If not for the heaps of Erie's lake effect snow, Drew Astorino would still be playing Big Ten football -- but not at Penn State.

Astorino was at his Erie home on a wintry February morning waiting out a snow delay when his cell phone rang.

On the other end of the line was Joe Paterno calling with a last-minute scholarship offer.

His dad Gary believed Drew would have committed to the University of Iowa if school hadn't been delayed since Drew wouldn't have gotten Paterno's message until after school.

"I was the last scholarship to come in here," Drew Astorino said. "They took a big chance. It's not like people wanted to. I'm trying to prove I can be one of those guys who can play out there."

He seems on his way as a redshirt freshman with repetitions in practice at free safety, strong safety and cornerback. He's also a leading candidate to be the team's nickel back.

Penn State offered two days before National Letter of Intent day after initially asking Astorino to be a preferred walk-on. At the time, Astorino held scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Iowa, Kent State University -- where he committed in the early fall -- and some Division I-AA schools.

Ken O'Keefe, Iowa's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, watched Astorino play in a basketball game for General McLane High School the night before, and the Hawkeyes were looking for an answer.

"He was real close to committing to Iowa," Gary Astorino said. "I mean real close."

Soon enough, he'll be playing against the Hawkeyes.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said during the spring that Astorino is a "good football player with a chance to be a really good football player."

Anthony Scirrotto called Astorino the best athlete on the team.

And Paterno said during the spring "the best freshman skill guy we have is Astorino."

Astorino lacks the burning 40-yard dash time or the eye-popping numbers in a weight room but does have other traits. Scirrotto and Bradley have both highlighted Astorino's tackling ability, and Paterno has mentioned Astorino's intelligence and athleticism.

That athleticism helped Astorino, a quarterback, score the game-winning touchdown in the state championship game as a senior. Months later, he lifted General McLane to another state championship, this time in basketball, when he hit the game-winning shot with two seconds left to play.

Gary Astorino wonders if his son playing multiple sports worked against him in a world where recruiting combines help attract coaches' attention.

In his current capacity as a recruiting coordinator for Edinboro's wrestling team, Gary Astorino said initial question marks can become moot points when he is evaluating wrestling prospects.

"If a guy wins two major tournaments, then wins a state tournament, guess what?" Gary Astorino said. "I don't care how he swivels his hips. ... Sometimes, you have to put two knuckles and a thumb to your head and realize you were wrong."