Which high school games are Penn State’s coaches expected to watch Friday night?

Penn State head coach James Franklin and his staff are gearing up for a massive weekend in Happy Valley. On the field, the seventh-ranked Nittany Lions are preparing for their first Top 25 opponent of the 2023 season when Big Ten foe Iowa comes to town. There’s no love lost following the last time these two teams squared off in 2021 when Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz accused Penn State of faking injuries on defense to slow down the game.

But the game isn’t the only thing he and his staff are preparing for. As of Friday morning, Blue White Illustrated has confirmed 90 prospects who are expected to be in attendance for the game. The total will likely be somewhere north of 150 recruits overall, giving Penn State’s recruiting staff plenty to focus on between now and kick off tomorrow night.

And yet, despite all of that, Franklin and assistant coach Anthony Poindexter will be out on the road recruiting Friday, dropping by schools throughout the Baltimore region to check up on some of their top recruits. We’re told that Poindexter is already in and around the city meeting with coaches this morning and afternoon.

The ‘S’ Zone – Previewing Penn State’s White Out weekend

While Franklin is still in State College to focus on practice this afternoon, we’re told that he’ll fly south to Maryland this evening to watch a few players. The first of those stops will be around 6:30 p.m. ET at Churchill High School in Potomac to watch Churchill take on Quince Orchard High School from nearby by Gaithersburg.

It’s no coincidence that Franklin chose this weekend to watch 2024 edge rusher Jaylen Harvey. A four-star prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings, Harvey has long been considered one of Penn State’s most important recruits in the 2024 class. However, since taking his official visit in June, Harvey hasn’t returned to campus. That’s expected to change Saturday night.

But the Panthers also have a few other notable players, including future Penn State defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam. Originally at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Md., Gilliam and his family moved to Gaithersburg this summer. Class of 2025 running back Iverson Howard also plays at Quince Orchard. A four-star prospect, he’s ranked No. 129 nationally by On3.

But that’s not the only game Franklin plans to attend. About 20 miles to the east, he’ll then fly over to St. Vincent Pallotti to watch its game against Gilman, home to future Penn State safety Dejuan Lane. The Greyhounds have won back-to-back games after losing their season opener against Ernest Willor and Concordia Prep. Pallotti is also home to two notable 2024 prospects, future Virginia Tech linebacker Gabriel Williams and Maryland offensive line commit Ryan Howerton.

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