Happy Valley, we have a problem.

The economy is so far gone beyond our grasps that the porn industry is calling for a buyout. You know there are serious problems when dudes stop paying to look at boobs as frequently as they once did. But this is not a joke, people. Jobs are scarce, money is tight, and everyone in the country is holding its collective breathe, everyone except Satan’s team.

Consider this scenario – You work at a prestigious place for your line of work. You have a middle management position, average pay, long hours, extensive travel. You are extremely good at what you do, maybe the best in the country. Some experts think you are undervalued by your current employer. Your CEO is aging and is, in some people’s minds, slowing the gears of business. The competition is moving their product faster and in more hip fashions than your employer. You might have a shot at the top position once he retires, but you’re certainly not everyone’s favorite.

One night as your cuddle up to central PA local programming, the phone rings. It’s the CEO of one your competitors, personally reaching out to you. What could this be about you wonder. Turns out he wants you. Big promotion. Double your current salary. Bump in title from middle management to V.P. National recognition. Similar travel. More responsibility. More money…lots more. So what do you do? You take the job.

And that is why Penn State is in serious trouble.

According to PennLive’s David Jones, Larry Johnson Sr. has been tapped by Illinois head choke coach Ron Zook to come on board, primarily to replace the recruiting chasm created by now departed and former offensive coordinator Mike Locksley. Johnson has been Penn State’s clutch recruiter over the years, dominating the Virginia/Maryland/D.C. mid-Atlantic region. Starting with this year’s graduating class, here are a few of LJ Sr.’s recruiting standouts:

Class	Players Recruited	Notables
2005	5	Jordan Norwood (WR), Derrick Williams (WR), Knowledge Timmons (CB),
2006	11	Evan Royster (RB), A.J. Wallace (CB), Jared Odrick (DE), Bani Gbadyu (LB), Navorro Bowman (LB), Aaron Maybin (DE), Alim "Abe" Koroma (DT), Antonio Logan-El (OL, pictured above)
2007	3	Devon Still (DE), Chaz Powell (CB),
2008	4	A.J. Price (WR), Jack Crawford (DE)
2009*	11	Devon Smith (WR), Adam Gress, (OT), Brandon Felder (WR), Sean Stanley (DE), Darrell Givens (CB)

Stats briefly compiled from FightonState. *2009 recruiting season is still in progress.

Where would we be without Norwood, Williams and Royster? How dominating would our line be without Odrick, Maybin, Koroma, and Still? And chew on this - how good would Illinois be with this crop of talent?

On the surface, Penn State fans are worried about the coaches replenishing our receiver corps, finding talent for the secondary, and sealing the gaps on the offensive line. More of concern is whether Johnson wants to leave his current employer for the corner V.P. office. Penn State would be losing not just a good recruiter, but a great man. We would be losing a member of the Penn State family that makes it just that – a family. Johnson has had the ability to continue recruiting young men by promising them a chance to be part of something bigger, all while promising family members a good education and a home away from home for their children. The degree of Johnson’s importance to the program cannot be calculated.