The combine is Feb. 22-28 at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts.

In the meantime, here's a look at Penn State's class of 2012, with the help of recruiting analysts Bob Lichtenfels and Steve Wiltfong. Also, there are a few words from O'Brien himself.

HOW DOES THIS CLASS RANK?

“Average,” said Bob Lichtenfels, national recruiting analyst for the website Scout.com, which ranks Penn State 46^th nationally and sixth in the Big Ten. The Lions have just one player (wide receiver Eugene Lewis) among their 19 commits who is listed among Scout.com’s top 100 players nationally.

“Considering the guys they lost, they still did a good recovering and filling some gaps,” Lichtenfels said.

 WHAT EFFECT DID THE SCANDAL HAVE ON RECRUITING?

   Penn State lost commitments from six players since November, four of whom went to Ohio State. In addition, two other players de-committed before November, and in-state defensive star Noah Spence never committed, choosing Ohio State instead.

   “These are different circumstances than anybody has ever been around in college football,” Lichtenfels said. “Moving forward, Penn State has to hope that Bill O’Brien will be the ambassador to change it around.”

 WHAT IMPACT HAS THE NEW STAFF HAD ON RECRUITING?

  O’Brien and his coaching staff received commitments from eight players since taking over, filling depth in the secondary and adding quarterback Steven Bench (formerly committed to Rice) to replace the departed Skyler Mornhinweg. Penn State also received commitments from two players (DaQuan Davis and Trevor Williams) who previously had committed to West Virginia.

   “The new coaching staff is not tied to the past at all,” said Steve Wiltfong, national recruiting reporter for 247Sports.com. “Any time there’s a coaching change, you can reap the rewards. Kids are excited and want to be part of bringing Penn State back to where it needs to be. The coaching staff has plenty of guys with outstanding resumes who are going to make an impact and hit home with kids.”

WHAT IS BILL O’BRIEN’S RECRUITING PHILOSOPHY?

   In a conference call last week, O’Brien said Pennsylvania remains his “No. 1 priority” and that each assistant will recruit an area of the state.

   “From there, it’s basically what I would call a 300-mile radius from State College," O'Brien said. "I think it’s really important that we get into Ohio, the mid-Atlantic states, New York and New England. And then what we need to do is use our connections [since] we have a number of guys on the staff who have recruited Georgia and Florida. But the majority of our team should come from areas where their parents can drive to see them play.

   “But we also have the ability to go down to Georgia and Florida and use some of the connections we have from our years of experience in recruiting there. That’s what I intend to do.”

ARE THERE ANY PLAYERS TO WATCH?

   Receiver Eugene Lewis could make an early impact, and the defensive backs might be pressed into service, since depth there is an issue. Wiltfong called running back Akeel Lynch a “huge” commit, since depth behind Silas Redd is thin.

WHAT'S NEXT?

   The real test of O'Brien's recruiting acumen will come in the next 12 months, when he puts together his first full class. The coach and his staff likely will make dozens of visits to high schools to shake hands with coaches and scout juniors. Lichtenfels said Pennsylvania has a significant number of talented underclassmen who will be on the radar of many coaches.

   "Most of the kids I've talk to like the energy Bill O'Brien and his staff brings to the table," Lichtenfels said. "They're saying, help us turn the chapter onto a new era of Penn State football. Still, it's a battlefield out there. It's going to be interesting."

To many Penn State followers, it's a wonder Newsome hadn't already transferred.

Newsome, a dual-threat quarterback coming out of high school in Virginia, did not play at all last fall for Penn State, so that will be counted as a redshirt season and he will be able to play this fall.

For the story, click here.

Mornhinweg, the son of Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, has declined to confirm his college choice.

According to a Penn State news release:

Bernhardt has roots at Brown with O'Brien. Bernhardt joined the Central Florida staff as director of football operations in early 2004. "He was recruiting coordinator and coached the Golden Knights’ running backs in 2005-06," according to the release. "Bernhardt was head coach at Long Beach (N.Y.) High School in 2008, returning to his hometown. A graduate of Long Island University, Bernhardt began his college career as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Hofstra (1988-89)."
 
The past three years, Fitzgerald was director of football strength and conditioning at South Carolina. He is a Philadelphia native, and he first worked with O'Brien at Maryland in 2003 and ‘04.

Scout.com rates Laurent at 3 stars as a center prospect. Scout.com gives him 2 stars as a defensive tackle prospect.

He is 6-4, 285 and had a lot of Division I-AA offers. His other Division I-A offers included those from Connecticut, Buffalo and Navy.

Meanwhile, 4-star cornerback Armani Reeves of Massachusetts pulled his verbal commitment to Penn State. He had been listed as a "soft verbal," and once his high school teammate Camren Williams pulled his verbal, it appeared to only be a matter of time before Reeves did as well.

Reeves likely is headed to Ohio State to join Williams, or to Michigan.

My first encounter with Joe occurred my freshman year when he almost hit me while he was driving a car. I was about to cross a driveway entrance on campus when at the last instant, I noticed a car turning my way.  I stopped just in time, and the car zipped by. I believe that it was Joe who was driving. (And, as it turns out, other students over the years would have their own close calls on campus with Joe the motorist.)

In the 1970s, Mass would be held on Sunday mornings in one of the big lecture rooms in the Forum building on Penn State's campus. Occasionally, Joe would show up. I think one time I spotted Joe, but I cannot be sure. Regardless, the hope walking over to the Forum was that he would be there and that I would see him.

When I was a senior, I was walking across campus -- east to west -- with a couple of buddies. Suddenly, about 20 or 30 yards ahead of us, there was Joe, darting in front of us, walking north to south.

"Hi coach!" I yelled.

Joe looked at us and yelled back, "Hi men."

That was the extent of my encounters with Joe over four years as a student at Penn State. Not much, I admit, and I imagine many other students had a similar experience.

And yet -- as we've seen the past few days -- every Penn State alumnus, not just football player, seems to have made a personal connection with Joe.

That, too, should be part of  his legacy.

So the former Penn State football captain took four steps down and embraced this person he did not know.

“People were absolutely hurting, breaking down, so I felt the need to give some of them a hug,” Cerimele said. “I don’t know if I was allowed, but I couldn’t help myself. I hugged them and said, ‘Joe’s in a better place. He’s OK.’”

Cerimele on Tuesday joined the group of current and former players who are serving as honor guards beside Paterno’s casket during two days of public viewing. Cerimele, a Central Catholic High graduate who was a captain of Penn State’s 2000 team, stood with current player Michael Zordich from 4-4:45 p.m. as visitors paid their respects to Paterno, lying in repose at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on campus.

Cerimele (right, photo courtesy Penn State) watched hundreds pass by, some quietly, some tearfully, some on crutches and in wheelchairs. One father, crying, hugged his young son, who appeared not to understand what was happening.

“You want to talk about a legacy; come up here and experience what I just experienced,” Cerimele said. “Words cannot justify Joe’s profound existence.”

Cerimele, who is the director of Velocity Sports Performance in Allentown, said he last spoke with Paterno on Nov. 9, between the coach’s retirement announcement and his firing that day. Paterno only wanted to ask about Cerimele’s kids.

Later that day, former offensive coordinator Fran Ganter suggested that Cerimele visit Paterno’s wife Sue – and to bring a box of Paterno’s favorite candy, peanut butter meltaways. Cerimele spent 30 minutes with Sue Paterno, who also asked about his kids and offered ice cream.

“You think about what he’s done, what they’ve done, and it’s all because they truly believed what they were doing was right,” he said. “And we’re all the better for it.”

Later Tuesday, Cerimele joined the large contingent of players toasting their former coach with his once-favorite vice.

"I have a glass of bourbon right now,” he said.

Philadelphia 3-star quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg, of course, also has verbaled for Penn State (doing so last summer), but he is now looking at other schools as well. Mornhinweg's national rank is 61.

Also of note with Mornhinweg is that his dad Marty could end up somewhere else (Oakland?) next fall as a head coach, and that could influence Skyler's decision. Currently, Marty M. is the offensive coordinator with the Eagles.

Rob Bolden, Matt McGloin and Paul Jones -- all scholarship players -- are still on campus. But Bench is good insurance since McGloin will be a senior, Jones has had academic issues and Bolden could yet transfer.

Besides, with the help of BOB (O'brien), Bench could develop into a good one.

The service is at 2 p.m. at Bryce Jordan Center on campus. The service will be streamed live on the web on the Big Ten Network's website available here.

Tickets already are showing up on ebay, according to Mark Wogenrich of The Morning Call.

Meanwhile, some fans are looking for other ways to remember JoePa. Some are calling for a tribute at the Blue-White spring game on April 21. Others want Beaver Stadium to be renamed in his memory, either the stadium itself or its field. And others are calling for people to go to work on Thursday with their pants rolled up, wearing a dress shirt, tie, white socks and, of course, black shoes.

Lynch is 6-1, 205 and runs a 4.47 forty. His national rank at running back is 41, and he also had offers from Oklahoma, Iowa, Boston College and Syracuse, among other schools.

He is an important pickup, as the Lions need depth at running back, having lost Stephfon Green and Brandon Beachum.

Meanwhile, 4-star cornerback Armani Reeves of Massachusetts is close to making his final choice, with Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State likely his final three. If he selects Ohio State, he would follow high school teammate Camren Williams, a 4-star linebacker who also had originally verbaled for Penn State, to Columbus.

Also, 3-star linebacker Nyeem Wartman has reaffirmed his verbal to attend Penn State.

For a list of Penn State verbals, click here.

Penn State and new coach Bill O’Brien – whose Patriots advanced to the Feb. 5 Super Bowl on Sunday – also landed two 3-star defensive backs from the same high school in Baltimore, Calvert Hall.

Da’Quan Davis is the 50th ranked cornerback prospect in the nation. He’s 5-9, 180 and runs a 4.5 forty. He also had scholarship offers from Arizona, Temple, Tennessee and West Virginia, among others.

Trevor Williams is the 86th ranked safety prospect in the nation. He’s 6-2, 190 and runs a 4.4 forty. He also had scholarship offers from West Virginia and Toledo.

Both Maryland players were recruited by Larry Johnson.

As of very early Sunday morning, Penn State's athletics website and its regular website have no information about how its former football coach Joe Paterno is battling for his life.

Penn State's website (click here) even has a collection for news, but there is no mention of JoePa's failing health or the statement his family issued about it. There also is a link on the page for Penn State Live (click here) and that, too, has no mention of JoePa -- even including under its "Latest Headlines" collection.

Penn State's athletics website (click here) also has no mention of today's developments involving the greatest coach/educator in any sport in the history of the university. You know, the same man whose efforts have helped raise nearly $2 billion for the university's endowment, library, academic scholarships and to pay for professors and other academic purposes.

Now, there could be tweeting and other social media posts from university officials about JoePa. Just don't go to the official websites for info about his struggle to stay alive.

Update at 5:38 a.m. Sunday: Penn State's athletics website posted an update on JoePa's condition at some point after 12:05 a.m. The university's news and latest headlines collections on its main site, however, have yet to report on it.

Safety Nick Sukay will be playing for the East in the East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla. (4 p.m. on the NFL Network).

Tight end Andrew Szczerba and kick snapper Jon Rohrbaugh will be playing in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Carson, Calif. (6 p.m.).

Four Nittany Lions are scheduled to play for the North in the Senior Bowl  on Jan. 28 in Mobile, Ala. (4 p.m. on the NFL Network). Playing are defensive end Jack Crawford, defensive tackle Devon Still, cornerback D'Anton Lynn and offensive guard Johnnie Troutman.

This past Monday, safety Drew Astorino, running back Stephfon Green and offensive tackle Quinn Barham played in the Casino Del Sol All-Star Game in Tucson, Ariz. They played for the Stars team, which lost, 24-21.

Green led the Stars in rushing with 33 yards on just five carries, while catching one pass for six yards. Astorino had four tackles.

Williams helped Penn State land 4-star cornerback Armana Reeves, also from Catholic Memorial, but Reeves now also is a "soft verbal" following the scandal. Wonder if Williams' decommitment means Reeves also will choose elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Malik Golden, a 4-star athlete from Cheshire, Conn., has reaffirmed his decision to go to Penn State, according to scout.com. Scout.com had listed Golden as a "soft verbal" but no longer.

Look for San Francisco 49er linebacker Navorro Bowman, also a Penn State alumnus, to be named to the team as an injury replacement.

For more on Robinson, click here.