National Signing Day 2011: Penn State Recruiting Hurt By Small Senior Class

Joe Paterno has been able to uphold Penn State's tradition by pumping in talented recruits and making good players overachieve.

The Nittany Lions have a relatively weak 2011 recruiting class, with only two players featured in ESPNU's 150.

To make matters worse, their recruiting class only features 11 players who are at least 3-star athletes, none of them 5-star recruits. Penn State has one of the worst recruiting classes in the Big Ten—what gives?

One factor is the glaring fact that the team is transitioning to new leadership. JoePa isn't going to be on the sideline forever. The timeless legend has faded off into the background of football operations but remains the face of Penn State football.

The uncertainty of his future in the organization over the next four years has to play into the decision-making of recruits. Though the coaches behind Paterno seem to be adequate, the sons of former players and those who grew up around Penn State football may not have the same draw to the university.

That being said, nothing has hurt the Nittany Lions more than having a small senior class for 2010. Although the Nittany Lions will feature a veteran team next year, they had to be extremely choosy with who they handed out scholarships to for the 2011 recruiting class.

Most of the team is coming back, leaving few scholarship opportunities for the incoming class. This could be beneficial for the 2011 season, but the future has to be concerning for Penn State. They landed a premier guard in Angelo Mangiro and an elite athlete in Bill Belton, but who is to carry them past the 2011 season?

Penn State will not survive another recruiting class like the one they are seeing in 2011. Back-to-back weak recruiting classes could cripple Penn State for the remainder of Paterno's stay. While Penn State can point to the small senior class as reason for their lack of talented recruits in 2011, failing to bring in talent in 2012 will be devastating.

That being said, Penn State should enjoy a formidable 2011 campaign. If they succeed with an older team, obtaining fewer scholarship players at the freshman level will be a necessary evil. Failing to do so makes the sacrifice all for naught.