Tag: matt zollers

Matt Zollers says picking Missouri over Penn State ‘was pretty difficult’

Matt Zollers, the top quarterback recruit in Pennsylvania, says it was difficult not committing to Penn State.

Penn State was hoping for a big commitment in the Class of 2025 from one of the top players in the state on Thursday. Unfortunately for the Nittany Lions, the top quarterback in Pennsylvania has decided he will head to the SEC rather than suit up in blue and white in Happy Valley.

Matt Zollers, from Royersford, PA, announced his commitment to Missouri on Thursday. He chose the Tigers over offers from in-state powers Penn State and Pittsburgh, and his new SEC opponents, Georgia and Alabama.

“It was pretty difficult,” Zollers said when asked how challenging it was to ultimately pick Missouri over Penn State, according to Johnny McGonigal of PennLive, via X (formerly known as Twitter). “It’s intriguing to go to college only [two] hours away. But I fell back on what I look for most out of a school, and ultimately Missouri was my best fit.”

The decision by Zollers to pick Missouri was surprising to some, but the lack of crystal ball predictions favoring Penn State (or any other school) leading up to his commitment announcement suggested this was a pretty wide-open recruiting process with a lack of inside information to lean any one way.

For Penn State, the pursuit of two quarterbacks in the current recruiting cycle hit a massive speedbump from one of the top players in the state. Penn State does have a commitment from Bekkem Kritza, who is transferring high schools back to the Miami area for his senior season. Penn State will now have to shift its focus at quarterback in the current recruiting cycle after missing out on the top quarterback in its own backyard.

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Matt Zollers picks Missouri over Penn State

Penn State surprisingly missed out on the top in-state QB in the Class of 2025.

Arguably the most important commitment for the Penn State Nittany Lions in the class of 2025 was going to be announced on April 4 as they waited to hear where top in-state quarterback [autotag]Matt Zollers[/autotag] had decided to play his college football. With [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his offensive staff looking to bring in two quarterbacks during this cycle, they were hoping to land the rising four-star recruit who is ranked as one of the top players in Pennsylvania.

Unfortunately for Penn State, he committed to Missouri.

After looking like the leaders in the clubhouse for a long time during his process, Zollers’ recruitment took a national turn as the likes of Georgia, Missouri, and Alabama were part of his final five schools.

“My connections at Missouri were just greater than they were anywhere else. This was a really tough decision for me to make. I ultimately decided this morning,” the talented quarterback told Chad Simmons of On3.

That statement is an eye opener for people who have been following this recruitment process considering he had taken around eight visits to Happy Valley and roughly three to Missouri.

The Tigers really popped onto his radar and made a late push to land him as one of the headliners of their class.

Penn State’s bottleneck at the position could have had something to do with his decision as well.

Incumbent starter [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] could come back for another season after this year, [autotag]Beau Pribula[/autotag] is still a factor alongside [autotag]Jaxon Smolik[/autotag], plus highly-rated [autotag]Ethan Grunkemeyer[/autotag] from the 2024 class is entering his freshman season.

Still, this is a tough one to swallow for Penn State fans as they lose out on the top-rated recruit in the state of Pennsylvania and someone who was at the top of their board.

Georgia misses out on top 10 QB Matt Zollers

Matt Zollers to Missouri. What does it mean for Georgia?

Georgia target Matt Zollers, the No. 8 quarterback in the class of 2025, committed to Missouri on Thursday.

Zollers (6-foot-4, 205 pounds) chose the Tigers over the Bulldogs, Penn State and Pittsburgh. UGA hosted Zollers on Monday, but his visit ultimately didn’t lead to a commitment.

Zollers plays for Spring-Ford High School in Royersford, Penn. He threw for 2,917 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and just two interceptions as a junior. Zollers is rated as the No 6 quarterback, the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania and the No. 62 player overall in his class, per 247Sports.

It’s worth noting that Georgia recently gained a pledge from five-star quarterback Jared Curtis in the class of 2026. He is the nation’s No. 1 player in that cycle.

It’s also important to consider the recruitment of Julian Lewis, the No. 4 quarterback in the 2025 class. Georgia has continued to push for the in-state prospect, who’s currently committed to USC. He will take a visit to Athens on May 31.

Penn State hoping for commitment from Matt Zollers, the top-rated QB in PA

Could Penn State be on the verge of another major commitment in the Class of 2025 form one of the top in-state recruits?

Penn State is already off to a solid start with its efforts in the Class of 2025 recruiting cycle. Already with one of the nation’s and the Big Ten’s top-rated recruiting classes, the Nittany Lions are missing a commitment from one key position in 2025, and that hole could be filled this week.

Spring-Ford quarterback [autotag]Matt Zollers[/autotag], from Royersford, PA, is scheduled to announce his college decision on Thursday, April 4. A press conference is set for 3:00 p.m. ET, at which time Penn State will learn whether or not one of the top players in the state will be joining the Nittany Lions in 2025.

Zollers is rated as the no. 2 overall player in Pennsylvania. After missing out on a commitment from the top-rated recruit in the state (edge rusher Zahir Mathis committed to Ohio State), James Franklin and his staff would love to pick up the next highest-rated recruit at a position of need down the line. Zollers is expected to announce his decision between Penn State, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Pittsburgh.

This recruitment appears to be pretty wide open with no crystal ball predictions currently on record on 247Sports. The On3 recruiting prediction machine gives Penn State the edge with a 47.5% chance of securing a commitment from Zollers, but there are no official predictions on record on the platform either.

Zollers visited Penn State’s campus this past weekend and checked out a spring football practice. He is also coming off a pair of unofficial visits to Georgia and Alabama this week. He also recently visited the other two finalists, Missouri and Pittsburgh. Zollers has made a number of other trips to Penn State since last summer, and the Nittany Lions could be the team to beat.

But with no insider predictions on the eve of the supposed commitment, it is all a guessing game.

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Latest info from Penn State’s last visit with top QB target

Penn State hosted its top QB target this weekend. Now it’s time for a decision to be made.

It was a huge weekend in Happy Valley for Penn State as they welcomed a ton of visitors to campus to see the program and watch spring practice.

With many high-valued targets on their list attending over the weekend, there was one that stood out the most based upon the importance of that position and the profile he has within the state.

That player is quarterback [autotag]Matt Zollers[/autotag].

Listed as the No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania, he also is ranked as the third-best QB in the country and the 17th overall player in his class according to On3.

This would be a huge get for the Nittany Lions after Zollers’ recruitment went national. His final four will be between Penn State, Georgia, Alabama, Missouri, and Pittsburgh and the announcement will come on April 4.

That’s why this was such an important visit for both parties.

It was the last time that [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and the offensive staff could put together a pitch with the recruit also getting to see how practices would work.

Zollers is visiting three schools in five days before making his decision, and his trip to Happy Valley was the first before he heads to Alabama and Georgia.

He spoke with Brian Dohn of 247Sports coming out of his visit this weekend and shared some insight into what took place and where Penn State stands following the trip (subscription required).

When asked what he wanted to see during this trip after already having visited six times previously, Zollers said he wanted to see what practice was like and how the communication was during meetings.

This was a great opportunity for these recruits to see how practice works, giving them an idea of what it’s like within the program.

Zollers also told Dohn that the coaching staff reiterated they want to coach him and want want him at Penn State.

With new offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] inheriting the recruitment of the top prospect, developing a relationship is going to be paramount in this process.

Zollers said they discussed scheme and how he would fit into what Kotelnicki would run with him behind center, changing things to match what the quarterback’s strengths and weaknesses are.

Lastly, Dohn asked Zollers about his relationship with Franklin. The recruit said he likes the coach and has times where they communicate without discussing football.

Zollers will finish up his visits before ultimately making up his mind about which school he will attend and announce his decision on April 4.

Top Penn State QB targets sets announcement date ahead of weekend visit

Penn State’s top in-state QB recruiting target has set his announcement date ahead of an upcoming visit. Is that good news?

Penn State is looking to take home a major win in the recruitment of one of their top targets on the board for the 2025 class.

In-state quarterback [autotag]Matt Zollers[/autotag] has become one of the most important targets for the Nittany Lions and their staff after he started shooting up boards for other schools as well.

After looking like it would only be a local recruitment, Missouri and Georgia are now firmly in play for the 6’3″, 200-pounder.

Zollers had yet to visit schools during his basketball season, but once it ended, he hit the trail to see the four schools on his final list.

He saw Missouri last week and is scheduled to visit Happy Valley this upcoming weekend in what will be an important trip for Penn State as they try to land the No. 49 player in the country and top recruit in the state.

After the Nittany Lions failed to land edge rusher Zahir Mathis, who was originally the No. 1 recruit in Pennsylvania, they have an opportunity to keep [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag]’s prideful streak of getting the best player home to Penn State.

Greg Pickel of On3 reports that Zollers will make his announcement at his high school on April 4.

This will come on the heels of his scheduled visits to Pittsburgh and Penn State this week and Georgia next week.

For a while, it looked like Zollers was definitely going to end up selecting the Nittany Lions, but when his recruitment took a national turn, there were questions about what school he would select.

Based on the updated timeline, this weekend is going to be massive for Penn State to separate themselves from the pack and put them at the top of his list.

Four-star QB Matt Zollers sets commitment date

Elite quarterback recruit Matt Zollers has set his commitment date. His top schools are Georgia, Missouri, Pittsburgh and Penn State

Four-star quarterback recruit Matt Zollers plans to announce his commitment on April 4. Zollers’ top four schools are Georgia, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Missouri.

Zollers is a member of the class of 2025. He plays high school football for Spring-Ford High School in Royersford, Pennsylvania. He has unofficial spring visits with Missouri (March 20), Pittsburgh (March 28), Penn State (March 29) and Georgia (April 2).

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound quarterback is the No. 13 player at his position in the 2025 cycle. Zollers is the nation’s No. 197 recruit and No. 6 player in Pennsylvania, per 247Sports.

Zollers is a good athlete with a powerful arm. He also plays basketball at a high level for Spring-Ford. Zollers’ arm strength and mobility mean that he could finish ranked as one of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2025.

The Spring-Ford star threw for 2,917 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and just two interceptions as a junior. Georgia is also heavily pursuing quarterback Julian Lewis in the class of 2025. The Bulldogs recently landed a commitment from five-star quarterback Jared Curtis in the class of 2026.

Top in-state quarterback and Penn State target is nearing decision

Penn State is the projected favorite to land this in-state QB in the Class of 2025.

Penn State already has one quarterback committed in the class of 2025 with three-star [autotag]Bekkem Kritza[/autotag] shutting down his recruitment for now, but they still want to add another one.

They have heavily been recruiting top in-state quarterback [autotag]Matt Zollers[/autotag] for a while, and after it looked like he might be a relatively easy one to land, his recruitment went national and different options are on the table.

Whenever that happens, it always opens up the possibility that the Nittany Lions could lose one of the top Pennsylvania players to another program, something that [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] has tried to prevent every cycle.

Zollers’ list is down to four schools: Penn State, Georgia, Missouri and Pittsburgh.

Rated as a four-star recruit, On3’s Industry Rankings have him as the 85th best player in the country and No. 2 prospect in Pennsylvania.

Their own rankings are much higher on the 6’4″ 200-pound quarterback with him listed as the No. 14 player in the country and best in the state.

It’s safe to say that Zollers is almost a “must land” for Franklin and his staff.

He told Chad Simmons of On3 that a decision could be coming soon as he’s seen everything he needed to see before going one final time to each campus on his list and seeing how spring practices operate. From there, he’ll discuss with his family and make a decision (subscription required).

Zollers is still playing basketball right now, so he will do his final visits after the season is complete.

Simmons also mentioned that the four-star considers all four schools very close at this point in time.

That’s enough to make Penn State fans nervous.

Beating Georgia for one of the top players in the country would be a huge win and would solidify their standing once again inside the state of Pennsylvania.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Nittany Lions as the big favorites to earn a commitment from Zollers with a 49.5% chance. Out of his final four, Pittsburgh is second at 14.9%, with Georgia and Missouri tied at 5.6%.

This continues to be one to monitor as it would provide a major boost for Penn State if they can secure another elite quarterback.

Four-star QB Matt Zollers names top schools

Four-star class of 2025 quarterback recruit Matt Zollers includes Georgia football in his top schools

Four-star quarterback recruit Matt Zollers has named his top four schools. Zollers is a member of the class of 2025. He plays high school football for Spring-Ford High School in Royersford, Pennsylvania.

Zollers is a good athlete with a powerful arm. He also plays basketball at a high level for Spring-Ford. Zollers’ arm strength and mobility mean that he could finish ranked as one of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2025.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound quarterback is the No. 13 player at his position in the 2025 cycle. Zollers is the nation’s No. 197 recruit and No. 6 player in Pennsylvania, per 247Sports.

The Spring-Ford star threw for 2,917 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and just two interceptions as a junior. Who are Matt Zollers’ top four schools?

Highest-rated Pennsylvania QB has Penn State in top four

Penn State in the final running for top in-state QB recruiting target in 2025.

Penn State is coming out of a weekend where they hosted their final Junior Day that welcomed multiple recruits from different classes to visit the campus and meet with the coaching staff.

Plenty of high-profile players were in attendance during the three events.

One of their most important visitors was in-state quarterback, [autotag]Matt Zollers[/autotag], who the Nittany Lions are heavily recruiting.

The 6’3″ 200-pounder is rated as a four-star and is the No. 6 overall player in Pennsylvania according to On3’s Industry Rankings.

Zollers is seen as an important recruit for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff as there hasn’t been a priority quarterback in the state for some time. Landing him would be a huge win for the program.

His recruitment began to become national and he skipped the second Junior Day in Happy Valley to take visits down south.

However, that seemingly has not deterred him away from Penn State as he has included the Nittany Lions in his top four schools.

The three others on his list are Pittsburgh, Georgia and Missouri.

Zollers doesn’t have a frontrunner as of now according to Greg Pickel of BlueWhiteIllustrated. He was playing basketball for his high school in the winter and was waiting until after the season to take visits.

But, he does like the offensive set up that the Nittany Lions have, telling Pickel, “It’s great to have a coach that is just the OC and a coach that is just the quarterback coach, and both of them work very well together in developing quarterbacks.”

It will be very interesting to see how this process plays out.

Zollers is clearly a major target of Penn State. Them making his final four should allow them to push even harder to land a commitment from the four-star in-state quarterback.