Christian Hackenberg: Securing QB Would Accelerate Penn State's Healing Process

While there is no doubt that Penn State's four-year bowl ban has had a huge effect on the current players, it will impact incoming recruits as well.

One of head coach Bill O'Brien's 2013 gems is quarterback Christian Hackenberg, and getting him to maintain his commitment would put the Nittany Lions on the fast track to healing.

Hackenberg remains committed to Penn State at the moment, according to Mike Singer of CBS Sports, but that could certainly change at some point over the next year.

Hackenberg still has a lot of time to make a decision, which could be a bad thing for Penn State, but perhaps O'Brien can put him at ease a bit.

If Hackenberg ultimately decides to play at Penn State in 2013, he won't be able to play in a bowl game or compete for a Big Ten Championship until his senior year. However, he is the No. 1-ranked quarterback in his class, according to ESPN. Therefore, there is a chance he could have joined the NFL by that point, if his development goes as planned.

With that in mind, Hackenberg has a big decision to make. He seems to be a loyal person, but things were a lot different when he originally committed. He obviously had to have some inkling that the NCAA could come down hard on Penn State, but now that the specifics are written in stone, he has every right to de-commit.

Whatever decision Hackenberg makes may very well impact the long-term future of the Penn State football program.

There already appears to be a decent chance that star running back Silas Redd and other integral players will transfer prior to the 2012 season, which will be damaging in its own right.

However, losing future top recruits like Hackenberg would hurt even more, since they are being counted on to be key players for the Nittany Lions down the road.

Hackenberg staying would be as huge from a symbolic perspective as it would be from a football perspective.

On-field production won't be as important for Penn State over the next couple of years as image repair. Therefore, if other prospective recruits see an elite player like Hackenberg decide to stick with Penn State, they may be encouraged to do the same.

It's impossible to predict what Hackenberg will do. While he is saying and doing all the right things right now, he probably has a million different people giving him advice.

Ultimately, the smartest move for his career may be to go elsewhere, but honoring his commitment would say a lot about his character as well.

Penn State is clearly in a very bad way right now, and is desperate for some type of good news. O'Brien is going to do everything he can to ensure that Hackenberg remains committed, but it is Hackenberg's choice in the end. No matter what O'Brien says, the Sandusky scandal albatross will be ever present.

The next four years and beyond are going to be difficult for Penn State regardless, but keeping the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the fold would be huge for the psyche of those in charge of the football operations, as well as the fans.

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