Penn State in-state 5-star RB wavers on commitment after 6 TD performance

Penn State was dealt a significant blow on the recruiting trail Friday when Western Pennsylvania star Khalil Taylor de-committed from the program, and now the hits keep on coming for James Franklin. 

Five-star running back Kemon Spell highlights the Nittany Lions' 2027 class, but after a six-touchdown outing on Friday night in a 56-31 McKeeseport win over Mars, the No. 1 team in WPIAL 4A, he told Keith Barnes of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he’s “I’m not 100 percent with Penn State anymore. I will be taking visits and everything else, so we’ll see from there.” 

The topic appeared to be top of mind for the talented junior running back, as he brought up the conversation about Penn State when Barnes asked if he was 100 percent in his return from an early-season ankle injury. Along with his six touchdowns on Friday night, Spell racked up 420 all-purpose yards. 

Kemon Spell testing the recruiting waters after Khalil Taylor’s Friday de-commitment

Spell has recently received an offer from Georgia and holds numerous big-time offers. The 5-foot-9, 210-pound running back is the No. 8 overall player in the country and the No. 1 running back for 2027. He committed to Penn State in August of 2024, prior to his sophomore year, and has visited Happy Valley multiple times this season. 

Spell’s comments come on the heels of Taylor’s de-commitment and Penn State’s back-to-back losses, which dropped the Nittany Lions out of the AP Top 25. Beyond just dashing Penn State’s College Football Playoff hopes in an all-in season with a senior-laden roster, the losses to Oregon and previously winless UCLA have put Franklin’s security with the program in question, at least from the outside. 

Franklin is under contract with Penn State through 2031, and his contract carries a buyout of around $50 million. However, if Franklin’s big-game losses, which now total 21 to top 10-ranked opponents over his 12 years in Happy Valley to just four wins, are starting to cost the Nittany Lions recruits of Taylor’s and Spell’s caliber, then it could be a price that the administration is forced to pay. 

Spell will be impossible to replace, and if he follows Taylor’s de-commitment, Penn State’s firm grip on the top WPIAL recruits will loosen even further. Franklin can’t afford to lose Spell, and can’t afford to lose many more games this season, or it seems that he certainly will. It’s no coincidence that players are de-committing after Saturday’s embarrassing loss, and though signing day is much closer for the 2026 class, that group could begin to splinter.