O'Connor opens things up

Sean Fitz
19 months ago
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Penn State has suffered its first decommitment since the firing of head coach Joe Paterno, as Windsor (Colo.) offensive lineman Joey O'Connor told 247Sports on Thursday evening that he has reopened his recruitment.

"Earlier this evening I decided to decommit and keep my options open," he said. "Right now, I just wanted to relieve some of this pressure off of me with everything that is going on and concentrate on my senior football season and give my football team the best that I can give them.

"After the season, I'll start narrowing things down, calling coaches, everything I can do. We'll just take it day by day."

The 6-foot-3, 280-pound prospect held scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Colorado State, South Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA, Utah, Washington State and Wyoming before his commitment in late June. He said that right now he is not sure which schools will be options in the future.

"The playing field is wide open right now," he said. "I have not ruled out Penn State. We're just going to take it day by day and figure some things out."

O'Connor has remained in touch with the Penn State staff throughout the entire situation in Happy Valley. He has already taken his official visit to Penn State.

"I've been talking to Bill Kenney, the offensive line coach, I talked to him earlier this evening about decommitting," he said. "He respects my decision and he'll said he'll be in contact with me and see what happens."

The three-star prospect added that he would be keeping a close eye on who the Nittany Lions will turn to as their next coach.

Sean Fitz
Penn State Insider - Lions247

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19 months ago

http://pennstate.247sports.com/Article/OConnor-opens-things-up-48193
Windsor (Colo.) offensive lineman Joey O'Connor has reopened his recruitment, becoming the first decommitment since allegations rocked the University.

This post was edited by Sean Fitz on 11/10/2011 at 9:34 PM
Sean Fitz
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19 months ago

Won't be the last either. He isn't regional so I'm not surprised.
JettaPSU2001
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19 months ago

Doesn't sound too bad after reading his comments. Can't blame the kid for his decision.
Bedford2108 ●
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19 months ago via 247Sports Mobile

I read this with a ' fair enough' feel
Seltz
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19 months ago

Yeah, look at how much heat people like me take from friends, neighbors, co-workers, about PSU, imagine being an 18-yr old who committed there, think that he's hear "why in the world would you go there?" a couple hundred times this week?
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19 months ago

Very honest and classy way to do it. No one can blame him.
But man that hurts.
MTayl72
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19 months ago

Well, his comments weren't awful, but there are certainly times when prospects decommit and then give lip service to the old school saying "they're still in it" when they really aren't.
Like I said before, he was definitely one of my favorite commits. I loved his demeanor on the field and I really hope a new coach can get him back on board.
psubills62
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19 months ago

Joey is a great kid. Handled this very well and has nothing but good things to say about Penn State. The bad part for Penn State is that he already took his official visit to Happy Valley for the Eastern Michigan game, so if he makes it back out it will be on his own dime.
Sean Fitz
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19 months ago

Sean Fitz said...
Joey is a great kid. Handled this very well and has nothing but good things to say about Penn State. The bad part for Penn State is that he already took his official visit to Happy Valley for the Eastern Michigan game, so if he makes it back out it will be on his own dime.

Well, it will be up to the next staff to hop on a plane then to try to get him back.
Hamilton Lion
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19 months ago

Sean Fitz said...
Joey is a great kid. Handled this very well and has nothing but good things to say about Penn State. The bad part for Penn State is that he already took his official visit to Happy Valley for the Eastern Michigan game, so if he makes it back out it will be on his own dime.

Question on that.
If PSU hired a brand new HC next week, say John Doe, would O'Connor be able to get another official visit since it is a new HC or no, it only goes by school?
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19 months ago

and it begins.... the only way that recruiting should be effected by this is for those who have committed largely based on their hopes to play for Joe Pa.... I would think if I were committed to play for Penn State and knew a new coaching regime was on the way, I'd have more of a wait and see thought process....
this scandal should not reflect on Penn State in a manner by which they are perceived re: the current incarnation of the program based on actions and inactions that took place a decade ago. Same great kids, same atmosphere, great tradition, 1 disgusting non-football related (aside from job position) fiasco.
These were football coaches engaged in NON-football related controversy.... no tattoos, no Cam Newton's dad, no pay for play, no free cars, no Reggie Bush's parents housing....
I truly hope that the current commits, recruits, and future recruits can see this for what it is.... I get the feeling I'm putting a bit too much hope in the maturity of 17/18 year olds.
Nonetheless.... no ill will toward Mr. O'Connor... best of luck young man... hope you reconsider
JC from LP
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19 months ago

sneakypete said...
Question on that.
If PSU hired a brand new HC next week, say John Doe, would O'Connor be able to get another official visit since it is a new HC or no, it only goes by school?

he would be able to get an in home visit.
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19 months ago via 247Sports Mobile

sneakypete said...
Question on that.
If PSU hired a brand new HC next week, say John Doe, would O'Connor be able to get another official visit since it is a new HC or no, it only goes by school?

Doubt it's per coach, but I also don't think he would need another visit to make a decision. It's not like the campus or facilities have changed. It will be up to the new HC and position coach to get out to Colorado to convince him to re-considering
psujmc1992
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19 months ago

I won't think any less of any kid who chooses to decommit after this. This is some heavy stuff, and these kids don't deserve to have this hanging over their heads for their entire college career.
If any of these commits choose to stay, I will welcome them with open arms. That is a big, courageous step for them to take.
PureRockFury
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19 months ago

sneakypete said...
Question on that.
If PSU hired a brand new HC next week, say John Doe, would O'Connor be able to get another official visit since it is a new HC or no, it only goes by school?

One official visit per school.
Sean Fitz
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19 months ago

sneakypete said...
Question on that.
If PSU hired a brand new HC next week, say John Doe, would O'Connor be able to get another official visit since it is a new HC or no, it only goes by school?

School.
MTayl72
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19 months ago

I think he is the first of many to come.
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19 months ago

Don't worry, new hire will be big. And we will have more recruits than we would have gotten... I have faith after the clean house, we will hire a great coach...
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19 months ago

JettaPSU2001 said...
He isn't regional so I'm not surprised.

This
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19 months ago

Did anyone see Cox's tweet earlier? It said "I think if you decommitt and abondon a school after something like the psu case u need to check your self bcuz u have #LoyalityIssues"

This post was edited by Bedford2108 on 11/10/2011 at 11:19 PM
Bedford2108 ●
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19 months ago

Bedford2108 said...
Did anyone see Cox's tweet earlier? It said "I think if you decommitt and abondon a school after something like the psu case u need to check your self bcuz u have #LoyalityIssues"

Huh...interesting.
psubills62
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19 months ago via 247Sports Mobile

Bedford2108 said...
Did anyone see Cox's tweet earlier? It said "I think if you decommitt and abondon a school after something like the psu case u need to check your self bcuz u have #LoyalityIssues"

That's interesting.....
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19 months ago

PSUjosh11 said...
That's interesting.....

Yeah, saw the tweet from Cox, but also saw he picked up the official offer from ND, which it seemed he may have been holding out in hopes of getting...
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19 months ago

NotoriousG-Man said...
Yeah, saw the tweet from Cox, but also saw he picked up the official offer from ND, which it seemed he may have been holding out in hopes of getting...

I think this is the offer, ND, he was awaiting for. JMO
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19 months ago

So I guess this means we really need to make a push to get someone like Ryan Watson if he is still an option...
PSUTodd217
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