Penn State fans got some good news over the weekend when Lions247 with Fight on State broke news of CJ Holmes joining the program. Holmes, a former four-star recruit, left Notre Dame following dismissal because of a shoplifting charge over the offseason.

More good news game Tuesday with information stating Holmes would have charges against him dropped. The State of Indiana filed a motion to dismiss charges this week following a Monday review hearing of Holmes’ case. Police arrested Holmes in December on misdemeanor shoplifting charges. Notre Dame suspended Holmes before its bowl game before dismissing him.

Holmes joins Penn State as a walk-on, but must sit the 2018 season as a transfer from another FBS program at the scholarship level. Holmes will be a red-shirt sophomore with three years to play when he takes the field for the Nittany Lions in 2019.

Numbers at running back for the 2019 season indicate that Holmes’ presence would be a welcome addition to the position room. The Nittany Lions will lose Mark Allen and Johnathan Thomas to graduation after this season and are set to return just three scholarship running backs next year, in addition to bringing in four-star back Devyn Ford out of Virginia. The Nittany Lions are still pursuing a second running back in the 2019 class as well.

Holmes was on campus at Penn State this spring as the Nittany Lions explored the possibility of bringing him on board. His younger sister Alexis signed with Penn State Track and Field in November and will join the team this fall as a sprinter.

Holmes found playing time as a true freshman with Notre Dame as a four-star recruit out of Cheshire (Conn.) Academy. He saw time in eight games for the Fighting Irish after he ran for 1,169 yards and 13 touchdowns as a high-school senior.

“I saw Holmes play his senior year and I always wondered what his best position would be,” said 247Sports national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn. “Is he a running back, a receiver or a safety? He was the true definition of an athlete. What really stood out to me was his ability to start, stop, accelerate and change direction. He also had sneaky speed. I think he’s a kid that once Penn State figures out exactly where to use him he has a chance to make a big impact because he can do different things and create matchup problems.”

The majority of Penn State’s recruiting class arrived for work last week, and left the right impression upon James Franklin and the coaching staff. It appears the new kids on campus came in with a game plan. Starting shortly after 9 a.m. in State College, a social media wave hit with messages to Franklin from almost a dozen members of the Class of 2018. The message was simple but effective, be early and sit up front.

As five-star receiver Justin Shorter from Monmouth Junction (N.J.) South Brunswick put it, “40 minutes early!!! First row doing it the PENN STATE WAY!!!!! We Are!!”

Franklin responded to every message from his freshmen, saying “now do it for four years, one day at a time! Proud of you.”