Penn State lands VA guard
Penn State added some further help on the offensive line yesterday as they picked up a commitment from a Commonwealth offensive guard. The 6-foot-4, 282-pounder selected the Nittany Lions over offers from North Carolina and William & Mary and interest from Virginia and Rutgers.
"I actually committed yesterday morning," Alexandria (Va.) Thomas Edison offensive guard Frank Figueroa said. "I talked to Coach Larry Johnson. He was super excited.
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"He wasn't expecting it. He was expecting me to call to see how things were going. I had gone ahead the previous night and sat down with my parents. I talked it over and Penn State had everything, it was perfect, so I went ahead and committed."
Figueroa discussed what made him select Penn State.
"The No. 1 thing for me was education," he said. "When you see a Penn State grad, it's the best education. They just got a brand new business hall and are highly ranked in the nation. That was really important, plus they have a good graduation rate.
"In addition, the legacy there and Penn State history and coaching staff. Coach Paterno played a big part of that. He's a great guy. I went for spring practice and my dad, and him were talking. He cares about football and cares about you as a person. School comes first and he stresses that.
Penn State hasn't mentioned playing time for the Commonwealth prospect, although he does know he will be brought in as a guard.
"They told me I'm coming in as a guard, but didn't talk much about playing time," he said. "I know what they bring to the table and we'll see."
Figueroa earned first team all-district and Washington Post all-league as a junior.