Penn State's major recruiting win on Thursday marks an inflection point in the Penn State football program.
The Penn State Nittany Lions received the commitment of one of the top quarterbacks in the 2028 recruiting cycle, James Armstrong.
Armstrong is going into his junior high school season with all of the hype possible surrounding him. He is coming off of a Sophomore year where he threw for 2,232 yards and rushed for another 799 yards on the year. Combined, he cashed in for 37 total touchdowns to lead his team.
Now, as he goes into his junior season, his college selection is already complete. Now, we are not naive to the fact that there is a lot of time between now and the beginning of his Penn State career. The recruiting doesn't stop, and it is truly not over until he is throwing touchdowns inside Beaver Stadium.
Standing at 6'3" and even as a youngster, weighing in at 220 pounds, he is in his body's near final form. He still has some maturing and developing to do from a physical standpoint, but the growing part is likely done.
For Penn State, Armstrong's commitment to the program is one that marks a true inflection point in the history of this football program.
For the last 15 years of Penn State football, the Nittany Lions have had just one dual-threat quarterback, Trace McSorley.
Matt McGloin, Christian Hackenberg, Sean Clifford, Drew Allar, and a touch of Ethan Grunkemeyer are all nearly carbon copies of each other. These are all old school, tall, statuesque quarterbacks who need a lot around them to be successful.
Armstrong is certainly more in the McSorley category, where he can make his own plays.
Penn State fans have seen nearly all of their opponents have quarterbacks who can use their legs to create big plays. The Nittany Lions have never had that.
Now, under Matt Campbell, things are changing. To this point, this is Campbell's signature move. Yes, he is two years away from joining the program, but there is going to be a lot of excitement as that time comes near.
The Nittany Lions keep the WPIAL star in his home state, and hopefully, he is the answer to what Penn State has been seeking for many years at the quarterback position.
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