Section 1 Recruiting writer Joe Lopopolo recently spoke with his former New Rochelle teammate Jordan Lucas about Lucas’s decision to play football at Penn State University in 2012. Lucas, a 6-foot, 176-pound safety, played this past fall at Worcester Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts, after graduating from New Rochelle High School in 2011. Lucas came a long way and improved a lot during his semester at Worcester. The Nittany Lions contacted Lucas last week and told him that they would possibly offer a scholarship. Lucas waited, even though it meant putting his guaranteed scholarship at Temple University in jeopardy. It turned out to be well worth the wait.
Here’s Lopopolo’s Q&A with Lucas on his decision to attend Penn State.
Lopopolo: How does it feel to finally commit, especially to a BCS school?
Lucas: It’s a great feeling, I mean the recruiting process was very stressful like always, if it’s out of prep school or out of high school. Penn State University has great tradition and I take it as a challenge with what they´re going through. They want to build on the tradition that they have and keep things going in the right direction. I´m happy to be a part of it. But now that it’s almost done I’m glad I picked the right school and I cannot wait until signing day so I can just relax.
Lopopolo: What other schools were you considering?
Lucas: Akron, UMass, Old Dominion and Villanova.
Lopopolo: What were the main factors in your decision?
Lucas: I chose PSU mainly because of the opportunity I have once I get there. I have a chance to get playing time right away as a freshman at safety and on special teams, so I’m making sure I take full advantage. Coach O’Brien made it seem like a great place, playing in front of 107,000 great fans every game and the academics PSU had to offer. I got a good taste of all that when I went on my unofficial visit and I loved the campus and environment.
Lopopolo: What are your strengths as a player and what style do you think you play?
Lucas: My strength would probably be my awareness. Knowing where everyone is on the field and knowing what to do in whatever situation I’m put in. I also really like to prepare myself during practice week on and off the field. I love to watch lots of film so you know what your opponent brings to the table. In terms of my style of play, I think I bring lots of speed and smarts to the game, but at the same time physicalness. I love to hit and tackle the football.”
Lopopolo: What were your thoughts on your season at Worcester Academy?
Lucas: It was definitely a great experience. I got to do a lot of things I’ve never done before. I played a lot of special teams and got to return kicks and punts all season. On the offensive side of the ball I played receiver and even wildcat quarterback. On defense I played cornerback and safety. It was a lot of fun. Coach let me be an athlete and do what I do best.
Lopopolo: Has Worcester Academy improved your skills in terms of football and/or academics?
Lucas: Oh yes, of course. This school has done a lot for me so far, especially academically. But I mainly came for school to improve my grades. I thought the transition from high school to college was going to be hard, but I adapted quick and it shows with the 3.6 GPA I earned this semester. I definitely feel like Worcester Academy is preparing me for the future.
Lopopolo: What was your number one highlight, whether it was at Worcester Academy, New Rochelle HS or even Pop Warner?
Lucas: I think my number one highlight would have to be senior year at New Rochelle against White Plains. It was a very important game, let alone it was a huge rivalry. I kind of took it personal that I hadn’t scored against them since my sophomore year, so I told myself I had to this game. I scored a 53-yard run, breaking six tackles and the play actually gave us the lead. The funny thing is that the play actually helped me get recruited. It was an offensive play but it showed how much of an athlete I was, so I would have to go with that as my biggest highlight.
Here’s Lopopolo’s Q&A with Lucas on his decision to attend Penn State.
Lopopolo: How does it feel to finally commit, especially to a BCS school?
Lucas: It’s a great feeling, I mean the recruiting process was very stressful like always, if it’s out of prep school or out of high school. Penn State University has great tradition and I take it as a challenge with what they´re going through. They want to build on the tradition that they have and keep things going in the right direction. I´m happy to be a part of it. But now that it’s almost done I’m glad I picked the right school and I cannot wait until signing day so I can just relax.
Lopopolo: What other schools were you considering?
Lucas: Akron, UMass, Old Dominion and Villanova.
Lopopolo: What were the main factors in your decision?
Lucas: I chose PSU mainly because of the opportunity I have once I get there. I have a chance to get playing time right away as a freshman at safety and on special teams, so I’m making sure I take full advantage. Coach O’Brien made it seem like a great place, playing in front of 107,000 great fans every game and the academics PSU had to offer. I got a good taste of all that when I went on my unofficial visit and I loved the campus and environment.
Lopopolo: What are your strengths as a player and what style do you think you play?
Lucas: My strength would probably be my awareness. Knowing where everyone is on the field and knowing what to do in whatever situation I’m put in. I also really like to prepare myself during practice week on and off the field. I love to watch lots of film so you know what your opponent brings to the table. In terms of my style of play, I think I bring lots of speed and smarts to the game, but at the same time physicalness. I love to hit and tackle the football.”
Lopopolo: What were your thoughts on your season at Worcester Academy?
Lucas: It was definitely a great experience. I got to do a lot of things I’ve never done before. I played a lot of special teams and got to return kicks and punts all season. On the offensive side of the ball I played receiver and even wildcat quarterback. On defense I played cornerback and safety. It was a lot of fun. Coach let me be an athlete and do what I do best.
Lopopolo: Has Worcester Academy improved your skills in terms of football and/or academics?
Lucas: Oh yes, of course. This school has done a lot for me so far, especially academically. But I mainly came for school to improve my grades. I thought the transition from high school to college was going to be hard, but I adapted quick and it shows with the 3.6 GPA I earned this semester. I definitely feel like Worcester Academy is preparing me for the future.
Lopopolo: What was your number one highlight, whether it was at Worcester Academy, New Rochelle HS or even Pop Warner?
Lucas: I think my number one highlight would have to be senior year at New Rochelle against White Plains. It was a very important game, let alone it was a huge rivalry. I kind of took it personal that I hadn’t scored against them since my sophomore year, so I told myself I had to this game. I scored a 53-yard run, breaking six tackles and the play actually gave us the lead. The funny thing is that the play actually helped me get recruited. It was an offensive play but it showed how much of an athlete I was, so I would have to go with that as my biggest highlight.
Cool... an interview. It's well-formatted and easy to follow. The bold names and the paragraph style -- blank lines and no tabs -- look good on the blog format. I wonder what a newspaper interview would look like.
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