Penn State’s first commitment under Matt Campbell is still holding firm.
Deonte Flemings Jr., a four-star cornerback and the first player to pledge to the Nittany Lions after Campbell took over, said his commitment remains solid after finishing his junior season. Flemings committed to Penn State on Jan. 31, and even with other visits during the 2026 season, he said the connection he has built with the staff has kept him locked in.
“My commitment is, I'm strong,” Flemings told The Daily Collegian. “I wouldn't have committed there if I didn't see myself going there. I built relationships over the years, and I feel great.”
Those ties stretch across different timelines. Terry Smith has been recruiting him for years, while Campbell made a fast impression after arriving from Iowa State and helped land Flemings within two months of becoming head coach.
Flemings said he’s “got great relationships” with the staff, and the coaches make a point to check in when they can.
“Terry Smith, he built a relationship over the years with me,” Flemings said. “Right out of middle school, he started recruiting me my ninth grade year.
Coach Campbell, he's a new guy from Iowa State, but great guy, really down to earth guy. I can't wait to be on campus and get to know those guys personally.”
The No. 5 player in Pennsylvania in the 2028 class also pointed to what Penn State represents beyond recruiting. Campbell has talked often about the program’s history, and Flemings said that matters to him too.
“Happy Valley is a place you want to be, definitely for school, development and also just you know building relationships,” Flemings said. “So it's a great school, a traditional school. It's a school you would want to be at.”
Flemings wrapped up his junior year with McDowell after the Trojans fell to State College, 46-14, at Memorial Field, just two miles from Beaver Stadium, the field he expects to call home down the line. He said the setting felt good even in defeat.
“I wish we could have come out with the dub, but somebody gotta win, and the guys stay positive, and it felt great,” Flemings said. “(State College is) a great city, man. It’s not that big, but it’s just like where I’m from.”
He said the biggest growth in his game this season came through leadership and “showing up for my team when they need me.”
As a cornerback, he also pointed to the finer points he’s sharpened over the course of the year.
“Being more patient at the line, and more patient in my backpedal, and actually reading the receivers movements,” Flemings said on details he’s improved on this season.
With a little over 13 months left before he officially enrolls at Penn State, Flemings said he’ll use that time to “get college ready.”
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Still Waiting On Minnesota Game As Uncertainty Grows
A nationwide ground stop tied to communications problems at regional air traffic control centers rippled into Penn States Week 11 matchup with Minnesota, leaving the Golden Gophers travel plans in limbo for much of Friday. The Federal Aviation Administration lifted the stop after about four hours, but Minnesota still had not finalized its trip by late Friday evening, adding another layer of uncertainty to a game that was already on the calendar and now had to wait on logistics.
The delay was not isolated to one program, either. Other Big Ten teams, including Purdue and Washington, also felt the effects as flights were delayed or altered, a reminder of how quickly a routine football weekend can get complicated when air travel gets disrupted. For Penn State fans looking ahead to Saturday, the game itself remained the focus, but the buildup had an unusual wrinkle as Minnesotas arrival remained unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Rally Ends In Another Brutal Big Ten Near-Miss
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The frustration was amplified by a pivotal offside review that wiped out what would have been a tying goal, a sequence that left Penn State chasing the game again just when momentum seemed ready to swing. Justin Poirier and Reese Laubach were among the notable contributors in a spirited effort, but the Lions still slipped to 2-8-1 overall and 0-4-1 in conference play, another near-miss in a league that has not given them much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Have A Few Pregame Concerns Before Minnesota Kickoff
Penn States pregame routine got a little more complicated Saturday, but the matchup with Minnesota is still set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET. The Gophers were delayed by a nationwide FAA ground stop, adding an unusual wrinkle to a night game that was already drawing attention because of the latest injury updates on both sides. For fans heading into the matchup, the logistics have become part of the story almost as much as the football.
The broadcast setup also has a different look, with FS1 carrying the game and FOX One streaming it, while Brian Tripp is stepping in for Jack Ham in the radio booth. Between the travel delay, the injury report and the change in the call, theres been plenty to sort through before a single snap is taken. What happens once the teams finally settle in is still the part Penn State fans care about most. [Read more 🡒]