By Bill Kurelic, NN Recruiting Analyst

bkurelic@nittanynetwork.com

July 6, 2009

Wide receiver Kenny Stills from Encinitas (Calif.) LaCosta Canyon said in late February he wanted to leave the West Coast for college.  However, during the spring he softened his stance and said he was considering offers from a number of Pac-10 schools including USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Washington and Stanford.

Now that the middle of the summer has arrived, Stills says the West Coast schools remain on his list, but he is not planning to make an official visit to any of them.

Stills is planning to take an official visit to Penn State.

“I’m supposed to take my official visit to Penn State when they play Ohio State,” Stills said.  “I have to call Coach (Kermit) Buggs to set it up.

“And I have to make some calls to set up my other visits.  But I know for sure I’ll visit Penn State.  I knew that from the beginning.”

Stills said he currently has 23 scholarship offers.  In addition to Penn State, Stills has a good handle on two other official visits.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll visit Florida when they play Tennessee,” Stills said.  “I’ll probably visit Oklahoma when they play Texas A&M or Baylor.

“Then from there I’ll figure out the other two visits.  I’ll use my official visits for schools away from the West Coast.  I can drive to the West Coast schools.”

By the end of the summer, Stills hopes to narrow his list down to 10 schools or fewer.

“Penn State, Florida and Oklahoma will definitely be in there,” he said.

The 6-foot-1 and 171-pound Stills was a part-time starter during his sophomore year, but put up big-time numbers.  He caught 42 passes and averaged 24 yards per reception.

Stills became his team’s No. 1 wide receiver his junior season and caught 68 passes for almost 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns.  He averaged 19 yards per catch.

Kurelic’s Comment:  The fact that Stills has known from the beginning he will take an official visit to Penn State is encouraging.  However, landing the star receiver won’t be an easy task for Joe Paterno.