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Back from a trip to Nebraska last weekend, Chris Bleich was already exploring his options. On Friday, he made it official.
Wyoming Valley West’s standout offensive lineman had been committed to Penn State for a little over a year, quickly jumping on a scholarship offer from the Nittany Lions last April. It was a choice he said was too hasty.
“After many months of discussions with my family, I came to the conclusion it’s in my best interest to re-open my recruitment and decommit from PSU,” Bleich wrote on Twitter. “I committed way too young in my sophomore year. This only happens once and I just want to make sure I explore all my options.
“I just want to say thank you to the PSU coaching staff for giving me an opportunity and believing in me.”
Bleich has seen his offer list grow since his junior season for the Spartans. Aside from his trip to check out the Cornhuskers, Bleich has also recently been to Mississippi State and Pitt. There has also been interest in Rutgers, where his uncle, John Bleich, played offensive line in the early 90s after starring for Hanover Area.
A four-star recruit in the 247Sports Composite rankings, Bleich had briefly attended IMG Academy in Florida after his sophomore season — he was enrolled there when he committed to Penn State — before returning home to play for Valley West in 2016.
He was the Lions’ lone commitment on the offensive line for the 2018 recruiting class, which now sits at 11 players and is ranked No. 2 in the country, behind only Miami.