Penn State Football: 11 Things the Nittany Lions Do Very Well
In today's world, it is extremely easy to point out what a program does not do well. But what about what a program does do well? That sometimes is much harder than thinking negatively.
So what does Penn State do well?
We're not talking just the football team heading in to 2011. We'll take a broad look surrounding the football program and point out some of the aspects of Penn State football that are still doing just fine in today's world.
1. Stick to Tradition
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Blue uniforms, white pants, black sneakers topped off with a white helmet with one solid blue stripe and no numbers on the back. It is an unmistakable look that is as iconic as it is prestigious.
Penn State has a history of letting their production off the field speak for itself before anything else, and in a world where college football programs can make drastic headlines by introducing a new uniform designed to get fans excited, Penn State stands firm with their look. And when Penn State does make a change, it comes by removing the white stripes on the sleeve and neckline.
No matter what the season is, Penn State's uniforms will always be one of the most heralded looks in the country, even if it does call for some criticism from those who prefer to knock Penn State for being stuck in the past.
2. Develop Linebackers
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There is a reason Penn State is nicknamed Linebacker U.
Shane Conlan. LaVar Arrington. Brandon Short. Paul Posluszny. Dan Connor. Navorro Bowman.
And yes, there were some obvious names not listed.
Penn State rarely has linebackers that receive a tremendous amount of national attention, but they have a habit of having solid, dependable linebackers who just show a ball awareness that ensures they are in position to record a tackle.
As you might expect, Penn State linebackers rarely show a lot of pizazz when they are on the field and are more prone to just carry on with their business and walk off the field. There is an occasional Arrington that makes his way through the program, but it is more likely that a Posluszny or Conlan will be seen.
This year's linebackers will look to redeem themselves after a down year.
3. Perform off the Field
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Penn State routinely is among the leaders in the Big Ten, and the nation, in graduation rate within the football program, and this past season is no exception.
Nine members of the team graduated and eight of them will have senior eligibility for the 2011 season. Quinn Barham, Eric Latimore, Chima Okoli, Nate Stupar, Joe Suhey, Nick Sukay, Andrew Szczerba and Johnnie Troutman. Defensive back Tyler Ahrenhold also earned his degree. Offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski graduated in the fall semester with high academic marks.
During the Fall 2010 semester, 40 football players had a 3.0 GPA or higher and 16 made Dean's List with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Three players were named First Team Academic All-Americans as well.
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4. Send Players to the NFL
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From 1988 to 2007 Penn State sent 95 players to the NFL, ninth among all college football programs which is second among Big Ten programs (Ohio State sent 116 and Nebraska sent 112 players as a member of the Big 8 and Big 12). The Nittany Lions may be overshadowed by the amount of talent coming out of programs such as Miami and Florida State, but the numbers clearly show that Penn State can be a school that will produce NFL-caliber talent on a fairly routine basis.
Just two players were drafted out of Penn State in the 2011 NFL draft, with Stefen Wisniewski going in the second round to the Oakland Raiders and Evan Royster being picked by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round. A total of 325 Penn State players have now been drafted in the NFL draft's history.
Since 1960, Penn State has had 19 top 10 NFL draft picks.
5. Recruit in Maryland
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You won't find a large percentage of players from Maryland on Penn State's roster, but when Penn State lands a Maryland recruit, it is usually a good result.
Assistant coach Larry Johnson Sr. has carved a reputation out of recruiting in Maryland (and Virginia) since joining the Penn State coaching staff, and his knowledge and relationships within the state has paid off in a number of recruiting battles.
In recent years, Penn State has seen players such as Derrick Williams (pictured) and Aaron Maybin come out of the state of Maryland, as well as Stephon Morris and Zach Zwinak.
6. Play Well in Bowl Games
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Penn State has lost two of their last three bowl games, but Penn State still knows how to win in the postseason. The Nittany Lions have the third-most bowl victories in all of college football, trailing only Alabama (32) and USC (31) with 27 bowl wins. Nebraska is the only other Big Ten school with more than 20 wins, with 24.
Of the 11 schools to play in at least 40 bowl games, Penn State has the fewest losses with 14.
Joe Paterno certainly hasn't lost it either, winning six of his last 10 bowl games. Paterno, as you might expect, is the all-time leader in bowl victories by a coach, with 24 bowl wins to his name.
7. Set the Scene for a Big Game
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The nation's second-largest stadium certainly needs no introduction. A sold-out Beaver Stadium is one of the grandest scenes in college football, especially when every fan is clad in white from head to toe.
The intensity in the stadium increases with the importance of the game, and fans are looking forward to creating a true homefield advantage for a few games this season. Alabama makes their first trip to State College since before Penn State joined the Big Ten, and the crowd on hand will be jumping. Games against Iowa and Nebraska in Big Ten play will also be sure to be must-attend games at Beaver Stadium.
8. Pile Up Non-Conference Wins
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There are two ways to look at this. Do you look at all non-conference games as one category or do you break it down and look at games against top-quality opponents with a different light than you do with games against inferior opponents?
Regardless of the case, Penn State has done well for the most part in out-of-conference play overall.
True, Penn State does pick up a number of wins against teams from the MAC each season, and the program has made a habit of scheduling an FCS opponent in recent years and wins against those teams will never impress anybody. Penn State also swept Syracuse in a recent home-and-home series and won a home game against Oregon State from the PAC-10 a couple of years ago, but the Nittany Lions were flattened by Alabama last season.
9. Tailgating
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Part of the game-day experience in college football, and especially Penn State, is the tailgating. Penn State fans certainly know how to tailgate.
Penn State is often regarded as one of the top tailgating locations in college football. The campers roll in Thursday or Friday night, and the lines to get in to the parking lots form early in the morning on Saturdays. Large, extravagant tailgates are seen for miles in State College, but the smaller, more intimate tailgate routine filled with a read through the newspaper, and some college football talk between friends with a beverage in hand and hot dogs on the folding grill are more than enough for many fans.
No matter how they tailgate, Penn State fans will have a blast doing so.
10. Send the Fans on the Road
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And when Penn State is on the road, the tailgates will follow.
No matter where Penn State plays, there will be a solid contingent of Nittany Lion supporters to cheer them on. During the regular season, Penn State alumni chapters will organize a pregame pep rally and tailgates wherever Penn State is playing so fans and alumni can gather and mingle before the game that day.
The regular season trends carry over to the postseason as well. When Penn State goes to a bowl game, the school often brings one of the largest groups of fans to wherever they may be playing. That kind of support goes a long way as to how different bowls will look at Penn State as an attractive candidate. If Penn State is available, bowl games will usually be quick to take advantage of that traveling fanbase in order to assure good ticket sales.
11. The Screen Pass
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The play that may most define the Penn State offense is the screen pass. Running backs have been excelling in the basic play call for decades, and few teams execute it as well as Penn State.
The thing is, Penn State may not have the most talent at the position, but even the most ordinary running back can make something happen when the quarterback drops back and gets rid of the ball when the pressure is on.
It is one of the simplest plays, and it is perfected by one of the most traditional and vanilla football programs in college football.
Don't expect it to end.
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