Ex-Penn State football commit visits Nittany Lions’ Week 1 foe

Penn State football has been firing on all cylinders on the recruiting trail in the new year, nearly doubling the size of its 2025 class since January. But in March, James Franklin received a slight setback from New Jersey defensive back Omari Gaines, who decomitted from the Nittany Lions. Gaines has since reopened his recruitment and last weekend made a stop in Morgantown, West Virginia, where Penn State will kick off the 2024 season in a little less than five months. 

Penn State football decommit visits West Virginia

Omari Gaines was the first commitment of the 2025 recruiting cycle for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, pledging to Penn State football on March 28, 2023. But after almost one full year in the class, Gaines became the Nittany Lions’ second decommitment for 2025 on March 1. 

“I would like to start by thanking Coach Franklin and the entire PSU staff for giving me the opportunity to accept a scholarship at PSU,” the three-star safety from Newark wrote last month. “I would also like to thank Nittany Lion Nation for all their love and support, but after numerous conversations with my family, I have decided to decommit from Penn State University and reopen my recruitment.”

Over the weekend, Omari Gaines took a trip to a program that will soon play host to James Franklin and Penn State football. The ex-Nittany Lion commit took a visit to West Virginia, who first offered him in April 2022.