Early March — a month after National Signing Day and nearly two weeks before spring practice starts — is about as off as the offseason gets for Penn State's football program.

Even now, though, the Nittany world turns ...

Recruiting never sleeps, and Penn State already has three verbal commitments from the high school class of 2014, one of them with Lancaster ties.

That would be Nick Scott, a 5-11, 180-pound running back who ran for 1,164 yards last fall as a junior at Fairfax, Va., High.

Scott was born in Lancaster, although he moved to Brookline, Mass, in sixth grade, and to Fairfax after his sophomore year in high school.

He has a brother, Leon, who's a defensive back at Holy Cross. Corey Jones, the former Conestoga Valley High School All-American who played at Penn State, is a God brother to one of Scott's brothers.

Scott had an offer from Boston College, interest from Virginia and Maryland, and took an unofficial visit to Alabama in October. He committed to Bill O'Brien after visiting Penn State Feb. 23.

The other commits are Mark Allen, a 5-8, 185-pound running back from DeMatha High in Hyattsville, Md.; and Troy Reeder, a 6-3, 232-pound LB from Wilmington, Del. who's ranked 13th at his position in the class by scouts.com.

After signing last month, Scott gave a brief shout-out to Penn State fans on Twitter — and got 300 new followers in a few minutes.

"Oh my goodness," Scott told the Altoona Mirror.

Staff changes: Fran Ganter, associate athletic director for football operations, announced last month he was retiring after 46 years with Penn State's program.

Ganter, who as offensive coordinator under Joe Paterno ran the 1994 Penn State offense, widely considered among the best in college football history. Ganter said he wanted to spend more time with his family.

In a more surprising move, it was announced that Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli would no longer be the team physician and orthopedic surgeon, roles he had held since 1992. He will remain as the school's director of sports medicine.

Did O'Brien, or someone else within the program, have a problem with Sebastianelli? For what it's worth, linebacker Mike Mauti has had three ACL surgeries during his career, the first two by Sebastianelli, the last by Jim Bradley, a Pittsburgh surgeon and former Nittany Lion who's the brother of former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley.

Mauti dismissed the issue at the Maxwell Club Awards dinner last month. When O'Brien was asked about it, he tried to dismiss it, but, well ...

"As it relates to the medical setup, this is not about Wayne Sebastianelli," O'Brien said. "... This is more about a reorganization of the medical team.

"From the outside looking in, it's been the same way for a number of years. It's a little bit more about a fresh approach, fresh ideas, doing what's best for the student-athlete."

Nit-Notes: Two former Paterno aides have found new coaching jobs. Bill Kenney, who co-coached the offensive line with Dick Anderson, has been hired as the o-line coach at Western Michigan, it was announced last month.

Former Penn State safeties' coach Kermit Buggs was hired in January as a secondary coach at Connecticut. Buggs worked as a volunteer assistant at Lock Haven last season.

Penn State RB Akeel Lynch faces a criminal mischief charge stemming from a November incident in a Penn State residence hall, reportedly involving a broken window. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 27.

From Lynch, on Twitter Feb. 13: "Situation occured last semester, complete accident and already handled. Have a great day."

Penn State's coaches' caravan comes to Lancaster for a luncheon Thursday, May 2. O'Brien and at least one other Penn State coach are scheduled to attend every one of the 12 stops on the tour.

The other stops, for a luncheon at the first location and an evening event at the second: April 30, Reading and Philadelphia; May 1, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.; May 2, Lancaster and Harrisburg; May 7, Williamsport and Allentown; May 8, New York City and Scranton; May 9, DuBois and Pittsburgh.

Spring practice begins March 18, with 15 sessions culminating in the Blue-White game April 20.

The 2013 season opener will be Aug. 31 vs. Syracuse, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.