Penn State Releases Hype Video for Its New Coaches

Does Penn State have a film school?

A little cursory research shows that while, no, it doesn't have an entire school dedicated to producing cinematic content, it does have a film-video major, and the university is putting that department to good use.

Either that or the athletic department has some future Oscar winners.

Never before has a hype tape been produced from mere press-conference clippings, or at least not a hype tape this good. From the production value to the editing to the superhero-movie score, you almost forget the subject matter of the video is the same boilerplate nonsense that every coach uses when he's introduced to a school.

"The three characteristics...of our defense...are passion, toughness and team," says new defensive coordinator John Shoop, whom James Franklin brought with him from Vanderbilt. "Eleven men functioning as one."

"Offensively, we're a personnel-oriented, pro-style offense," follows new offensive coordinator John Donovan.

Personnel-oriented!

Seriously, though, this hype tape is pretty cool to watch, despite (and in some ways because) the relative lack of original content contained within it.

Penn State is clearly making an effort to begin a new era under James Franklin, to wipe away the stench of the Sandusky scandal at the end of Joe Paterno's tenure now that it's two head coaches removed from him.

Bill O'Brien steered the ship in the right direction for two seasons before leaving to accept the head coaching position with the NFL's Houston Texans. With its NCAA sanctions already reduced and even further reductions rumored, Penn State is once again ready to start competing for Big Ten and national titles each year.

And there is at least one really cool press clipping in this video: Special teams coordinator Charles Huff promises that the Nittany Lions will "be the first no-huddle, fast-paced special teams you've (ever) seen."

Now that's something to get hyped about.