Showing posts with label penn state. Show all posts
Showing posts with label penn state. Show all posts
Friday, January 16, 2015
Monday, October 27, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
Friday, November 22, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
A Fabulous Football Weekend
There was plenty to look forward to this past weekend for football fans in Philadelphia/Pennsylvania. Saturday evening Penn State hosted undefeated, 18th-ranked Michigan, looking to rebound from an ugly 44-24 defeat at Indiana, the first time the Hoosiers have ever beaten the Nittany Lions. Then on Sunday, the Eagles traveled to Tampa Bay looking to build off of their win over the Giants the previous week and knowing that a W would leave them no worse than in a first-place tie with the hated Cowboys.
Now I was hoping to write a bit more of an in-depth piece, perhaps even dedicating a piece to each game, but work sucked today and the man is holding me down and I really just want to get into relaxation mode, so instead I'm just going to touch on a few things from each game. As we all know, Penn State used an improbable comeback and four overtimes to upset the visiting Wolverines. And Nick Foles played a stellar game in leading the Eagles to a second straight win on Sunday.
I'll start with Penn State. What an amazing game. As a fan, just the excitement level and the roller coaster ride of a game that it was was just fantastic. Penn State builds early momentum and a lead at the half, only to see all of that completely reverse on the opening drive of the second half with a Zach Zwinak fumble that got returned for a touchdown.
And that brings me to my first point. I am tired of Zach Zwinak running the football. He is big and slow and in my opinion should be a fullback, only touching the ball a few times a game. Instead, he leads the team in carries. He is averaging 4.3 yards per carry, but it really seems like the majority of his runs are for 2 or 3 yards, especially in recent weeks. Bill Belton is far more explosive and has more characteristics of a prototypical halfback, and I would like to see him start to get the majority of the carries. I would also like to see promising sophomore Akeel Lynch get some more action. He showed some good things when he got some time early in the year, but has all but disappeared as of late.
Anyway I had to listen to the third quarter and a bit of the fourth on the radio because I was heading to the Rev's house, and the reception was shoddy at best. I managed to hear Michigan take a 10-point lead. I got to Rev's in time to see Sam Ficken hit a field goal to cut the lead to 7. And then Penn State has the ball, still down 7, with only 50 seconds remaining and no timeouts, and a true freshman quarterback playing in his first home Big Ten game. Rev and I were prepared to move on with our nights activities, figuring there was no way they would be able to mount a touchdown drive in that situation. But then they did. If I remember correctly, it took four plays, two incredible catches by Allen Robinson and a QB sneak by Christian Hackenberg.
The second thing that stood out to me was the play of Hackenberg. He is playing in his first Big Ten home game, in front of 108,000 people, on national television, against an undefeated rival. After navigating a successful first half, how would he respond to a miserable third quarter that saw Penn State get outscored 17-3 and saw the halftime lead turn into a deficit? He kept making throws, kept his team in the game, got enough to get Ficken into field-goal range to cut the lead to 7, then lead one of the most incredible and exciting drives I've ever seen. Sure, he's made some mistakes, some misreads, some poor throws, some poor decisions. But overall he has been very good, showing a good arm and, most impressively, incredible poise. As he continues to mature, he gives Penn State fans a lot to be excited about.
And finally, the play of Allen Robinson. I can't say enough about this guy or what he means to this team. He has consistently been one of the best players on the field this season, and continues to work his way into the conversation about the best receivers in the entire nation. Not only does he consistently put up big numbers, but his two catches on the Nittany Lions' game-tying drive were epic. First, an incredible, somehow-keep-a-foot-in-bounds-as-the-rest-of-your-body-dangles-over-the-sideline beauty that was initially ruled incomplete. Then another beauty jumping over a defender and falling in bounds at the one-yard line to set up the game-tying sneak by Hackenberg. Just incredible plays in their own right, not to mention the circumstances under which they took place. Kid is a stud, and it's a pleasure watching him week in and week out.
After the Nittany Lions' instant classic, it was on to Eagles-Bucs on Sunday. Like I said, the Eagles looked to build off their win in the Meadowlands against a struggling Bucs team. Other than trying to get a second win in a row, evening their record a 3-3 and try to remain atop the NFC East with the Cowboys, the story line was Nick Foles making his first start of the season.
Foles did not disappoint. All he did was go 22-31 for 296 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions, while adding another touchdown on the ground. He was decisive with the ball and spread the ball around, hitting eight different receivers. He managed to help Riley Cooper actually be a factor in the game, and DeSean Jackson continued his stellar season. Shady did what we have come to expect Shady to do, and the offense was in rhythm pretty much all afternoon. It was a very impressive performance from the second-year QB.
The defense stepped up as well. Sure, the Bucs started Mike Glennon at quarterback and were missing Mike Williams due to injury. But the Bucs still boast playmaking type players in Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson. The defense allowed only 3 points in the second half, and one player really stood out to me. People expected players like Fletcher Cox and Mychal Kendricks to have good seasons, and they both played good games on Sunday. So to did DeMeco Ryans, who was all over the field while rounding up 12 tackles. But the player whom I was most impressed with was one who no one really talked about during the offseason and one who plays for the Birds' most beleaguered unit, the secondary. That player was Bradley Fletcher. Fletcher had several nice pass deflections and added an interception as well. It was really nice to see someone step up on what has been an absolutely atrocious secondary for two years now.
All in all it was a great football weekend for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania — hell the Steelers even won. While expectations will remain tempered at Penn State as the program navigates the NCAA sanctions, the team provided its fans with a all-time great win and a reason to hope as things go forward.
For the Eagles, they moved their record to 3-3, and have set up a huge match-up with the hated Cowboys that will end with one team gaining a leg up in the standings and taking sole possession of first place as we approach the midpoint of the season. Nothing is better than an Eagles-Cowboys game that has meaning, and it should be a fun week leading up to it. Dallas Sucks.
Now I was hoping to write a bit more of an in-depth piece, perhaps even dedicating a piece to each game, but work sucked today and the man is holding me down and I really just want to get into relaxation mode, so instead I'm just going to touch on a few things from each game. As we all know, Penn State used an improbable comeback and four overtimes to upset the visiting Wolverines. And Nick Foles played a stellar game in leading the Eagles to a second straight win on Sunday.
I'll start with Penn State. What an amazing game. As a fan, just the excitement level and the roller coaster ride of a game that it was was just fantastic. Penn State builds early momentum and a lead at the half, only to see all of that completely reverse on the opening drive of the second half with a Zach Zwinak fumble that got returned for a touchdown.
And that brings me to my first point. I am tired of Zach Zwinak running the football. He is big and slow and in my opinion should be a fullback, only touching the ball a few times a game. Instead, he leads the team in carries. He is averaging 4.3 yards per carry, but it really seems like the majority of his runs are for 2 or 3 yards, especially in recent weeks. Bill Belton is far more explosive and has more characteristics of a prototypical halfback, and I would like to see him start to get the majority of the carries. I would also like to see promising sophomore Akeel Lynch get some more action. He showed some good things when he got some time early in the year, but has all but disappeared as of late.
Anyway I had to listen to the third quarter and a bit of the fourth on the radio because I was heading to the Rev's house, and the reception was shoddy at best. I managed to hear Michigan take a 10-point lead. I got to Rev's in time to see Sam Ficken hit a field goal to cut the lead to 7. And then Penn State has the ball, still down 7, with only 50 seconds remaining and no timeouts, and a true freshman quarterback playing in his first home Big Ten game. Rev and I were prepared to move on with our nights activities, figuring there was no way they would be able to mount a touchdown drive in that situation. But then they did. If I remember correctly, it took four plays, two incredible catches by Allen Robinson and a QB sneak by Christian Hackenberg.
The second thing that stood out to me was the play of Hackenberg. He is playing in his first Big Ten home game, in front of 108,000 people, on national television, against an undefeated rival. After navigating a successful first half, how would he respond to a miserable third quarter that saw Penn State get outscored 17-3 and saw the halftime lead turn into a deficit? He kept making throws, kept his team in the game, got enough to get Ficken into field-goal range to cut the lead to 7, then lead one of the most incredible and exciting drives I've ever seen. Sure, he's made some mistakes, some misreads, some poor throws, some poor decisions. But overall he has been very good, showing a good arm and, most impressively, incredible poise. As he continues to mature, he gives Penn State fans a lot to be excited about.
And finally, the play of Allen Robinson. I can't say enough about this guy or what he means to this team. He has consistently been one of the best players on the field this season, and continues to work his way into the conversation about the best receivers in the entire nation. Not only does he consistently put up big numbers, but his two catches on the Nittany Lions' game-tying drive were epic. First, an incredible, somehow-keep-a-foot-in-bounds-as-the-rest-of-your-body-dangles-over-the-sideline beauty that was initially ruled incomplete. Then another beauty jumping over a defender and falling in bounds at the one-yard line to set up the game-tying sneak by Hackenberg. Just incredible plays in their own right, not to mention the circumstances under which they took place. Kid is a stud, and it's a pleasure watching him week in and week out.
After the Nittany Lions' instant classic, it was on to Eagles-Bucs on Sunday. Like I said, the Eagles looked to build off their win in the Meadowlands against a struggling Bucs team. Other than trying to get a second win in a row, evening their record a 3-3 and try to remain atop the NFC East with the Cowboys, the story line was Nick Foles making his first start of the season.
Foles did not disappoint. All he did was go 22-31 for 296 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions, while adding another touchdown on the ground. He was decisive with the ball and spread the ball around, hitting eight different receivers. He managed to help Riley Cooper actually be a factor in the game, and DeSean Jackson continued his stellar season. Shady did what we have come to expect Shady to do, and the offense was in rhythm pretty much all afternoon. It was a very impressive performance from the second-year QB.
The defense stepped up as well. Sure, the Bucs started Mike Glennon at quarterback and were missing Mike Williams due to injury. But the Bucs still boast playmaking type players in Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson. The defense allowed only 3 points in the second half, and one player really stood out to me. People expected players like Fletcher Cox and Mychal Kendricks to have good seasons, and they both played good games on Sunday. So to did DeMeco Ryans, who was all over the field while rounding up 12 tackles. But the player whom I was most impressed with was one who no one really talked about during the offseason and one who plays for the Birds' most beleaguered unit, the secondary. That player was Bradley Fletcher. Fletcher had several nice pass deflections and added an interception as well. It was really nice to see someone step up on what has been an absolutely atrocious secondary for two years now.
All in all it was a great football weekend for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania — hell the Steelers even won. While expectations will remain tempered at Penn State as the program navigates the NCAA sanctions, the team provided its fans with a all-time great win and a reason to hope as things go forward.
For the Eagles, they moved their record to 3-3, and have set up a huge match-up with the hated Cowboys that will end with one team gaining a leg up in the standings and taking sole possession of first place as we approach the midpoint of the season. Nothing is better than an Eagles-Cowboys game that has meaning, and it should be a fun week leading up to it. Dallas Sucks.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Penn State vs. Syracuse: 'Who Gives a Shit About Bubbles?!?'
In my nearly 30 years on this planet, I have seen Penn State play up in East Rutherford at the Meadowlands complex more than any other place outside of Beaver Stadium. I was there for a couple of the now-defunct Kickoff Classics vs. USC (a victory in 1996 and loss in 2000), witnessed them trounce Rutgers with Bobby Engram running a fumble he picked up in for a touchdown at the beginning of the game, and even saw them play and destroy Temple in Giants Stadium in 1996.
Saturday I was able to add another chapter to bearing witness to Penn State playing at the Meadowlands, as the Nittany Lions topped Syracuse at MetLife Stadium 23-17 in the season opener behind a stout defense and just enough offense. And while the game was all well and good — particularly last year's goat, Sam Ficken, and true freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg taking home Big Ten honors — the highlight of the entire trip came well before kickoff.
I departed for the game at approximately 11 a.m. with two of my longtime friends, both of whom were roommates of mine during our college days at Penn State. Surprisingly, we hit virtually no traffic the entire way, even as we approached the Meadowlands, leaving us plenty of time to tailgate. The first thing we noticed, which was no surprise, was that the vast majority of the parking lots were filled with Penn State supporters, with very little orange in sight despite this being an official Syracuse home game. We also noticed a lack of, let's say, aesthetic beauty.
Anyway, we posted up and began eating and drinking when something pretty hilarious happened. Across from us was an interesting-looking family — a large, athletic-looking guy with a tough-guy feel to him, his wife that looked a bit off and two young boys. The father was tossing the ball around with one son, as the other was running around. A little later, the father and his two sons were tossing some bean bags when the smaller of the boys tugged on his dad's pant leg and asked him where the bubbles where. The father's reply?
"Who gives a shit about bubbles?!?"
It had us laughing our asses off, and the dad turned toward us and said, "Fucking bubbles!" He was clearly disgusted with his young son discussing bubbles at a football tailgate — and he had no qualms about using the foul language in front of him. Quite entertaining if a bit concerning.
A little later, that same young boy was looked at by medics after falling, but he was fine — just a little scrape on his arm or something. It was quite a different tailgate, that's for sure.
After a couple hours in the parking lot, we headed in and prepped for the start of the college football season. In line, surrounded by Penn State fans, a rowdy group of college-aged Syracuse fans began some chants they found to be extremely clever, such as, "BOWL GAMES! BOWL GAMES! BOWL GAMES!" Because, you know, Penn State should be jealous of Syracuse's impressive résumé of bowl games since the Nittany Lions can't go to any for a little while. Admittedly, it was a tame chant, but it did prepare the Penn State fans in attendance for the few Orange fans that actually bothered to show up.
We got to our seats in the end zone and got all settled in. There were a few Syracuse fans around us, including a drunk, obnoxious woman who eventually was escorted out after causing a fight, but it was mostly Penn State fans surrounding us. It was a remarkably comfortable day, our view was great and we were ready.
Penn State received the opening kickoff and had its drive stalled in Syracuse territory. Nothing noteworthy there … except the fact that reigning Big Ten Receiver of the Year Allen Robinson did not see the field the entire drive. That had me scrambling all over to find out why in the world the team's best player wasn't on the field. I sent out texts and hit Twitter, finally learning that Robinson had been suspended for disciplinary reasons. At first, the tweet I saw reported he was suspended for the game, but turns out he was just suspended for the first half. No one knows why, exactly, since coach Bill O'Brien would not disclose the reason and Robinson was muzzled after the game. My guess is he missed a class or practice or curfew or something, but that's purely speculation.
Anyway, without Robinson on the field and with a true freshman quarterback under center, Penn State moved the ball a bit but could not get any points on the board. Then, to close out the first quarter, O'Brien put sophomore junior college transfer Tyler Ferguson in the game, who promptly threw a strike for 18 yards on his first play … only to fumble on his second, losing the ball as he cocked to pass. That led to a field goal by Syracuse to take a 3-0 lead, and it also led to Ferguson spending the rest of the game on the bench. One drive, one turnover and one lost chance to become the starter moving forward.
From there, it was Hackenberg's show, and the freshman impressed. However, he could not cap off any drives with touchdowns, and he wasn't helped by the play-calling of O'Brien.
Penn State did take a 6-3 lead into halftime as Sam Ficken continued to show his remarkable improvement by easily connecting on back-to-back 36- and 35-yard field goals, but the offense was sort of stagnant without Robinson. A large reason for that was because O'Brien was calling quite the curious game — something that continued the entire way. He repeatedly called for Hackenberg to do it all in just his first start, quickly neglecting the running game after it got off to a slow start. But at the same time, O'Brien would not let Hackenberg go all out in 3rd-and-long situations, often running with little chance of getting a first down. Also, the tight ends weren't seeing a ton of balls, especially Kyle Carter, which I found odd as well. I love Bill O'Brien, but Saturday was not his finest play-calling game.
Still, Penn State took the lead despite two turnovers — Hackenberg threw a pick in the second quarter — thanks to a stout defense. Syracuse could not get a damn thing going on the ground, as defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and company were getting repeated penetration, allowing Glenn Carson to sniff out the ball carrier time and time again. On top of that, minus a bad breakdown by Adrian Amos on one play, the young secondary stepped up. Stephen Obeng-Agyapong was outstanding, flying all over the field, and sophomore corners Jordan Lucas and Trevor Williams held their own nicely.
Still, the 6-3 margin didn't provide a ton of excitement. Thankfully it wouldn't take long for the excitement level to turn around in the second half, thanks to Allen Robinson.
After Penn State forced a punt on Syracuse's opening drive in the second half, Robinson entered the game and immediately made an impact. And I mean immediately. On his first play, Hackenberg hit Robinson for a 25-yard completion. On the very next play, the freshman went back to his top target, and Robinson dashed 51 yards for a touchdown, 13-3 Penn State. Two plays, two catches, 76 yards and a touchdown. Allen Robinson is fucking good.
That had the crowd amped and me really pumped, directing a few, "Uh, ohs" at some Cuse fans because our stud was back. Of course, the Orange came right back and scored its first touchdown of the game on the very next drive thanks to the aforementioned blown coverage by Amos, making it a three-point game again.
However, Penn State was able to hold on for the 23-17 victory, as Ficken followed his perfect first half by remaining perfect with a 46-yarder, while Hackenberberg connected with Geno Lewis for a 54-yard touchdown pass thanks to all the attention Robinson rightfully received following his first two plays.
Still, it wasn't all roses for the Nittany Lions. Hackenberg threw an absolutely atrocious interception late in the game, which led to Syracuse's second touchdown that put the outcome in doubt. On the play, Robinson was in single coverage. No matter what the play call was, Hackenberg or O'Brien should have changed the play to make sure it went Robinson's way. No one did, and then Hackenberg showed his greenness, tossing a horrid interception into double coverage. Not good, particularly with Robinson, who had seven catches for 133 yards and a score in just one half of football, in one-on-one coverage. Like I said, not the finest play-calling performance by O'Brien.
On top of that, tight end Matt Lehman went down in a heap without being touched in what looked like an ACL injury. It looked bad. Turns out, Kyle Carter also hurt his arm, and while it's not serious, it could explain his zero catches. Then there was the loss of linebacker Mike Hull, who ran off the field on his own accord but did not return either. That's not good considering he was expected to be the most versatile and potentially best linebacker on the roster.
Still, Penn State was able to come away with the victory in its opener, something that didn't happen last year. The defense was extremely impressive, with Obeng-Agyapong the clear standout. He was definitely the defensive player of the game, if not the player of the game, and his teammates — namely Jones and Carson — were outstanding as well.
On top of that, Hackenberg looked very, very good in his first start despite a couple of freshman mistakes, Robinson was inarguably the best offensive player on the field and the biggest difference maker, and Sam Ficken looks like he definitely has put his struggles from the first half of last season behind him for good.
Not the most impressive game ever, but a fine start to the season. Can't wait to see what the Nittany Lions have in store the rest of the way.
Saturday I was able to add another chapter to bearing witness to Penn State playing at the Meadowlands, as the Nittany Lions topped Syracuse at MetLife Stadium 23-17 in the season opener behind a stout defense and just enough offense. And while the game was all well and good — particularly last year's goat, Sam Ficken, and true freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg taking home Big Ten honors — the highlight of the entire trip came well before kickoff.
I departed for the game at approximately 11 a.m. with two of my longtime friends, both of whom were roommates of mine during our college days at Penn State. Surprisingly, we hit virtually no traffic the entire way, even as we approached the Meadowlands, leaving us plenty of time to tailgate. The first thing we noticed, which was no surprise, was that the vast majority of the parking lots were filled with Penn State supporters, with very little orange in sight despite this being an official Syracuse home game. We also noticed a lack of, let's say, aesthetic beauty.
Anyway, we posted up and began eating and drinking when something pretty hilarious happened. Across from us was an interesting-looking family — a large, athletic-looking guy with a tough-guy feel to him, his wife that looked a bit off and two young boys. The father was tossing the ball around with one son, as the other was running around. A little later, the father and his two sons were tossing some bean bags when the smaller of the boys tugged on his dad's pant leg and asked him where the bubbles where. The father's reply?
"Who gives a shit about bubbles?!?"
It had us laughing our asses off, and the dad turned toward us and said, "Fucking bubbles!" He was clearly disgusted with his young son discussing bubbles at a football tailgate — and he had no qualms about using the foul language in front of him. Quite entertaining if a bit concerning.
A little later, that same young boy was looked at by medics after falling, but he was fine — just a little scrape on his arm or something. It was quite a different tailgate, that's for sure.
After a couple hours in the parking lot, we headed in and prepped for the start of the college football season. In line, surrounded by Penn State fans, a rowdy group of college-aged Syracuse fans began some chants they found to be extremely clever, such as, "BOWL GAMES! BOWL GAMES! BOWL GAMES!" Because, you know, Penn State should be jealous of Syracuse's impressive résumé of bowl games since the Nittany Lions can't go to any for a little while. Admittedly, it was a tame chant, but it did prepare the Penn State fans in attendance for the few Orange fans that actually bothered to show up.
We got to our seats in the end zone and got all settled in. There were a few Syracuse fans around us, including a drunk, obnoxious woman who eventually was escorted out after causing a fight, but it was mostly Penn State fans surrounding us. It was a remarkably comfortable day, our view was great and we were ready.
Penn State received the opening kickoff and had its drive stalled in Syracuse territory. Nothing noteworthy there … except the fact that reigning Big Ten Receiver of the Year Allen Robinson did not see the field the entire drive. That had me scrambling all over to find out why in the world the team's best player wasn't on the field. I sent out texts and hit Twitter, finally learning that Robinson had been suspended for disciplinary reasons. At first, the tweet I saw reported he was suspended for the game, but turns out he was just suspended for the first half. No one knows why, exactly, since coach Bill O'Brien would not disclose the reason and Robinson was muzzled after the game. My guess is he missed a class or practice or curfew or something, but that's purely speculation.
Anyway, without Robinson on the field and with a true freshman quarterback under center, Penn State moved the ball a bit but could not get any points on the board. Then, to close out the first quarter, O'Brien put sophomore junior college transfer Tyler Ferguson in the game, who promptly threw a strike for 18 yards on his first play … only to fumble on his second, losing the ball as he cocked to pass. That led to a field goal by Syracuse to take a 3-0 lead, and it also led to Ferguson spending the rest of the game on the bench. One drive, one turnover and one lost chance to become the starter moving forward.
From there, it was Hackenberg's show, and the freshman impressed. However, he could not cap off any drives with touchdowns, and he wasn't helped by the play-calling of O'Brien.
Penn State did take a 6-3 lead into halftime as Sam Ficken continued to show his remarkable improvement by easily connecting on back-to-back 36- and 35-yard field goals, but the offense was sort of stagnant without Robinson. A large reason for that was because O'Brien was calling quite the curious game — something that continued the entire way. He repeatedly called for Hackenberg to do it all in just his first start, quickly neglecting the running game after it got off to a slow start. But at the same time, O'Brien would not let Hackenberg go all out in 3rd-and-long situations, often running with little chance of getting a first down. Also, the tight ends weren't seeing a ton of balls, especially Kyle Carter, which I found odd as well. I love Bill O'Brien, but Saturday was not his finest play-calling game.
Still, Penn State took the lead despite two turnovers — Hackenberg threw a pick in the second quarter — thanks to a stout defense. Syracuse could not get a damn thing going on the ground, as defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and company were getting repeated penetration, allowing Glenn Carson to sniff out the ball carrier time and time again. On top of that, minus a bad breakdown by Adrian Amos on one play, the young secondary stepped up. Stephen Obeng-Agyapong was outstanding, flying all over the field, and sophomore corners Jordan Lucas and Trevor Williams held their own nicely.
Still, the 6-3 margin didn't provide a ton of excitement. Thankfully it wouldn't take long for the excitement level to turn around in the second half, thanks to Allen Robinson.
After Penn State forced a punt on Syracuse's opening drive in the second half, Robinson entered the game and immediately made an impact. And I mean immediately. On his first play, Hackenberg hit Robinson for a 25-yard completion. On the very next play, the freshman went back to his top target, and Robinson dashed 51 yards for a touchdown, 13-3 Penn State. Two plays, two catches, 76 yards and a touchdown. Allen Robinson is fucking good.
That had the crowd amped and me really pumped, directing a few, "Uh, ohs" at some Cuse fans because our stud was back. Of course, the Orange came right back and scored its first touchdown of the game on the very next drive thanks to the aforementioned blown coverage by Amos, making it a three-point game again.
However, Penn State was able to hold on for the 23-17 victory, as Ficken followed his perfect first half by remaining perfect with a 46-yarder, while Hackenberberg connected with Geno Lewis for a 54-yard touchdown pass thanks to all the attention Robinson rightfully received following his first two plays.
Still, it wasn't all roses for the Nittany Lions. Hackenberg threw an absolutely atrocious interception late in the game, which led to Syracuse's second touchdown that put the outcome in doubt. On the play, Robinson was in single coverage. No matter what the play call was, Hackenberg or O'Brien should have changed the play to make sure it went Robinson's way. No one did, and then Hackenberg showed his greenness, tossing a horrid interception into double coverage. Not good, particularly with Robinson, who had seven catches for 133 yards and a score in just one half of football, in one-on-one coverage. Like I said, not the finest play-calling performance by O'Brien.
On top of that, tight end Matt Lehman went down in a heap without being touched in what looked like an ACL injury. It looked bad. Turns out, Kyle Carter also hurt his arm, and while it's not serious, it could explain his zero catches. Then there was the loss of linebacker Mike Hull, who ran off the field on his own accord but did not return either. That's not good considering he was expected to be the most versatile and potentially best linebacker on the roster.
Still, Penn State was able to come away with the victory in its opener, something that didn't happen last year. The defense was extremely impressive, with Obeng-Agyapong the clear standout. He was definitely the defensive player of the game, if not the player of the game, and his teammates — namely Jones and Carson — were outstanding as well.
On top of that, Hackenberg looked very, very good in his first start despite a couple of freshman mistakes, Robinson was inarguably the best offensive player on the field and the biggest difference maker, and Sam Ficken looks like he definitely has put his struggles from the first half of last season behind him for good.
Not the most impressive game ever, but a fine start to the season. Can't wait to see what the Nittany Lions have in store the rest of the way.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
It's Friday, Time to Dance
It's been a bit of a tumultuous basketball season for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They started out hot and climbed in the rankings, only to stumble and drop out of the Top 25 and all the way to the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Heading into Tuesday night's game against top-ranked Indiana, the Gophers had lost two in a row, four of their last five and were 3-8 in their last 11 games. Then they went out and defeated the Hoosiers and are now more than likely in the field of 68 sitting at 19-9 overall and 7-8 in perhaps the toughest conference in America, barring any Michigan-like catastrophic collapse against Big Ten basement dweller Penn State tomorrow.
That victory by Minnesota was huge, so what more appropriate time to show coach Tubby Smith, who seems like a genuinely awesome guy, lead a post-game dance party after a victory over Wisconsin earlier this year?
Enjoy the weekend, everyone. It's March now, meaning the madness is about to begin.
Heading into Tuesday night's game against top-ranked Indiana, the Gophers had lost two in a row, four of their last five and were 3-8 in their last 11 games. Then they went out and defeated the Hoosiers and are now more than likely in the field of 68 sitting at 19-9 overall and 7-8 in perhaps the toughest conference in America, barring any Michigan-like catastrophic collapse against Big Ten basement dweller Penn State tomorrow.
That victory by Minnesota was huge, so what more appropriate time to show coach Tubby Smith, who seems like a genuinely awesome guy, lead a post-game dance party after a victory over Wisconsin earlier this year?
Enjoy the weekend, everyone. It's March now, meaning the madness is about to begin.
Friday, January 4, 2013
It's Friday, Time to Dance: BOB Edition
After an impressive first year as a head coach, surpassing pretty much all expectations anyone had for Penn State in 2012, Bill O'Brien became one of the hottest coaches out there and a target for NFL franchises looking for a new lead man. Seeing as he has pro experience coaching the potent New England offense prior to taking over at Penn State, then flourishing as a head coach in year one, the reasons are obvious.
However, before the new year O'Brien said he intended to stay at Penn State despite the murmurs that he may bolt for the NFL. Still, as Black Monday unleashed its wrath, O'Brien's name came up for seemingly every head coach opening, understandably. And while there was lots of speculation that he may leave after all, Bill O'Brien put that all to rest last night, reconfirming that he will indeed be the head coach of the Nittany Lions in 2013, and that he will not take any more interviews for NFL jobs — he apparently met with the Eagles and Browns.
So in honor of Bill O'Brien remaining in Happy Valley — with a nice little raise to boot — it only makes sense to enjoy Bombs Over Baghdad (BOB) for Bill O'Brien (BOB).
And the version with Rage Against the Machine, just because.
However, before the new year O'Brien said he intended to stay at Penn State despite the murmurs that he may bolt for the NFL. Still, as Black Monday unleashed its wrath, O'Brien's name came up for seemingly every head coach opening, understandably. And while there was lots of speculation that he may leave after all, Bill O'Brien put that all to rest last night, reconfirming that he will indeed be the head coach of the Nittany Lions in 2013, and that he will not take any more interviews for NFL jobs — he apparently met with the Eagles and Browns.
So in honor of Bill O'Brien remaining in Happy Valley — with a nice little raise to boot — it only makes sense to enjoy Bombs Over Baghdad (BOB) for Bill O'Brien (BOB).
And the version with Rage Against the Machine, just because.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Tom Corbett Needs to Go Away
Tom Corbett is a fucking asshole. There is no two ways about it. This is a man who, as attorney general of Pennsylvania, turned as big of a blind eye to the initial Jerry Sandusky allegations as just about anyone. Now, he's trying to preemptively cover his own tracks by suing the NCAA for overreaching its bounds.
To which I have to say, fuck off, Tom Corbett. Seriously, fuck off forever and never return.
Did the NCAA overstep its bounds? More than likely yes. Did the horrid scandal that occurred at Penn State break any NCAA rules? Not definitively, no. But that's not the point. The point is horrible actions by a monster preying on innocent children occurred on the Penn State campus, and those horrible actions were covered up by a remarkably unethical handful of Penn State administrators, including the athletic director and legendary head coach.
For not immediately and persistently reporting the allegations and ensuring they were not repeated, the entire football program was levied unprecedented sanctions from the NCAA despite the NCAA not even conducting an investigation of its own. That was probably bad form, but in the grand scheme of things, it pales into comparison to the bad form the administrators at my university displayed.
In the end, the university itself agreed and accepted all the sanctions, promising no appeal. Corbett himself lauded the actions of Mark Emmert and the NCAA initially. But now, as more and more people realize what a phony Corbett is, particularly with him refusing to take any responsibility for his own inaction as AG, he's going against his own initial reaction and forcing a lawsuit that the university itself seems to have no interest in pursuing.
Tom Corbett is doing no one any favors. This isn't helping Penn State. It's not helping the local businesses, who are doing just fine with the continued packed home crowds and 42,000-plus students on campus. It's not helping the students, who are finally starting to regain some pride in their school after the countless charity drives and new narrative following a surprisingly successful football season.
And most importantly, it's not helping the victims of these heinous crimes move on. Once again, their stories are being dug up in the media, reminding them once again of all that trauma they carry with them every day right there on their television screens or computers.
While Corbett insists this is about keeping that $60 million in-state and protecting the integrity of the law, let's get this straight: It's simply a ploy for Corbett to cover his own insanely stupid ass.
As a Penn State graduate, I'm offended by his selfish stupidity, no matter if his case has legitimate legal standing or not.
More importantly, as a human being, I'm offended that Corbett has the audacity to put his own self-interests ahead the good of the victims and the communities he is supposed to serve.
I want nothing more than for Tom Corbett to just go away forever. What an asshole.
To which I have to say, fuck off, Tom Corbett. Seriously, fuck off forever and never return.
Did the NCAA overstep its bounds? More than likely yes. Did the horrid scandal that occurred at Penn State break any NCAA rules? Not definitively, no. But that's not the point. The point is horrible actions by a monster preying on innocent children occurred on the Penn State campus, and those horrible actions were covered up by a remarkably unethical handful of Penn State administrators, including the athletic director and legendary head coach.
For not immediately and persistently reporting the allegations and ensuring they were not repeated, the entire football program was levied unprecedented sanctions from the NCAA despite the NCAA not even conducting an investigation of its own. That was probably bad form, but in the grand scheme of things, it pales into comparison to the bad form the administrators at my university displayed.
In the end, the university itself agreed and accepted all the sanctions, promising no appeal. Corbett himself lauded the actions of Mark Emmert and the NCAA initially. But now, as more and more people realize what a phony Corbett is, particularly with him refusing to take any responsibility for his own inaction as AG, he's going against his own initial reaction and forcing a lawsuit that the university itself seems to have no interest in pursuing.
Tom Corbett is doing no one any favors. This isn't helping Penn State. It's not helping the local businesses, who are doing just fine with the continued packed home crowds and 42,000-plus students on campus. It's not helping the students, who are finally starting to regain some pride in their school after the countless charity drives and new narrative following a surprisingly successful football season.
And most importantly, it's not helping the victims of these heinous crimes move on. Once again, their stories are being dug up in the media, reminding them once again of all that trauma they carry with them every day right there on their television screens or computers.
While Corbett insists this is about keeping that $60 million in-state and protecting the integrity of the law, let's get this straight: It's simply a ploy for Corbett to cover his own insanely stupid ass.
As a Penn State graduate, I'm offended by his selfish stupidity, no matter if his case has legitimate legal standing or not.
More importantly, as a human being, I'm offended that Corbett has the audacity to put his own self-interests ahead the good of the victims and the communities he is supposed to serve.
I want nothing more than for Tom Corbett to just go away forever. What an asshole.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Jordan Hill, Larry Johnson and Defensive Lineman U
Due to its long tradition of producing talented, NFL-bound linebackers, Penn State has earned and lived up to the reputation as Linebacker U. From Ham to Millen, from Conlan to Short and Arrington, from Posluszny and Connor to Bowman and Lee, and now with Mauti and Hodges giving way to Hull and the next big recruit, the names ring eternal.
What people may not realize is that Penn State has also become an NFL factory for defensive linemen under defensive line coach Larry Johnson Sr., to an almost astonishing degree.
Johnson, father of 2,000-yard rusher Larry Johnson Jr., has been the defensive line coach at Penn State for 13 years, and he's been so damn good that new head coach Bill O'Brien made sure to keep him around. And for good reason.
Johnson has coached seven first-team All-Americans during his tenure and 14 first-team All-Big Ten linemen. The big names include the likes of first-round NFL draft picks Courtney Brown (1st overall), Jimmy Kennedy, Michael Haynes, Tamba Hali, Aaron Maybin and Jared Odrick.
While Brown and Haynes turned out to be NFL busts and Maybin has bounced around, all of them were tremendous college players, and several have thrived in the league. Tamba Hali is a perennial Pro Bowler. Jimmy Kennedy and Penn State linemate Anthony Adams have had long NFL careers, while Odrick and rookie Devon Still are just really beginning their professional journeys.
Johnson's track record is astonishing, especially recently, with Maybin bursting onto the scene in 2008, Odrick being named Big Ten Defensive Lineman and Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and Still following up two years later by duplicating Odrick's honors.
This year, Johnson continued his success grooming monsters on the line, as senior Jordan Hill was named first team All-Big Ten and is sure to play on Sundays next season.
Hill, one of the leaders of the team and another key part in keeping this season from falling apart, was oftentimes a one-man wrecking crew — the same way Still and Odrick were before him. As a defensive tackle, Hill finished fourth on the team in tackles with 64, trailing only starting linebackers Gerald Hodges, Michael Mauti and Glenn Carson. He registered 4.5 sacks and had 8.5 tackles for loss, which may not sound like much but is outstanding considering the nonstop double teams he faced. And he was the reason that Mauti and Hodges were able to shine, occupying blockers so the backers could get to the ball.
The best part of all is that Hill saved his best performance for last. Hill said he never even considered leaving Penn State because he loved the place. He loved it so much that he shed a few tears on senior day, his final game as a Nittany Lion, and nothing was going to prevent him from having his moment. Not nagging injuries, not a Wisconsin team with a massive offensive line and the desire to gain momentum heading into the Big Ten title game.
All Hill did in that final outing was completely and utterly dominate, taking over the game from the defensive tackle position. It was a marvel to watch. Hill had 12 tackles, eight of them solo, including three for a loss and two sacks. Every play, he was in the backfield disrupting things, and even when the Badgers managed to move him a little, he found a way to the ball. It was a thing of beauty. Even the announcers were gushing over his dominance.
In his final game of his collegiate career, Hill was far and away the best player on the field, quite literally putting forth the type of performance we saw from Ndamukong Suh at Nebraska.
Hill continued the new tradition at Penn State under Larry Johnson, becoming a standout, NFL-bound defensive lineman. And with freshman Deion Barnes being named the Big Ten Defensive Freshman of the Year, the new Defensive Linemen U is bound to live on as long as Larry Johnson Sr. remains on those Penn State sidelines.
Linebacker U is alive and well, but it's time to make room in the spotlight for the Penn State defensive linemen and their coach.
What people may not realize is that Penn State has also become an NFL factory for defensive linemen under defensive line coach Larry Johnson Sr., to an almost astonishing degree.
Johnson, father of 2,000-yard rusher Larry Johnson Jr., has been the defensive line coach at Penn State for 13 years, and he's been so damn good that new head coach Bill O'Brien made sure to keep him around. And for good reason.
Johnson has coached seven first-team All-Americans during his tenure and 14 first-team All-Big Ten linemen. The big names include the likes of first-round NFL draft picks Courtney Brown (1st overall), Jimmy Kennedy, Michael Haynes, Tamba Hali, Aaron Maybin and Jared Odrick.
While Brown and Haynes turned out to be NFL busts and Maybin has bounced around, all of them were tremendous college players, and several have thrived in the league. Tamba Hali is a perennial Pro Bowler. Jimmy Kennedy and Penn State linemate Anthony Adams have had long NFL careers, while Odrick and rookie Devon Still are just really beginning their professional journeys.
Johnson's track record is astonishing, especially recently, with Maybin bursting onto the scene in 2008, Odrick being named Big Ten Defensive Lineman and Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and Still following up two years later by duplicating Odrick's honors.
This year, Johnson continued his success grooming monsters on the line, as senior Jordan Hill was named first team All-Big Ten and is sure to play on Sundays next season.
Hill, one of the leaders of the team and another key part in keeping this season from falling apart, was oftentimes a one-man wrecking crew — the same way Still and Odrick were before him. As a defensive tackle, Hill finished fourth on the team in tackles with 64, trailing only starting linebackers Gerald Hodges, Michael Mauti and Glenn Carson. He registered 4.5 sacks and had 8.5 tackles for loss, which may not sound like much but is outstanding considering the nonstop double teams he faced. And he was the reason that Mauti and Hodges were able to shine, occupying blockers so the backers could get to the ball.
The best part of all is that Hill saved his best performance for last. Hill said he never even considered leaving Penn State because he loved the place. He loved it so much that he shed a few tears on senior day, his final game as a Nittany Lion, and nothing was going to prevent him from having his moment. Not nagging injuries, not a Wisconsin team with a massive offensive line and the desire to gain momentum heading into the Big Ten title game.
All Hill did in that final outing was completely and utterly dominate, taking over the game from the defensive tackle position. It was a marvel to watch. Hill had 12 tackles, eight of them solo, including three for a loss and two sacks. Every play, he was in the backfield disrupting things, and even when the Badgers managed to move him a little, he found a way to the ball. It was a thing of beauty. Even the announcers were gushing over his dominance.
In his final game of his collegiate career, Hill was far and away the best player on the field, quite literally putting forth the type of performance we saw from Ndamukong Suh at Nebraska.
Hill continued the new tradition at Penn State under Larry Johnson, becoming a standout, NFL-bound defensive lineman. And with freshman Deion Barnes being named the Big Ten Defensive Freshman of the Year, the new Defensive Linemen U is bound to live on as long as Larry Johnson Sr. remains on those Penn State sidelines.
Linebacker U is alive and well, but it's time to make room in the spotlight for the Penn State defensive linemen and their coach.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
The 2012 Penn State Football Season
On Saturday, Penn State finished its unprecedented 2012 season with a win over Wisconsin. The win put the Nittany Lions at 8-4. Usually 8-4 wouldn't be considered a great season, especially in Happy Valley. Not a terrible season, but not great. Yet when you consider where this program was a year ago, or six months ago, 8-4 is incredible. It's perhaps the best 8-4 season that ever was.
Let's take a quick look at where the program was a year ago. We all know what happened, and I'm not going to rehash that. I just want to mention that the program had parted ways with its legendary coach, who had led the program since before most of the people who read this site were born, long before. For the first time in almost half a century, there would be a new man patrolling the sidelines for Penn State. The man hired to replace him would have some big shoes to fill, and such a major change could in itself be cause for a season of struggles.
Then six months ago the NCAA handed down its sanctions on the Penn State football program. Crippling sanctions that were pretty much intended to blast the program back to the Stone Age while competing against programs with hovercrafts and laser guns. There would be no bowl games for four years, there would be less scholarships available, and current players could transfer without the penalty of having to sit out a year. And some major pieces sure did transfer. Silas Redd, the team's leading rusher. Justin Brown, the team's best returning wide receiver. Anthony Fera, the team's dependable starting kicker and punter. The team's depth chart was left depleted, and players who under ordinary circumstances wouldn't have seen the field all season where forced into major playing time.
So all hell had broken loose in Happy Valley. Talented players were leaving for supposedly greener pastures, recruits were being scared away, second- and third-string players were about to get significant playing time, and there was a brand-new, first-year head coach trying to navigate this mess. At this points the "experts" proclaimed the program basically dead, and you heard predictions of 2-10 and 3-9 being bantered about. So how did 8-4 come to be?
It all starts with the leadership of the senior class, especially Mike Mauti. After the sanctions were announced, Mauti stood with a group of fellow players and defiantly stated that he, and the players behind him, were going to stay at Penn State, show what Penn State was really all about, and work to leave a positive impression on the program and help it start to rebuild. And boy did he. Along with fellow seniors Jordan Hill and Gerald Hodges, he anchored the defense and provided invaluable leadership. The entire senior class deserves to be greatly commended, but in particular Mauti. His loyalty, passion, dedication, and leadership were inspirational and should be an example to us all.
Next in line to get a ton of credit is first-year head coach Bill O'Brien. The hiring of O'Brien was not met with much enthusiasm from alumni, fans, and even former players. And after an 0-2 start, it didn't look good. But once the team got comfortable with the coach's schemes and ideas, it started to click. The team won 8 of its last 10 games and even managed to flirt with the top 25 a few times. O'Brien did some really good things on the field while also making some rookie mistakes, but his leadership cannot be denied. He sat there and accepted the sanctions, even though he or no one on his team had anything to do with the atrocities that occurred. Instead of complaining or making excuses, he sat there, accepted his circumstances, and said that his program would recognize what happened and do its best to move on to try to keep the program afloat through the sanctions and work on building a bright future. He's off to a great start. I sure hope he doesn't leave.
Credit is also due to Matt McGloin. I have been extremely critical of McGloin during his time at Penn State. He was never able to overtake Rob Bolden for full-time starting quarterback responsibilities, and his play was frustrating to say the least. He had a propensity to make mind-boggling throws that would inevitably lead to interceptions. He was a turnover machine.
But during the spring, coach O'Brien endorsed Matt as his starter. Matt studied the coach's new offense and learned it well, and he flourished. In 2012 he was one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 10. He completed 60.5% of his passes for 3,271 yards. And he threw 24 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. He looked poised, he looked in control, and for the most part he made the correct reads and throws. He also deserves credit for his senior leadership.
Two quick final notes. Allen Robinson showed some star potential throughout the season. The sophomore receiver finished with 77 catches for 1,018 yards and 11 touchdowns. Just for reference, his freshman season numbers were 3 catches for 29 yards.
Finally, it was fitting that Sam Ficken ended the season with a game-winning field goal. To say the season has been an struggle for Ficken would be an understatement. It's hard to put a loss on a single individual, but if ever there was a time it would be on Ficken in the Virginia game. Yes, Allen Robinson dropped a touchdown pass, and I'm sure there were plenty of less obvious mishaps that occurred, but Ficken missed 4 of his 5 field goal attempts (including a 20 yarder), and missed an extra point, with Penn State losing by a single point. That games seems forever ago now, and it was nice to see the kid pull through against Wisconsin and hit that big kick and end his season on a good note.
As a Penn State fan, I can't thank this team enough. Especially coach O'Brien and the seniors. I'm thankful for the loyalty they displayed, and thankful that they helped Penn State take a step forward. Most importantly, I'm happy for them, that their loyalty and dedication paid off and was rewarded. They were a part of one of the most important seasons in Penn State history, and they will go down as one of the most special.
Let's take a quick look at where the program was a year ago. We all know what happened, and I'm not going to rehash that. I just want to mention that the program had parted ways with its legendary coach, who had led the program since before most of the people who read this site were born, long before. For the first time in almost half a century, there would be a new man patrolling the sidelines for Penn State. The man hired to replace him would have some big shoes to fill, and such a major change could in itself be cause for a season of struggles.
Then six months ago the NCAA handed down its sanctions on the Penn State football program. Crippling sanctions that were pretty much intended to blast the program back to the Stone Age while competing against programs with hovercrafts and laser guns. There would be no bowl games for four years, there would be less scholarships available, and current players could transfer without the penalty of having to sit out a year. And some major pieces sure did transfer. Silas Redd, the team's leading rusher. Justin Brown, the team's best returning wide receiver. Anthony Fera, the team's dependable starting kicker and punter. The team's depth chart was left depleted, and players who under ordinary circumstances wouldn't have seen the field all season where forced into major playing time.
So all hell had broken loose in Happy Valley. Talented players were leaving for supposedly greener pastures, recruits were being scared away, second- and third-string players were about to get significant playing time, and there was a brand-new, first-year head coach trying to navigate this mess. At this points the "experts" proclaimed the program basically dead, and you heard predictions of 2-10 and 3-9 being bantered about. So how did 8-4 come to be?
It all starts with the leadership of the senior class, especially Mike Mauti. After the sanctions were announced, Mauti stood with a group of fellow players and defiantly stated that he, and the players behind him, were going to stay at Penn State, show what Penn State was really all about, and work to leave a positive impression on the program and help it start to rebuild. And boy did he. Along with fellow seniors Jordan Hill and Gerald Hodges, he anchored the defense and provided invaluable leadership. The entire senior class deserves to be greatly commended, but in particular Mauti. His loyalty, passion, dedication, and leadership were inspirational and should be an example to us all.
Next in line to get a ton of credit is first-year head coach Bill O'Brien. The hiring of O'Brien was not met with much enthusiasm from alumni, fans, and even former players. And after an 0-2 start, it didn't look good. But once the team got comfortable with the coach's schemes and ideas, it started to click. The team won 8 of its last 10 games and even managed to flirt with the top 25 a few times. O'Brien did some really good things on the field while also making some rookie mistakes, but his leadership cannot be denied. He sat there and accepted the sanctions, even though he or no one on his team had anything to do with the atrocities that occurred. Instead of complaining or making excuses, he sat there, accepted his circumstances, and said that his program would recognize what happened and do its best to move on to try to keep the program afloat through the sanctions and work on building a bright future. He's off to a great start. I sure hope he doesn't leave.
Credit is also due to Matt McGloin. I have been extremely critical of McGloin during his time at Penn State. He was never able to overtake Rob Bolden for full-time starting quarterback responsibilities, and his play was frustrating to say the least. He had a propensity to make mind-boggling throws that would inevitably lead to interceptions. He was a turnover machine.
But during the spring, coach O'Brien endorsed Matt as his starter. Matt studied the coach's new offense and learned it well, and he flourished. In 2012 he was one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 10. He completed 60.5% of his passes for 3,271 yards. And he threw 24 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. He looked poised, he looked in control, and for the most part he made the correct reads and throws. He also deserves credit for his senior leadership.
Two quick final notes. Allen Robinson showed some star potential throughout the season. The sophomore receiver finished with 77 catches for 1,018 yards and 11 touchdowns. Just for reference, his freshman season numbers were 3 catches for 29 yards.
Finally, it was fitting that Sam Ficken ended the season with a game-winning field goal. To say the season has been an struggle for Ficken would be an understatement. It's hard to put a loss on a single individual, but if ever there was a time it would be on Ficken in the Virginia game. Yes, Allen Robinson dropped a touchdown pass, and I'm sure there were plenty of less obvious mishaps that occurred, but Ficken missed 4 of his 5 field goal attempts (including a 20 yarder), and missed an extra point, with Penn State losing by a single point. That games seems forever ago now, and it was nice to see the kid pull through against Wisconsin and hit that big kick and end his season on a good note.
As a Penn State fan, I can't thank this team enough. Especially coach O'Brien and the seniors. I'm thankful for the loyalty they displayed, and thankful that they helped Penn State take a step forward. Most importantly, I'm happy for them, that their loyalty and dedication paid off and was rewarded. They were a part of one of the most important seasons in Penn State history, and they will go down as one of the most special.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
