Part 2 kicks off with the ’94 Citrus Bowl, where an upset of Tennessee hinted at the success to come; after an offseason of cohesion and commitment, Penn State opens the ’94 season in dominating fashion; and a closer look at the diverse cast of characters who make up the Lions’ all-time-great offensive line. Continue reading
Part 1: We trace the ’94 team back to its roots, following the recruiting classes of 1990 and ’91 as they mature from talented prospects into proven leaders who will provide the foundation for greatness.
Front row, second from left. There was no way of knowing, way back in 1983, that the little guy with the glasses, a freshman member of the football equipment staff, would stick around for three decades. But James B. Caldwell ’86, better known as Brad, and far better known as Spider, did just that. Along the way, he became in many ways the heart and soul of the Penn State football program. Continue reading
You can’t miss that finger. In his five months on the job, James Franklin’s raised index finger—the universal sign for “We’re No. 1″—has become something of a trademark. Should you find yourself posing for a photo with Franklin anytime soon, the odds are good that he—and you, whether you planned on it or not—will be pointing a finger toward the sky. Continue reading
The quality of the photo—shot on an iPhone in a dimly lit hotel conference room—doesn’t do justice to the quality of the moment.
The moment came Thursday night in Pittsburgh, on the final stop of the first full week of the Penn State Coaches Caravan. Continue reading
When I first heard that James Franklin had plans for a sort of photo booth on the Coaches Caravan, I imagined an actual, arcade-style photo booth. Boy, was I wrong. Continue reading
Photo by Steve Manuel
* * *
Walk through an open gate on the west side of Beaver Stadium, stroll under a canopy, and step into a nearby service elevator. Push the button for the second floor, exit and take a dozen or so steps to the left. Arrive at door No. 210, marked “Penn State Sports Network.”
If you want to reach the broadcast booth that Steve Jones ’80 and Jack Ham ’71 have occupied together since 2000, this is the route you take. Continue reading
Ohio State? Under the lights at Beaver Stadium? We’ll just leave this right here…
See you this fall.
—
For more on the The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.
Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.
News today that the Nittany Lions will face the Wolverines in the first-ever Big Ten night game at Michigan Stadium reminded us of another game at the Big House, 20 years ago this fall. Continue reading
“Absolutely,” Sean Spencer says. “I remember it distinctly.”
He’s talking about The Hit, a game-defining play in what might be the most memorable game of his playing career. When we posted the video on Thursday, we promised to do some more digging on the specifics of that moment. We know that a couple of Spencer’s former college teammates found and uploaded the game footage. And we’re happy to report that Coach Chaos himself found time to tell us the story. Continue reading
The Football Letter Blog 