Matt Campbell did not shy away from high expectations and a "championship mindset" in his introductory press conference as Penn State Football head coach (image via Mark Selders | Penn State Athletics)
With the Matt Campbell era now fully ushered in, there are few Penn State Football prospects more exciting than 2027 QB Israel Abrams.
Standing at 6-4, 190, the top 100 prospect has tons of offers. Tennessee, Wisconsin, Indiana, and several others have already offered the Illinois native.
Interestingly enough, Iowa State, and new Penn State head coach Matt Campbell, were the first to offer the blue-chipper last summer.
“First Offer” Advantage: Matt Campbell’s Long Game with Israel Abrams
With Campbell and his staff in place at Penn State, the Nittany Lions have an opportunity to keep the momentum rolling with Abrams. NittanyCentral caught up with his high school coach, Mike Bukovsky to discuss the star signal caller.
“He is an exceptional athlete,” Montini Catholic Head Coach Mike Bukovsky said. “He has unbelievable arm strength, and release… He is an excellent football mind. I think that is something that separates him from other high school Quarterbacks that I’ve seen is his ability to make decisions… To throw the intermediate, choice routes, our intermediate passing game is very succinct with him. He runs the ball well too. He’s still getting bigger and stronger as he’s growing.”
The most important trait that Bukovsky sees in Abrams?
“The most important stat to me is, he’s a winner,” Bukovsky said. “He just wins. He’s made a huge difference. He elevates players around him, which I think is a sign of a great player. As a person, he’s kind of a little bit of everything. He’s a very hard nosed competitor, but at the same time, he’s very happy-go-lucky, he’s got a big smile… Loves to play and loves to work… He just loves the game.”
The Scouting Report: “Exceptional” Arm Strength and a Professional Mind
Coach Bukovsky has seen a lot of good players over his time at Montini Catholic. This upcoming season will mark his 37th year in the football program at Montini. Montini is coming off back to back state championships and looking for more.
“[Israel] took the starting Quarterback job as a sophomore in Week 5, and interestingly enough now, we have won 24 straight games,” Bukovsky told NittanyCentral. “Two state championships, one his sophomore year and this year… We’re kind of riding high right now.”
“We got [Abrams] coming back, a couple very talented receivers, and a good part of our Offensive Line. Things are looking good. Our conference, the Chicago Catholic league, I’ve been around a long time, and I can put up the Chicago Catholic league with just about any other high school conference in the country. It’s got a lot of tradition, value, so many kids come out of the Catholic league and go on to play at the next level.”
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Building the Momentum: A Critical January Visit to Penn State
As for Matt Campbell and Abrams the groundwork has been laid. “[Campbell] was there from the start. So there’s a little bit of a connection there… Penn State certainly is on the radar now.”
The Nittany Lions will try to get Abrams to visit in January.
That visit could play a huge role in Penn State’s first impression on the star Quarterback.
BREAKING: Former Iowa State Signee Pete Eglitis Flips to Matt Campbell, Penn State
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Ian Purdy covers Penn State Football Recruiting for NittanyCentral.
Purdy was born and raised in central Ohio and served for four years writing for his high school's newsletter. Currently studying Biblical Studies at Lancaster Bible College in Pennsylvania, Ian has been a lifelong Nittany Lion fan.
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