As a student at the Fork Union Military School in Fork Union, Va., Hackenberg has to keep his phone in his car during the school day per school rules.
And while Hackenberg — a four-star quarterback prospect and Bill O’Brien’s first verbal commitment in the class of 2013 — went about his day, his phone buzzed and beeped like a pinball machine with text messages and calls from friends and family offering congratulations.
“It’s been wild,” Hackenberg said in a phone interview. “I’m proud to be a Nittany Lion.”
Hackenberg announced Wednesday he plans to attend Penn State, choosing the Lions over other scholarship offers from Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Miami, among others.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound signal caller is listed as the No. 4 Pro-Style quarterback in the class of 2013 by 247Sports.com, and threw for 21 touchdowns in 2011.
Hackenberg said he just knew Penn State was the right place for him after visiting campus for Junior Day on Feb. 18.
“Getting to sit down with Coach O’Brien, and see what they’re all about academically, athletically and socially…the combination of those three up there did it for me,” Hackenberg said. “Everything fell into line with what I was looking for.”
Hackenberg’s father, Erick, grew up in the Berwick and Mt. Carmel area in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and always followed Penn State football. In his town people either liked Penn State, Notre Dame, or hated both, he said.
And while Christian didn’t grow up a passionate Penn State fan, the program’s influence on the state and his father was always present.
“Penn State’s tradition is Penn State’s tradition,” Erick said. “It doesn’t need to be explained or argued. It is what is and that’s a great tradition.”
That tradition was one of the major factors in Christian’s decision. He said he could see himself at one of those SEC schools, but couldn’t envision himself achieving everything he wants to do like he can at Penn State.
There’s also another thing that pulled Hackenberg in that he felt he couldn’t get to experience anywhere else.
“I’ve been to Alabama games,” Christian said “But there’s not much that compares to 110,000 fans at Beaver Stadium.”
Hackenberg still has some time to polish his skills and get bigger and stronger before he can take the field beneath the roar of the crowd in Happy Valley.
But that doesn’t mean he can’t get started on dreaming of leading his new team into battle.
“I want to build a class that’s going to bring them back to the top, a national championship contending team,” Hackenberg said. “That’s where they belong. That’s my goal.”