Even more interest for Penniston

Kyle Penniston hoped to take an unofficial visit to Florida State this season since the Seminoles have already offered but the 2015 tight end could not make it.

After transferring to Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei for his sophomore season, Penniston focused on the playbook and not the recruiting process. Maybe this off-season he could make it to Tallahassee but a big playoff matchup is scheduled for this weekend.

"My coaches didn't want me to go out because I transferred and they wanted me to pick up the offense," Penniston said. "We were going to go on dead weeks but I stayed and went over plays. I wanted to study the playbook. I had to make sure I knew everything before the season came up.

"I wish I could have made it out there but I had to know the plays first. I would like to go this off-season if time permits. If I get a nice, long weekend or maybe during spring break or maybe sometime during the summer I could go."

Recruiting has been steadily progressing for Penniston, who shined at multiple events this past off-season and has proven to be one of the top sophomore tight ends in Southern California.

Florida State offered early on and Penniston said Arizona, Oregon, Indiana, Penn State, Northwestern and others have shown interest through the season.

Since he's focused on the playoffs and his grades, Penniston has not focused much on the recruiting process yet. That should come after the season.

"I'm getting a bunch of letters and everything but I give them to my dad," Penniston said.

"By the time I get home at night, I don't get home until 8:30, I have homework so I'm just waiting for football to be over and I'll get more into it. School is really getting hard with football and the playoffs and practice is later and later. I'll take all the letters and wait until the off-season. Right now I want to focus on school and football."

Mater Dei defeated Lakewood, 71-10, last weekend in the first round of playoffs. It faces Mission Hills (Calif.) Bishop Alemany on Friday night.