James Franklin on elite Penn State tight end commit Andrew Olesh: 'He has a chance to be a weapon for us here in the near future'
It’s been a hectic couple of days for fans of Penn State’s football program. Between the Big Ten Championship game and Sunday’s College Football Playoff announcement, Penn State’s late signing of tight end Andrew Olesh feels like distant news by now.
However, not only is the Southern Lehigh prospect the top-ranked player in PSU’s class now, but it also represented a major win both in the state and over a Big Ten rival, flipping him from Michigan. Normally, this story would still be one of the key talking points inside the Lions Den if it happened most other times in the year.
During a press conference with the media Sunday afternoon to discuss the playoff, Penn State head coach James Franklin was asked about Olesh once it was announced that he had officially signed Saturday morning.
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“I think it makes sense for both parties. It’s a win-win,” Franklin said. “That was a battle. Ty Howle did a phenomenal job, but he’s an impressive young man. I’ve gotten to know him and his family very well, as you can imagine. Also watched his tape from this year. He came to camp with us two years ago, so we got a pretty good idea of who he is. He has a chance to be a weapon for us here in the near future.”
Olesh, who resides in Center Valley, Pa., is not only the top-ranked player in the state, but he’s also the second-ranked tight end in the entire nation and No. 43 overall nationally. He’s the third tight end to join the Nittany Lions, all of whom rank inside the On300 and hold a four-star rating. Virginia native Matt Henderson, who’s ranked No. 247 nationally, was the first to commit back in May. The Nittany Lions also added Ohio native Brian Kortovich while waiting to learn more on Olesh on Dec. 3.
Franklin and his staff are happy to have all three, but the addition of Olesh, in particular, stands out because he’s an in-state prospect who almost got away. Add in the fact that he has family ties to the school and it made him all the more important.
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“Yeah, it’s very important. As you guys know, all the way back to my opening press conference, we want to do a great job recruiting the state of Pennsylvania, the region, the footprint,” Franklin said. “Those things are really important. We’re off to a really good start in this next class, [but] being able to keep what you guys have ranked as the number one player in the state of Pennsylvania home, I think, is very important. We’ve been able to do that more times than not, so that’s something that’s very important to us. We take a lot of pride in it.”
During his senior season, Olesh totaled 75 receptions for 1,105 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. He finished his high school career with 156 receptions, 2,354 reception yards and 22 receiving touchdowns.
“I can say that Andrew Olesh is hands down the most talented football player I have ever coached,” said Southern Lehigh head coach Phil Sams. “Andrew is big, fast and has hands and route running skills that are extremely rare. His skills and work ethic are a huge reason why Southern Lehigh High School went to the state semifinals for the first time in school history and won its second-ever district title.”
“Something that should be known and recognized is how humble Andrew is. He never once asked for the ball or complained. That is not easy with all the attention he’s been getting. I think a lot of other people would’ve let it get to [their] head.”
