Q&A: Four-Star DT Judge Culpepper

Ryan Snyder - What was it about Penn State that put them over the top? What were maybe two or three things that really set them apart from the rest?

Judge Culpepper - It’s got to be the coaching staff. That’s the main thing. From Coach Spencer to Coach Smith to Coach Franklin, they’re all a bunch of great guys. They always made me feel at home. It was great. Another thing is the school itself. Everything there is really nice. The campus is beautiful and their facilities are amazing. The whole football program is on the rise. I really love that. I feel like I’m coming in at a great time. Also, the front that they run is very similar to what my dad used to run. He knows that system really well, so I feel like that’s only going to help me fit in to their defense as a three-technique or a five-technique, whatever it may be.

Snyder - To clarify, you’ll definitely be playing defensive tackle, right? That always made the most sense. You’re only going to keep growing, but during previous interviews, I know you’ve mentioned strong-side defensive end.

Culpepper - Yeah, that’s the plan. I’m already 265 pounds and I’m still pretty lean. I’m also about 6-foot-5. So, there shouldn’t be much of a problem adding weight. That was one of the things I liked about PSU, too. They needed defensive tackles. They still need defensive tackles, so that’s a position they want to continue building on.

Snyder - Take me through your recruitment. Who were the schools that really stood out and proved to be Penn State’s top competitors? Also, when did you really know that Penn State was definitely the school for you?

Culpepper - Well, I really had it down to six schools. It was between Penn State, Florida, Syracuse, Nebraska, LSU and Georgia. All of those schools really pushed for me hard and brought different things to the table. When Penn State offered me, coming down to a school like Plant, way down in Tampa, that stood out to me. That always grabbed my attention as a school I needed to give a look at. So, I ended up going up there in the spring. I’ve told you before the story going into that visit. The plane was delayed and then we had to drive all the way from Washington, D.C. to State College. It started off the worst way possible, yet it ended up being one of the best visits I’ve ever taken. So, from that moment, that’s when I knew that Penn State was a serious contender.

It really came down to Penn State, Florida, Nebraska and Syracuse then. LSU was kind of in the mix still, but when I came up there last week, I didn’t know if I was going to commit or not. I was still thinking about taking other visits, but then that visit (to Penn State) just sealed the deal. It was just as good as the first visit. Plus, all the coaches came back early from vacation to be there for me. That really stood out to me. That meant a lot to me.

Snyder - I have to ask about Sean Spencer and his impact on this decision. His energy is unlike any coach I’ve ever met. I know you’ve gotten to know him well now, so I imagine that energy and that style is something you really like?

Culpepper - Yeah, his coaching style is awesome. The way he treats his players and the respect they have for him, it’s unrivaled, for a lack of a better word. (laughs) He’s the man, but he’s also an unbelievable coach. Just look at the way he’s been developing some of these guys in recent years. They’re really getting after it. Plus, he had that season with Carl Nassib, who was originally a walk-on and went on to record 15.5 sacks and set the school record. It just shows that he knows how to develop guys.

Snyder - Take me through your training schedule this summer. I know Plant probably has you guys working out together almost everyday, but what else have you been doing this offseason to work on your game and prepare for the upcoming season?

Culpepper - I’ve been working so hard this summer. At Plant, we usually workout about four hours and it’s four days a week. We do an hour in the weight room, an hour of skill work, an hour of speed training and then an hour of mental work, which is usually film study. We also have seven-on-seven on Wednesdays and a few different Saturdays throughout the summer. But also, I’ve been working with my dad after practice and that’s usually two or three times a week. We work with the dummies, doing different defensive line drills. We work on that extensively throughout the week. I’m always trying to get better at using my hands and things like that. Then, on the weekends when we don’t have seven-on-seven, I go train with a local trainer, Robert Marve. He used to play quarterback at Plant. He then went on to play at Miami and Purdue. He always works with me on hip explosions, hand-eye coordination drills, different things like that.

So, I can definitely say that this has been a full summer. I’ve been really getting after it hard because I felt like I just scratched the surface last season when it comes to how good I can really be. I want to prove to everyone this year why I received these offers and why I’m committed to play at a big-time school like Penn State. I want to show everyone that I can compete at Penn State my freshman year.

Snyder - Do you happen to know some of your max testing numbers? Fans always like to know that kind of info.

Culpepper - Yeah, I’m maxing at 505 (pounds) on the squat, 505 on the deadlift, 355 on the bench press and 300 even on the power clean.

Snyder - I have to ask about academics. Penn State really prioritizes academics for its athletes, so how did that impact you and your family. Also, any idea what you want to major in? You have plenty of time to figure that out, but is there anything that interests you?

Culpepper - When we went up there, we really didn’t have to go over anything academically. My family already knew what Penn State was about academically. We did that research on our own. Academics at Penn State speak for itself, so when we went up there, we were mainly focused on football. I already knew that this was one of the best academic schools, probably the best academic school, that I was considering.

As for what I want to major in, I’m not 100 percent sure yet. One thing that interests me, that not a lot of people know, is that I love cooking, so I wouldn’t mind being a chef and studying culinary arts or something like that. I’ve always enjoyed cooking. But other than that, I may want to follow in my dad’s footsteps and be a lawyer. So, I may end up going to law school or something like that. I have some time to figure that all out.

Snyder - Speaking of your parents, I have to ask about what mom and dad think about Penn State? Your dad has ties to Florida and now you’re going pretty far from home. I imagine proximity to home wasn’t much of a factor, so what did they really like about Penn State?

Culpepper - No, proximity to home didn’t play much of a factor for me. What did have an impact was my proximity to my brother. That was something my parents really liked. Syracuse is only a few hours away from State College, so if for some reason there was a family emergency or something like that, he’s not that far from me. Obviously, my parents liked Florida, and I liked Florida, too. It would’ve been really cool to follow in my dad’s footsteps, but ultimately, they wanted me to be my own man. We all agreed that the best decision for me was Penn State. Right now, Penn State is one the rise and I feel like I really fit in there. My parents felt the exact same way, so that’s why this wasn’t as hard of a decision as some may have thought. Penn State checked all the boxes. They (parents) know those coaches are going to take care of me. Plus, going away from home will allow me to spread my wings a bit.

Snyder - Last question Judge. I like to give you guys an opportunity to say something to the fans. It can be about anything you’d like to tell them. What comes to mind?

Culpepper - I’m really honored and humbled to be part of such an unbelievable program and to play for such a great fanbase. I just want them to know that I’m going to do everything I can to make sure Penn State gets back to winning national championships. I already think they’re pretty close. They just won the Big Ten last season and now they bring back a loaded squad. I’m looking forward to making sure that my class and the other classes do everything we can to keep that momentum going into the future.