Aliquippa's Tiqwai Hayes verbally commits to Penn State University

ALIQUIPPA – Tiqwai “Tikey” Hayes has known where he wanted to play college football for a couple years now.

On Monday, he made everyone else aware.

Hayes, Aliquippa’s standout running back, gave a verbal commitment to Penn State University during a press conference at Aliquippa High School’s Black Box Theater.

The Nittany Lions were the first to offer Hayes, a 6-foot, 197-pounder, a scholarship when he burst onto the scene as a freshman. The next time he’s a freshman – in 2025 – he hopes to become the next great Penn State running back.

“It’s really RB U and I will get a good education,” he said. “That really won my mom over, too.”

Hayes, ranked as the No. 20 junior running back prospect in the country by Rivals.com, is the third current Quips standout to commit to play college football at the NCAA Division-I level. Seniors Cameron Lindsey (Pitt) and Brandon Banks (Yale) announced their destinations earlier this year.

“I am so, so happy for him. He is a great kid and a hard worker,” Aliquippa coach Mike Warfield said. “Everything he gets, he deserves. No one has given him anything. He has earned it. He is a leader and a role model for our youth in Aliquippa, for sure.”

Hayes can make it official in little more than a year when puts pen to paper to his National Letter of Intent next December.

“I think one of his reasonings to commit early was because he wanted to be done with the process and start focusing on getting better, both mentally and physically,” Warfield said. “He loved the atmosphere there. He is relieved.”

Hayes is happy to have that major life decision figured out already.

“I feel like it’s so good for me. It’s going to better me in the season. Coming into this season, I was too focused on that. I am going to start playing better again,” he said. “I feel like I handled (the recruiting process) pretty well. Now that I did that, I am ready to move forward and I can totally focus on Aliquippa football. I just have to keep preparing and worry about high school. When it’s time for college, I will worry about college.”

Hayes emerged as a force during his freshman year. He surprised Aliquippa’s coaches with his ability and quickly moved up the depth chart.

He went on to become the Pennsylvania Class 4A Player of the Year as a freshman and has been an all-state pick his first two seasons of high school football.

“People don’t realize, he was our third- or fourth-string running back his freshman year,” Warfield explained. “After each run he got, he just kept earning more runs. He’s a testament to staying the course and not complaining about it and being prepared when the opportunity arises. He is so unselfish. He’s a four-star player sharing reps with John Tracy.

"Not once have I seen him complain. He’s team first, second and third. Even when meeting with recruiters, he was talking about his teammates. He is a great kid and I am happy for him and his family. This is a blessing.”

Hayes, the latest in a long line of talented Quips running backs, helped Aliquippa capture WPIAL Class 4A titles the past two seasons and a PIAA crown his freshman year. The Quips finished as state runners-up last year.

He achieved another accomplishment this season when he became the seventh player in program history to eclipse the 4,000-yard rushing mark. He joined 2014 product Dravon Henry (5,454 yards), 1993 graduate Chico Williams (5,417), 2016 graduate Kaezon Pugh (4,979), 2019 graduate Avante “Chief” McKenzie (4,791), 1985 product Rapheal “Pudgy” Abercrombie (4,603) and 2014 graduate Terry Swanson (4,333) in that elite club. Hayes has 4,315 career yards on 589 carries. He has scored 65 touchdowns.

Also a key part of Aliquippa’s WPIAL championship basketball team, Hayes looks forward to improving his game.

“I got way taller and way faster from my freshman year,” he said. “My freshman year, I got tracked down a lot. That hasn’t happened the past two years. I think my speed has really improved and that’s something I work on.”

He hopes to help the Quips (4-0) win a 20^th WPIAL championship this season and get back to the state title game. He’s impressed with the way the team’s young players have improved in key roles.

“They’ve really come along. They are doing things now that they couldn’t do in the summer. Aliquippa just produces,” he said. “I think we can really go far this season.”

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Aliquippa's Tiqwai Hayes verbally commits to Penn State University