Decision time is nearing for Robert Kennedy, but the former Jeannette football star is not tipping his hand.
Kennedy, a standout safety at Lackawanna College, has plenty of Division I scholarship offers to mull over, which was his goal when he opted for the junior college route in 2018.
Now, “Poogie” has to pick one.
National Signing Day is Feb. 5. Kennedy decided not to make a decision during the three-day early signing period Dec. 18-20 as more offers came in and he made numerous campus visits.
“I will probably be committing on signing day,” Kennedy said. “I don’t have any favorites, and I am open to all schools right now.”
Kennedy’s latest offers are from Youngstown State and Arkansas State.
He said he will visit Old Dominion this weekend and could visit Colorado State next weekend.
James Madison, which just played in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision title game, also has shown interest.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Kennedy has other FBS offers from Massachusetts and Marshall. He has visited both places.
Kennedy said he is a different player and person from the one who tip-toed through the recruiting process out of high school.
“I feel I’ve changed a lot from a younger version of me because before, I just wanted to get in a nice jersey and play in front of my family,” Kennedy said. “But now I’m asking coaches their schemes, and I’m personally trying to make the best of my two years to get into the combine and live my dreams in the NFL.”
His initial gateway to college was blocked because of academic issues, a humbling realization that has fueled Kennedy’s turnaround.
“My recruitment ended quick for Division I schools because of my bad grades,” he said. “I had schools coming in after sophomore year telling me they couldn’t recruit me, and junior season, it came to reality. D-1 wouldn’t be suited. Seven or eight coaches told me they couldn’t recruit me after they saw my transcripts.”
Additional FCS offers for Kennedy, who played cornerback as a freshman before moving to safety, include Tennessee-Martin, Duquesne, Robert Morris, Albany, Sacred Heart, and St. Francis (Pa.).
A former small school “Mr. PA Football,” Kennedy helped lead Jeannette to WPIAL and PIAA Class A titles in 2017 as a quarterback, running back and ball-hawking defensive back who had 12 interceptions as a senior.
He had 34 tackles, including 8.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, and five interceptions this past season for Lackawanna, which went 10-1 and played in the JUCO national championship.
Eleven players from Lackawanna signed letters of intent during the early signing period, including Yough graduate Scotty Houseman, a lineman who inked with Albany.
