There isn’t much going in Penn State’s favor on the recruiting trail ever since the university fired head football coach James Franklin.
And now, one of Penn State’s top remaining prospects is receiving a full-court press from a major rival.
Four-star Fort Cherry (Pa.) standout Matt Sieg received a phone call from Super Bowl-winning NFL coach Jon Gruden on Friday, according to multiple reports.
Gruden’s message? A big-time push in favor of Pitt, where he coached wide receivers in 1991.
The Panthers had already been hot on Sieg’s services since Franklin’s firing. They parked a team equipment truck at Fort Cherry’s game Friday night, and coach Pat Narduzzi personally attended to visit Sieg.
Fort Cherry defeated Neshannock, 36-9, to keep rolling in an undefeated season. Sieg, the Rangers’ quarterback, rushed for 124 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also recorded an interception on defense.
Sieg ranks as the 247Sports Composite’s No. 16 safety and No. 5 player in Pennsylvania. He has been committed to Penn State since Nov. 2, 2024, but has visited Indiana and Pitt in the past few weeks.
The 2026 Penn State class has quickly plummeted from 25 commits to 17, and many of the remaining pledges have begun considering other schools like Sieg.
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