QB Mornhinweg describes why he chose Penn State

Skyler Mornhinweg doesn't seem to mind that Joe Paterno will be 85 - and perhaps not even still employed as Penn State's head coach - next year.

Mornhinweg, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback who will enter his senior season at St. Joseph's Prep this fall, enthusiastically announced Tuesday that he will pursue his college football career at Penn State starting in 2012.

In a conference call with reporters, Mornhinweg said he loved the football tradition at Penn State, the "old-school mentality" of the program, the atmosphere on game days, and the academics. He said he was pleased to speak with Paterno and his staff and to "hang with the players and be able to see what great guys they are" on his unofficial visit last month.

After battling gastrointestinal problems last year, Paterno is said to be in excellent health and doing his share of walking around campus. He is entering his 46th season as head coach in the final year of a three-year contract, meaning there will be plenty of retirement questions as the 2011 season proceeds.

Asked whether he was concerned about Paterno's future job status, Mornhinweg said, "I'm really excited to have the opportunity to play for one of the great coaches in the history of the game.

"Penn State is a stable program, and Coach Paterno has built a very unique program," he said. "I'm sure Penn State will operate the same way for many years to come."

Mornhinweg, son of Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, recently withdrew the oral commitment he had made to Stanford before his sophomore season after coach Jim Harbaugh left the university to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

Mornhinweg, 17, said there were "some good reasons" to have given Stanford such an early commitment. He did not specify what they were.

"Certainly, many things change, and we anticipated things changing," he said. "So we took a step back and reevaluated. Through that process, it became clear that Penn State was the right place for me, and I'm really glad I got the opportunity to look at Penn State."

Mornhinweg, who has thrown for nearly 3,100 yards and 31 touchdowns the last two seasons, is ranked 29th among dual-threat high school quarterbacks by Rivals.com and 44th among all quarterbacks by Scout.com. He was a first-team all-Catholic League Class AAAA selection in 2010.

Mornhinweg also made unofficial visits to Tennessee, Alabama, and Miami (Fla.). Although he decommitted from Stanford, the Cardinal still were in the running.

"His recruiting process was an intense one, being recruited by some of the country's best programs," St. Joseph's Prep coach Gabe Infante said. "He is a prolific passer, probably one of the greatest high school passers that I've seen in my career."

Mornhinweg, who doubles as a free safety, said he attended a football game at Penn State with his mother last year. His return last month, during which he and his father were shown around by linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden, included a meeting with Paterno and quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno.

Between the meetings and hanging out with Nittany Lions players including sophomore guard Mark Arcidiacono, a former St. Joe's Prep star, and junior fullback Michael Zordich, son of Eagles assistant Mike Zordich, Mornhinweg believed that Happy Valley was the place for him.

The four quarterbacks on Penn State's current roster still will be Nittany Lions when Mornhinweg arrives in 2012. Told that three of them have discussed transferring at one time or another, Mornhinweg said he is more focused on his senior year of high school and then "going to Penn State for the great football history . . . to learn and get better every day once I get there."