Biggest Busts in PSU Football History

[Taycro]

I'll start with some recent names:

- Justin Shorter
- Ricky Slade
- Enzo Jennings
- Lamont Wade (debatable since he still started quite a bit)



Anyone know why Ricky Slade washed up so bad? Had decent stats in limited action for us, then never played a down at ODU. What happened?

 

[Erial_Lion]

Corey Jones

 

[rap5088]

Sterling Jenkins

 

[BobPSU92]

 

[Midnighter]

I'll start with some recent names:

- Justin Shorter
- Ricky Slade
- Enzo Jennings
- Lamont Wade (debatable since he still started quite a bit)



Anyone know why Ricky Slade washed up so bad? Had decent stats in limited action for us, then never played a down and ODU. What happened?

Slade's issues were off field IIRC (think some personality conflicts) and never found a home. He, like nearly every other five star we've ever had (with few exceptions) just didn't live up to the hype (most of them aren't 'busts', but just don't perform at their five star ranking):

WR Corey Jones
RB Devyn Ford
OL Floyd Wedderburn
TE RJ Luke
RB Omar Easy
QB Christian Hackenberg
QB Anthony Morelli
DB Justin King
WR/DB Derrick Williams
LB Brandon Smith
DB AJ Wallace
LB Chris Colasanti (highest rated recruit for us in 2007)
LB Brandon Beachum
QB Paul Jones
DE Garrett Sickles
TE Adam Brenneman
WR Juwan Johnson
DE Shane Simmons
LB Lance Dixon

 

[Connorpozlee]

I wouldn’t put Wade in that category at all. Devyn Ford?

 

[Midnighter]

Corey Jones

Same class as 5* Randy Moss. SMH.

 

[Alphalion75]

Austin Scott

 

[nittanyfan333]

Slade's issues were off field IIRC (think some personality conflicts) and never found a home. He, like nearly every other five star we've ever had (with few exceptions) just didn't live up to the hype (most of them aren't 'busts', but just don't perform at their five star ranking):

WR Corey Jones
RB Devyn Ford
OL Floyd Wedderburn
TE RJ Luke
RB Omar Easy
QB Christian Hackenberg
QB Anthony Morelli
DB Justin King
WR/DB Derrick Williams
LB Brandon Smith
DB AJ Wallace
LB Chris Colasanti (highest rated recruit for us in 2007)
LB Brandon Beachum
QB Paul Jones
DE Garrett Sickles
TE Adam Brenneman
WR Juwan Johnson
DE Shane Simmons
LB Lance Dixon

I don't know if i'd call Brenneman a bust. his issues were injury related (Knee).

King and Williams were very solid players. Williams was a game breaker. did they live up to their high-5* rating? probably not, but definitely not busts

 

[MtNittany]

Slade's issues were off field IIRC (think some personality conflicts) and never found a home. He, like nearly every other five star we've ever had (with few exceptions) just didn't live up to the hype (most of them aren't 'busts', but just don't perform at their five star ranking):

WR Corey Jones
RB Devyn Ford
OL Floyd Wedderburn
TE RJ Luke
RB Omar Easy
QB Christian Hackenberg
QB Anthony Morelli
DB Justin King
WR/DB Derrick Williams
LB Brandon Smith
DB AJ Wallace
LB Chris Colasanti (highest rated recruit for us in 2007)
LB Brandon Beachum
QB Paul Jones
DE Garrett Sickles
TE Adam Brenneman
WR Juwan Johnson
DE Shane Simmons
LB Lance Dixon

RJ Luke came to my mind immediately as well. Yours is a pretty good list.

 

[LionJim]

Rick Donaldson.

 

[BobPSU92]

Rob Bolden

 

[GringoStarr99]

Quintus McDonald
Ron Graham
Titcus Pettigrew

They were OK but not to the expected level when they came in

Zac Wasserman count?

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

CJF???!

 

[bdgan]

Hilarious! Would the politically correct media even allow something like this again?

 

[bdgan]

Joel Holler

I also recall a 5* lineman from Maryland but I forgot his name.

Slade's issues were off field IIRC (think some personality conflicts) and never found a home. He, like nearly every other five star we've ever had (with few exceptions) just didn't live up to the hype (most of them aren't 'busts', but just don't perform at their five star ranking):

WR Corey Jones
RB Devyn Ford
OL Floyd Wedderburn
TE RJ Luke
RB Omar Easy
QB Christian Hackenberg
QB Anthony Morelli
DB Justin King
WR/DB Derrick Williams
LB Brandon Smith
DB AJ Wallace
LB Chris Colasanti (highest rated recruit for us in 2007)
LB Brandon Beachum
QB Paul Jones
DE Garrett Sickles
TE Adam Brenneman
WR Juwan Johnson
DE Shane Simmons
LB Lance Dixon

That's a rough list. Some kids don't live up to their lofty recruiting rankings but they still made solid contributions. Like King, Hackenberg, Morelli, etc.

 

[bdgan]

Austin Scott

Chisley, Bell

 

[Midnighter]

Joel Holler

I also recall a 5* lineman from Maryland but I forgot his name.



That's a rough list. Some kids don't live up to their lofty recruiting rankings but they still made solid contributions. Like King, Hackenberg, Morelli, etc.

Yeah, that was my qualifier - solid, but not 5* worthy. That's not their fault. How many on that list were All-Americans? Our last two 5* AA's are Parsons and Dan Connor.

 

[sdale91]

Slade's issues were off field IIRC (think some personality conflicts) and never found a home. He, like nearly every other five star we've ever had (with few exceptions) just didn't live up to the hype (most of them aren't 'busts', but just don't perform at their five star ranking):

WR Corey Jones
RB Devyn Ford
OL Floyd Wedderburn
TE RJ Luke
RB Omar Easy
QB Christian Hackenberg
QB Anthony Morelli
DB Justin King
WR/DB Derrick Williams
LB Brandon Smith
DB AJ Wallace
LB Chris Colasanti (highest rated recruit for us in 2007)
LB Brandon Beachum
QB Paul Jones
DE Garrett Sickles
TE Adam Brenneman
WR Juwan Johnson
DE Shane Simmons
LB Lance Dixon

Still wouldn't call Hack a bust even if he didnt quite live up to the five star status. He held just about every PSU record when he left and was a (misguided) 2nd round pick.

 

[MtNittany]

I'll add that RJ Luke did come w/ a lot of promise. Maybe the expectations were too high.

 

[Mr. Potter]

Shamar Finney
Zac Wasserman

 

[s1uggo72]

I am thinking of the tackle from DC pulled a hat switch at signing day

found it

Antonio Logan-El

 

[Anon1640372757]

James Franklin

 

[Still in State Colllege]

Slade's issues were off field IIRC (think some personality conflicts) and never found a home. He, like nearly every other five star we've ever had (with few exceptions) just didn't live up to the hype (most of them aren't 'busts', but just don't perform at their five star ranking):

WR Corey Jones
RB Devyn Ford
OL Floyd Wedderburn
TE RJ Luke
RB Omar Easy
QB Christian Hackenberg
QB Anthony Morelli
DB Justin King
WR/DB Derrick Williams
LB Brandon Smith
DB AJ Wallace
LB Chris Colasanti (highest rated recruit for us in 2007)
LB Brandon Beachum
QB Paul Jones
DE Garrett Sickles
TE Adam Brenneman
WR Juwan Johnson
DE Shane Simmons
LB Lance Dixon

I thought Justin King had a very solid career. Tough to make a tremendous impact at CB.

Derrick Williams is a guy I don't know how to feel about. I think he was a good player for PSU but certainly not a program changing guy. He did however seem to bring a better attitude to the team coming out of the Mills era.

I would add Nick Marmo. I believe he was very highly ranked coming out of New Castle. Wasn't Titcus Pettigrew another that was ranked highly.

 

[Keyser Soze 16802]

Tom Bill?

 

[Midnighter]

I thought Justin King had a very solid career. Tough to make a tremendous impact at CB.

Derrick Williams is a guy I don't know how to feel about. I think he was a good player for PSU but certainly not a program changing guy. He did however seem to bring a better attitude to the team coming out of the Mills era.

I would add Nick Marmo. I believe he was very highly ranked coming out of New Castle. Wasn't Titcus Pettigrew another that was ranked highly.

Williams was the #1 player in the country.

 

[TheBigUglies]

I don't know if i'd call Brenneman a bust. his issues were injury related (Knee).

King and Williams were very solid players. Williams was a game breaker. did they live up to their high-5* rating? probably not, but definitely not busts

Justin King and Derrick Williams(D Wheels) got us out of the dark ages when they came to PSU.

I think Austin Scott was the biggest bust. He got his high ranking because in high school his coach would keep him in when the games were well in hand to up his rushing yards and TDs to make him look better then he actually was. Then again, the PSU offense, the HD Offense, was too predictable back then so it may have been the PSU coaching back then.

 

[manatree]

I've always wondered why players get all of the criticism for being busts or underachievers, yet the pundits that make the rankings always escape unscathed.

 

[Corner Room Breakfast]

I can think of 2 offensive coordinators before Andy K.

 

[bbrown]

I thought Justin King had a very solid career. Tough to make a tremendous impact at CB.

Derrick Williams is a guy I don't know how to feel about. I think he was a good player for PSU but certainly not a program changing guy. He did however seem to bring a better attitude to the team coming out of the Mills era.

I would add Nick Marmo. I believe he was very highly ranked coming out of New Castle. Wasn't Titcus Pettigrew another that was ranked highly.

Especially hard for King when he played in the defensive scheme Bradley ran.
I thought he was better on offense.

 

[PSUFTG]

Williams was the #1 player in the country.

He was certainly never the #1 player in the country (or anything close to it - all you had to do was watch his HS tapes).

He was however - as I am sure you are referencing - ranked as the "#1" recruit by some recruiting guru. But that was pure silliness, and no fault or responsibility of Williams.
He was what he was (and what he was is a guy who could play at the D1 level and help a team out - so good for him).

 

[PSUFTG]

I've always wondered why players get all of the criticism for being busts or underachievers, yet the pundits that make the rankings always escape unscathed.

Amen

 

[Midnighter]

He was certainly never the #1 player in the country (or anything close to it - all you had to do was watch his HS tapes).

He was however - as I am sure you are referencing - ranked as the "#1" recruit by some recruiting guru. But that was pure silliness, and no fault or responsibility of Williams.
He was what he was (and what he was is a guy who could play at the D1 level and help a team out - so good for him).

Rivals had him as the #1 player in the country - that is more than 'close to it.'

https://n.rivals.com/news/former-no-1-williams-reflects-on-wild-ride

"Derrick Williams was a household name in recruiting coming out of high school, our No. 1 player in the country in 2005 and the target of an all-out recruiting battle between numerous schools," said Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell. "I had the pleasure of going along for the recruiting ride with him on Rivals.com and on television. We did a hit on ESPN after each official visit and his announcement on ESPN was one of the most suspenseful they've ever had. He was a do-it-all prospect with amazing speed and explosiveness."

 

[Bison13]

Shamar Finney
Zac Wasserman

Finney was my first thought too. Wasn't he the #1 LB and maybe even #1 player in the country that year? I picked up the Collegian on my way to my Emch 12 class that am and saw the class they pulled in that year. So disappointing overall.

He was certainly never the #1 player in the country (or anything close to it - all you had to do was watch his HS tapes).

He was however - as I am sure you are referencing - ranked as the "#1" recruit by some recruiting guru. But that was pure silliness, and no fault or responsibility of Williams.
He was what he was (and what he was is a guy who could play at the D1 level and help a team out - so good for him).

I saw him play in person in HS. Was basically an option type QB who played on a HS team that was a magnet program in Princes Georges county MD. They got all the kids who were good students to transfer in and had a top 3 roster each year in the state (Suitland/Douglass/Friendly HS were the other biggies back then) so he was never really put under pressure outside of a game or two and when he was they lost because they weren't coached up. Great athlete but was not class to the #1 guy in the country.

 

[Blair10]

Hackenberg - QB (Biggest bust of all time)

Bobby Samuels - KR

Scott Stratton (1990 USA Today All-USA) - OL

Eric Renkey - LB/DL

Ron Graham - LB

Brandon Smith - LB

Quintus McDonald - LB

 

[Steve JG]

Joel Holler

I also recall a 5* lineman from Maryland but I forgot his name.



That's a rough list. Some kids don't live up to their lofty recruiting rankings but they still made solid contributions. Like King, Hackenberg, Morelli, etc.

Anton Logan El

 

[PSUFTG]

Rivals had him as the #1 player in the country - that is more than 'close to it.'

https://n.rivals.com/news/former-no-1-williams-reflects-on-wild-ride

"Derrick Williams was a household name in recruiting coming out of high school, our No. 1 player in the country in 2005 and the target of an all-out recruiting battle between numerous schools," said Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell. "I had the pleasure of going along for the recruiting ride with him on Rivals.com and on television. We did a hit on ESPN after each official visit and his announcement on ESPN was one of the most suspenseful they've ever had. He was a do-it-all prospect with amazing speed and explosiveness."

No doubt, some knucklehead recruiting gurus fell in love with him.

But he was never at the level of the top players in the country - not even in High School (see Bison's post above)
Having some knucklehead say "Player X is #1" is a different animal from an athlete actually being "the best", or "#1", or even close to it.
I only mention it becomes it, in the long run, becomes grossly unfair to the athlete - as expectations become well beyond what the player could ever hope to meet. Fans think those edicts from a guru mean something - when they don't. And then a player who is a solid contributor becomes labelled as a "bust", through no fault of their own.

 

[Nitt1300]

The fans in the stands

 

[Midnighter]

No doubt, some knucklehead recruiting gurus fell in love with him.

But he was never at the level of the top players in the country - not even in High School (see Bison's post above)
Having some knucklehead say "Player X is #1" is a different animal from an athlete actually being "the best", or "#1", or even close to it.
I only mention it becomes it, in the long run, becomes grossly unfair to the athlete - as expectations become well beyond what the player could ever hope to meet. Fans think those edicts from a guru mean something - when they don't. And then a player who is a solid contributor becomes labelled as a "bust", through no fault of their own.

They did and do mean something; they just whiffed on Williams. Rivals was the premiere recruiting service at the time - whether deserving or not, he was extremely well thought of by college coaches and recruiting services. Mike Farrell is still regarded as a top recruiting analyst - how many times has he been that wrong?

 

[Still in State Colllege]

Rivals had him as the #1 player in the country - that is more than 'close to it.'

https://n.rivals.com/news/former-no-1-williams-reflects-on-wild-ride

"Derrick Williams was a household name in recruiting coming out of high school, our No. 1 player in the country in 2005 and the target of an all-out recruiting battle between numerous schools," said Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell. "I had the pleasure of going along for the recruiting ride with him on Rivals.com and on television. We did a hit on ESPN after each official visit and his announcement on ESPN was one of the most suspenseful they've ever had. He was a do-it-all prospect with amazing speed and explosiveness.

It happens at every level.

I think people underestimate the difficulty in changing positions some times.

Some players also can't find the next gear that they need to be great at the next level. I think Ron Graham was a guy like that. You would see greatness at times but he didn't have the "it" thing to be great all the time.