Interview with Penn State Football Commit Michael O’Connor

Today, I got the chance to interview with Penn State Football commit, Michael O’Connor.

O’Connor is a 6-foot-5 quarterback that weighs 223 pounds. He officially signed with Penn State on June 8th, 2013.

ESPN ranks him as a four star recruit. They also have him down as the 132nd best recruit in the United States of America, but that’s including all positions. ESPN ranks him as the sixth best quarterback recruit in the United States; very impressive.

Interview Key: JM = Joey Morrison, the person asking the questions; MO = Michael O’Connor, the star of the show. So, without further adieu, here’s how he responded to my interview questions:

JM: How would you describe your game?

MO: I’m a pro-style quarterback with a big frame who can make all the throws. Good footwork and understands the position.

 

JM: You originally committed when Bill O’Brien was the head coach, did you have any doubts about your commitment when he left for Houston? If so, what made you decide to stay?

MO: Yes, when I first found out I was upset and at one point I was seriously considering other schools, but throughout the recruiting process I just fell in love with Penn State and everything about it so I didn’t want to play anywhere else.

 

JM: What do you like about Penn State?

MO:  Everything. The academics, the football, the social life here, they’re all amazing. There’s something special about Penn State.

 

JM: What do you like about James Franklin?

MO: He seems like a fun coach to play for, he’s energetic, passionate, and loves what he does. He wants to be here at PSU, and he cares about his players, both on and off the field.

 

JM: Who are your biggest inspirations on and off the field, and why?

MO: Being from Canada is an inspiration because not many Canadians get the opportunity I have, and then just making my family proud and graduating. 

 

JM: What does being a Penn State football player mean to you?

MO: It means a lot, you need to have a certain type of pride to play here in knowing the great history here and all the great players that have played here before.

 

JM: Who else did you receive scholarship offers from, and what made you choose Penn State over those schools?

MO: Michigan State, Missouri, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Syracuse, Mississippi State, South Florida. Penn State was my favorite school out of all of them.

 

JM: Have any Penn State players contacted you since your commitment? If so, what did they have to say?

MO: Yes, I am enrolled here now and am around the football all the time

 

JM: How excited are you to play with Christian Hackenberg and do you plan on learning from him?

MO: Definitely excited to work with him and just to learn what it takes to be a successful college quarterback at the Division 1 level.

 

JM: Anything you would like to say to Penn State fans?

MO: I’d just say to Penn State that it’ll be a great 4 years both on and off the field for all of us and it’ll be a blast, we’ll have a lot of fun together.

So, based on what I’ve heard today, O’Connor is a great kid, and he really does love Penn State. All Penn State fans should be excited to see what he brings to the table.