Penn State Saturday six-pack: Will Lions end up with another five-star in 2023? Looking ahead to March, more

Penn State now has its first five-star commitment in the Class of 2023.

Will the Lions end up with another in this cycle before all is said and done?

It’s one of the topics in focus on this final Saturday of February. We look at that, recap the month that was, look ahead to March, and cover other news to know in this week’s six-pack.

1. February was productive for Penn State

You’ve read and heard it often over the last 26 days: This is typically one of the slowest months on the Penn State football calendar.

The coaching staff has had time to return from January recruiting travel and take a breather. They surely had some downtime. But, they were also hard at work self-scouting, monitoring the transfer portal, and staying in touch with underclassmen recruits during the dead period.

Meanwhile, the current players have been hard at work inside Holuba Hall under the direction of new head strength coach Chuck Losey and his team. Spring practice is almost here, and there is no question that the players will be eager to show off their gains.

Finally, staff additions were made, as the program brought four new analysts on board. James Franklin wants to continue upping Penn State’s off-field staff. The Lions have done so, and look to bring on more in the future.

Championships aren’t won in February. But, the foundation for them is certainly laid in the second month of the year.

2. Reviewing the recruiting news of note

There have also been two commitments so far this month.

Newly-minted five-star offensive lineman Jven Williams picked Penn State over a number of schools on Feb. 5. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Class of 2023 prospect had visited the Lions more than any other program before making his choice known. He’s already hard at work trying to add more talent to the program’s top-five verbal commitment class.

Then, two days later, transfer portal target Hunter Nourzad, who was an All-Ivy League tackle at Cornell but will be a guard at Penn State, committed on Feb. 7. He will graduate this spring and be on campus for the start of summer workouts.

All told, it was a good month on the recruiting trail despite no visits. As you’ll see below, that’s about to change.

3. Penn State trivia question of the weekend

Here’s one some of you will get right away and others will not: Joe Paterno beat the same team to win both his 200th and 300th game. Who was the team?

The answer is at the bottom of this story.

4. Will Penn State land another five star?

Williams is currently only a five-star at On3. But, it’s likely that the other recruiting services will elevate him to that stature in time. That, of course, would make him an On3 Consensus five-star.

Definitions aside, we know Penn State fans are wondering whether another five-star will be in this class before all is said and done.

Our answer is yes. Another current commit, Alex Birchmeier, is on the cusp of five-star status at On3, Rivals, and 247Sports. It seems like only a matter of time before one or more of the services moves the Broad Run, Va., guard and two-time state wrestling champ from a four-star to a five.

Besides him, however, the answer is probably not.

Rankings will change and the current ones are far from set in stone. But, the Lions are longshots to land offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, athlete Nyckoles Harbor, and athlete Samuel M’Pemba, and those are the only three five-stars or potential five-stars we see Penn State in the mix for right now.

5. Looking ahead to March

Yes, we know a few days remain in February. But, the third month on the calendar is going to be packed with action.

Visitors can return to campus starting March 1. Penn State will surely try and host a few prospects or transfer portal targets during that Tuesday-Friday stretch before spring break starts on Sat., March 5.

Meanwhile, the first week of March has typically equaled the final week of winter workouts. Penn State may change its schedule some as there is a week between spring break and the start of spring practice. But, ultimately, those are coming to an end.

Spring drills then start on March 21, and at that point, we’ll have a full month of practice reports and recruiting visitors to look forward to.

6. Final thoughts

–Did you get our trivia question correct? The answer is Bowling Green.

–Penn State hoops returns to action Sunday night. It will play its final home contest of the year opposite Nebraska at 7 p.m. Big Ten Network will televise the contest.

–Stay tuned to BWI for lots of Penn State wrestling coverage this week as Cael Sanderson’s team readies to head to the Big Ten tournament next weekend in Lincoln, Neb.