The recruiting situation at Penn State has been in flux since the program parted ways with longtime head coach James Franklin following a disappointing start to a 2025 season that seemed to hold national
aspirations for the Nittany Lions.
Other programs, including Indiana, have moved in to capitalize and make an impression on prospects currently committed to the Nittany Lions. The Hoosiers have targeted a few currently committed and decommitted prospects, including Messiah Mickens, one of the best running backs in the class of 2026.
Mickens is an in-state recruit for the Nittany Lions currently attending Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He’s been committed to Penn State since August 2023, having received interest from a slew of programs including Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, Tennessee and West Virginia, among others.
He’s been receiving some attention from Indiana in recent weeks, posting as much on his Twitter:
Other schools involved at this time include Miami, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Mizzou, according to Rivals.
Mickens generally fits the mold of back that Indiana tends to recruit, with the Hoosiers finding plenty of success on the ground this season in spite of a depleted backfield. He’d be a substantial get if Indiana is able to land his commitment.
