheduled to announce his college choice at 7 p.m. Friday in the Cedar Cliff High School gymnasium. His final four schools include Penn State, Notre Dame, Maryland and Ohio State.

Looking beyond this week’s anticipated announcement, Penn State also is hoping to land Ryan Switzer, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back from Charleston, W. Va. He is rated the top junior in the state and has offers from schools such as Florida State, Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest and Purdue. 

“I’ve got the best relationships with Coach O’Brien and his staff,” Switzer said. “I feel like I could talk to them about things outside of football, that’s how close we are. The staff and I keep in constant contact.’