Category Archives: The Roaring 20

04.23.22
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The Roaring 20: Blue-White Game

The present and the future: Penn State senior quarterback Sean Clifford hands off to freshman running back Nicholas Singleton during Saturday’s Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium. Clifford, who ranks near the top in many Penn State offensive all-time categories, returned to lead the offense after being granted an extra year of eligibility because of COVID-19, and Singleton earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors for Pennsylvania in high school. Photo credit: Steve Manuel

Check out this week’s Roaring 20 to see, hear, and feel what it was like to be at Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon for this year’s Blue-White game. We’ve also added some info on our volunteer recognition efforts this week. And as usual, we’ve embedded videos, photos, and social media posts for you.

1. We started Blue-White Weekend with a reception Thursday evening at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, where we honored volunteers and a few dedicated Alumni Association colleagues. The acceptance speeches were memorable, not only because of the honorees, but also because they also recognized and gave credit to many around them. You can see photos and a thread on all the recipients on Twitter.

2. In some ways, the Blue-White game is more of a relief than anything else. It’s the conclusion of spring practice, which follows grueling winter workouts. The format has changed over the years, and for what it’s worth, I think that’s fine. Keeping options open is always a good thing, and either way, the tailgating lots will still open early.

3. Chatted briefly with Matt McGoin, who co-hosts a highly informative and entertaining podcast with fellow Penn Stater, Tom Hannifan, himself an impressively accomplished commentator. You can check out YouTube for more information and to see previous episodes. Wishing both of them the best.

4. Micah Parsons, Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, and Yetur Gross-Matos — these are just some of the lettermen who traveled back to Happy Valley for the game. Gesicki was around early on, and not surprisingly, fans noticed. We happened to be on the right side of the field to see the superstar tight end who’s now playing for the Miami Dolphins, and we shot this video. Every time Gesicki was getting ready to walk away, someone else, usually a younger fan, screamed out his name. Every time, Gesicki stayed.

5. Also in autograph news: Parsons was approached by a fan as the NFL superstar was walking off the field. Parsons stopped, casually signed his own jersey, and then gave the Nittany Lion a handshake. Pretty smooth.

6. Football Letter photographer Steve Manuel captured some gorgeous scenes from the game and pregame festivities. You can see a few on Twitter, and members will receive the full gallery in Monday’s postgame email. If you’re not a member, you can visit alumni.psu.edu/join to ensure you receive The Football Letter all season.  

7. CommRadio social media manager Emmy Vitali also got some beautiful photos of today’s game. We shared them on Twitter, and you can also follow the student account to stay updated on everything they’re doing. We’ve worked directly with the students in that organization, and everyone — students and advisors — are total professionals.

8. As the alma mater was about to start, James Franklin implored his team to get to the goal-line, perhaps so they could be closer to the fans and band? Even if that wasn’t a factor, no detail goes unnoticed with Franklin. You can see the full video of the alma mater on our Twitter page.

9. Today’s announced attendance was 62,000. Onward State shared this photo that gives a nice view of the crowd, with Mount Nittany in the backdrop.

10. In case you didn’t know (and why would you), standout safety Ji’Ayir Brown is a big fan of the Nittany Lion. Then again, who isn’t? We got, just in time, footage of him making eye contact with the mascot and sharing jump in mid-air, followed quickly by a photo opportunity, at Brown’s request. You can see the full video on Twitter.

11. Minutes later, Brown made time for fans in the South Tunnel, who yelled out his name, asking for autographs. We’ve got video of that exchange, too.

12. Speaking of the South Tunnel: James Franklin thanked fans on both sides, stopping for pictures and autographs. We changed the camera settings a few times to adjust for the difference in light — we learned that lessons years ago when I wondered why the tunnel footage was so dark, it is a tunnel, after all — so you can see the full celebration.

13. One cool moment from the video: As fans yelled “eighty-eight” over and again, Franklin said, “His name’s Jerry,” as in freshman tight end Jerry Cross. The young fans didn’t mean anything by it, and more than anything, it struck me as a teachable moment. The players are just like anyone else, humans with emotions, and not gladiators. Plus, you have to think players are more likely to stop when they hear their own name, right?

14. As much as Sean Clifford is considered “old” — even he’s joked about it, being a sixth-year player in the program — he’s still young and navigating plenty, including now serving as CEO of Limitless, a new company he’s founded to help student-athletes with name, image, and likeness. In the handful of minutes I heard him speak after the game, he displayed a level of maturity that even surpasses (I believe) what he’s shown in the past. While there’s lots of young talent in the quarterback room, having a steady veteran should help not only this year, but also in the future as Clifford mentors his teammates.

15. You can hear from Clifford directly, as we captured some of his postgame media availability. That video is available here.

16. After exiting the stadium Saturday afternoon, I immediately ran into Paris Palmer, a letterman from the 2016 Big Ten championship team and all-around good guy. Great seeing Paris and we chatted for a few minutes. Paris was on Football Letter Live in 2020, and you can check out his appearance beginning at the 9:05 mark. Paris is working in Penn State’s Strategic Communications Office and is also having an impact as GM of the newly formed group, Success With Honor Collective, which is focused on bringing clarity and opportunities to Penn State student-athletes in this era of name, image, and likeness.  

17. As I was driving away after the game, the sun shone brighter and warmer than it had all day. According to the temperature reading in my car, it was 73 degrees, an increase of about 20 degrees from lunchtime. So, it was good to see plenty of cars still parked, Penn Staters still tailgating, and flags whipping in the wind. The game may have ended around 4 p.m., though I imagine many of those folks are still tailgating as I write these words.

18. And for the record, the Defense bested the Offense, 17-13, in a scoring format that would’ve made Willy Wonka happy. Seriously, it made sense, as Franklin said afterward that what the team did today, pitting the offense against the defense in scoring, as opposed to two complete teams scrimmaging, is what was best for the program. For the scoring details, CNHI reporter Elton Hayes shared the breakdown provided by Athletics leading up to today.  

19. Tomorrow, the Alumni Association is sponsoring the Paterno Family Beaver Stadium Run, an annual event which benefits Special Olympics Pennsylvania. Even if you can’t participate yourself, you’ll still receive a boost by going and cheering on the runners and walkers. Sue Paterno typically welcomes the crowd, as she’s a longtime passionate supporter of Special Olympics. You can learn more on the event’s website.

20. Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their spring and upcoming summer. Lots to look forward to once we get to the fall. Before then, a reminder that registration is open for We Are Weekend, June 17-18 at University Park. You can view our full listing of events on our website.

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01.02.22
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The Roaring 20: Outback Bowl

Raymond James Stadium served as a beautiful scene for Penn State’s final game of the 2021 season. The Nittany Lions dropped a 24-10 setback to the Arkansas Razorbacks to finish the season 7-6. Photo credit: John Patishnock

Warm weather, the beach, and Penn State football. Bringing in the New Year in Florida at the Outback Bowl wasn’t a bad way to kick off January. That pesky final score was really the only downer from the trip.

Still, the popular bowl in the Sunshine State provided an opportunity for this year’s team to spend one more week together and for Penn State alumni and fans to unite in Florida, where Penn State finished their season 7-6 after a 24-10 setback to Arkansas.

The season’s final Roaring 20 showcases how the season ended, for Nittany Lions both on and off the field. 

1. Essentially right after player interviews ended, Jesse Luketa announced that he’s declaring for the NFL Draft. Good for him, and congratulations. There’s been a lot of talk about opt outs, and what people consider to be right and wrong. My thoughts, which I’ve shared already: Any players who’s worked and put himself in the position to chase his dream of playing in the NFL should go for it. If that means forgoing the bowl game, so be it. To borrow a phrase from Luketa: Simple.

Now then, turning to the days leading up to the game: 

2. Sometimes your backup plan is what should’ve been the No. 1 plan all along. We ran into some problems connecting onsite for our episode of Football Letter Live from the bowl tour welcome event, so instead, we recorded everything and posted it later that evening. In the end, it all worked out. 

3. We chatted with former Penn State GA Matt Fleischacker, who’s a fast-rising college coach who’s currently the defensive coordinator at Hobart College in Geneva, New York; and with Alumni Association Vice President Kelley Lynch. We also threw in some season highlights, and you can watch the episode on our Facebook page. Additionally, here’s our 2021 playlist featuring all of this season’s episodes. 

4. Our annual bowl service project remains one of our favorite times of the year, and more than 100 volunteers united at Gandy Beach on Dec. 31 to help clean up the area. Here’s a video of the day, and photographer Steve Manuel captured this group photo. Thanks to the Arkansas Alumni Association for partnering with us, and a special shoutout to the University’s cheer and band that kicked off the morning.

5. The Blue Band, Penn State Cheerleaders, Lionettes, and Nittany Lion transformed Tampa into a welcoming city for Penn Staters, performing at multiple events throughout the week. We live streamed their performances at the pep rally and the bowl tour’s pregame event, at Ybor City and George M. Steinbrenner Field, respectively.

6. Steinbrenner Field’s located diagonally across the street from Raymond James Stadium, offering a gorgeous backdrop. The 31-acre facility, named after the team’s former volatile owner, was built in 1996. In addition to serving as the Yankees’ spring training headquarters, it’s also home to the Yankees’ Class-A Advanced affiliate, Tampa Tarpons. 

7.  While we were in town, we caught up with Penn State grad Jill Beckman. She’s the social media coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and their Twitter account boasts a million followers. Our Q&A with her is well worth reading, as Beckman provided thoughtful responses. She has a lot of maturity and perspective for someone who’s been out of college for less than five years. 

8. Raymond James Stadium is absolutely beautiful. Here’s one of the field-level shots we captured. 

9. The pregame flyover was especially impressive. We chatted briefly with one of the pilots on the field, telling him simply, “That was awesome.” That prompted a big smile. Deservedly, all the pilots were recognized on the field. You can see the flyover and the recognition on our Twitter page.

10. Blue Band drum major Ryan First nailed both pregame flips — what else would you expect? We had a great vantage position, right next to one of the goal posts. You can see the video here. 

11. We happened to pass Sean Clifford as the quarterback walked off the field and into the locker room. James Franklin said it was a medial decision by the team’s trainers to pull Clifford out of the game. Franklin’s always said every spot is an open competition and that starting spots aren’t guaranteed. The next nine months are a critical time for this program, especially at quarterback. Does Clifford start next year? How close is the gap between him and Christian Veilleux? How soon can 5-star recruit and incoming freshman Drew Allar push for the starting job? One of Franklin’s biggest tests now that his contract extension is in place is to figure out who will lead the offense moving forward. 

12. Parker Washington is ridiculous. In a very good way. We tracked his one-handed catch, though from looking through our viewfinder, I figured the ball was overthrown. Then I see Washington stand up with the ball. Absolutely incredible catch radius. That’s a created next-generation stat. Essentially, if you throw the ball near Washington, chances are he’ll catch it. 

13. KeAndre Lambert-Smith will pair nicely with Washington next year to create a formidable receiving duo. Lambert-Smith pulled in a 42-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to tie the game at 7. He finished with three catches for 74 yards, both second-best to Washington (seven catches for 98 yards).

14. Ji’Ayir Brown collected two more interceptions Saturday, including one in the end zone to thwart an Arkansas drive in the first quarter. He finished with a team-high six interceptions and also tallied 73 tackles, good for third on the Nittany Lion defense this season. It’s entirely possible Brown is the best returning safety in the nation. 

15. You can see additional sights from the game, including James Franklin’s pregame lap and the alma mater. During his lap, Franklin told the band standing nearby that they’re the best band in the land and photobombed a band member posing for a photo. Good stuff.

16. Brent Pry is a hell of a coach. As much credit as he got, I’m still not sure it’s enough. For most of the season, the defense played at a level that was good enough to compete for a Big Ten title. And for large portions Saturday, even with missing nearly half their starters, the Nittany Lions continued to come up with big plays. 

17. Happy 40th birthday to Adam Taliaferro. As we said, Adam’s one of the best and most inspiring Penn Staters we know. Wishing him and his family a wonderful 2022. 

18. All-American linebacker Brandon Short was in Tampa for the game, and he stopped by our welcome event Thursday evening. Everyone was happy to see him and wished him well. Good to see Brandon with his Penn State family. 

19. Last month, John Black shared this will be his final season covering the team for The Football Letter, and Alumni Association members will his final column Wednesday, when we send the member benefit email. 

20. See everyone April 23 at Beaver Stadium for the Blue-White game. 

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

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11.28.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Michigan State

John Patishnock/The Football Letter

Time for this week’s Roaring 20, looking back at a snow-filled weekend in East Lansing as Penn State dropped its regular season finale to Michigan State, 30-27.

1. Tough end to the regular season for the Nittany Lions in a game that was dominated by the snow. It started to come down about an hour before our Pep Rally on Saturday and didn’t seem to stop. As a native Michigander myself, it was a fitting homecoming.

2. Hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving. I certainly enjoyed getting back home here to Michigan to enjoy time with friends and family. It’s not something anyone should take for granted.

3. Shoutout to the field crew at Spartan Stadium, who worked hard all day and evening to keep the field lines cleared off as best as they could.

4. Another shoutout to our alumni in Michigan. Was great seeing Penn Staters come out to our final Pep Rally of the regular season. It’s been a blast traveling around the Big Ten this season and seeing how many Nittany Lion alumni and fans come out to support Dear Old State.

5. The weather conditions didn’t stop plenty of Penn State support from invading Spartan Stadium, either.

6. Great video from John Patishnock for Penn State’s team entrance.

7. Obviously, a disappointing day for Penn State. Jahan Dotson was once again a bright spot for the Nittany Lions, though. His two touchdown grabs brought his season total to 12.

8. Jahan is going to be an exceptional player at the next level. He’s had a historic season and career for the blue and white. One (likely) final act to come in the bowl game.

9. DaeQuan Hardy’s pick-six in the third quarter was Penn State’s third of the season.

10. Penn State now has a takeaway in 18 straight games.

11. Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III is a heck of a player. The Doak Walker Award favorite toughed out a nagging ankle injury to once again help lead his team to a win. Walker III finished the day with 30 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown.

12. Nothing equals Happy Valley, but Michigan State’s campus was quite pretty, especially with a layer of snow covering the ground, trees and buildings. If you ever get out to a game in East Lansing, spend some time and take in the campus sights.

13. Penn State’s bowl game destination will be announced Dec. 5. The Nittany Lions look as though they’re headed to one of three postseason games: The Pinstripe Bowl, The Las Vegas Bowl or The Music City Bowl.

15. Michigan could be the Big Ten’s representative in the College Football Playoff if the Wolverines take down Iowa in the Big Ten Championship. That one should be an old-school defensive battle.

16. This week’s Football Letter will be delivered to members on Tuesday of this week, highlighted by John Black’s letter, game photos, videos, and other Alumni Association tidbits.

17. Thanks to everyone who followed along with us, whether that be reading the letter, checking out the blog or following us on Twitter. Your interest and support is much appreciated.

18. We’ll have plenty of coverage leading up to and at the bowl game — wherever that may be — so stick with us as we close out the 2021 season.

19. The winter sports season is also ramping up, with wrestling, hockey, basketball, and other sports all in action. If you’re in Happy Valley at all over the next few months, get out to a game or two if you can.

20. We Are!

11.21.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Rutgers

The Football Letter editor John Black (center) was recognized during a special pregame ceremony Saturday in the press box. John’s name is included on a commemorative plaque honoring members of the press corps who have covered Penn State football for 25-plus years. Photo credit: Steve Manuel.

Check out this week’s Roaring 20 to see, hear, and feel what it was like to be at Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon for Senior Day and the Military Appreciation game against Rutgers. We’ve also embedded a few extra videos and photos for you.

1. Saturday was a special day for John Black, author of The Football Letter for the past 45 seasons. John’s name is included on a commemorative plaque that was unveiled in the press box during a pregame ceremony, and you can see a video of the recognition on our Facebook page. We’ve also got photos on our Twitter page.

2. John didn’t have any idea the recognition was happening, and his family helped facilitate the surprise. His son, Brian, secured a press box pass to ensure John was in the press box early enough, and his wife, Veda Kay, apparently told John that she was heading to McConnellsburg on Saturday. John even got up at 5 a.m. Saturday to fill up the car with gas and check the air pressure in the tires. You can see John’s surprise starting around the 45-second mark of the video.

3. It’s worth noting Football Letter creator Ridge Riley’s name is also engraved on the plaque, along with a dozen or so additional reporters.

4. Special thanks to Penn State Associate Athletics Director Kris Petersen and Associate Director Greg Kincaid for leading the ceremony and honoring John and Ridge.

5. Jahan Dotson caught his 23rd career touchdown Saturday and the first from freshman quarterback Christian Veilleux. The score places Dotson in third place all-time at Penn State, breaking a tie with Deon Butler, whose single-game record for receiving yards Dotson broke earlier in the month against Maryland.

6. After the game, Dotson said Veilleux looked poised, and “poised” is the perfect word to describe the freshman’s performance. Veilleux was solid, made the right pass at the right time, and located receivers downfield. On his 67-yard touchdown pass to Malick Meiga, Veillex confidently stepped up in the pocket, something that isn’t always a given for a first-year player.

7. Going back to Dotson, he celebrated with fans afterward, with some encouragement from James Franklin. We captured the entire sequence, and there’s something about those tunnel lights that make the footage pop.

8. Watch the latest clip to the end to see Sean Clifford embracing both Dotson and Franklin. Clifford was among the group of nearly three dozen players who caught a virus this week, and he came out of the game after the offense’s first few series. Speaking to the media after the game, Franklin said he went to Clifford and said he was pulling him for Veilleux, and Clifford responded by saying he understood. Tough week and a tough season for Clifford, who hasn’t backed down at all. Hopefully, he’ll be healthy enough to go Saturday against Michigan State.

9. Undoubtedly, one of the best stories this season for Penn State is Arnold Ebiketie. The senior transfer from Temple has become a defensive force and fan favorite for the Nittany Lions. Ebiketie’s recorded a tackle for loss in seven straight games, and he increased his team-high sack total to 9.5 on Saturday.

10. Following the alma mater, Ebiketie celebrated with fans and autographed the sign that members of Nittanyville had made for him this season. You can check out that sequence on our Twitter page.

11. We also spoke with Ebiketie after the game, and you can see that video on YouTube. Ebiketie discussed his emotions on Senior Day and that shortened clip is available on our Twitter page.

12. Experience the sights from game day by seeing the alma mater, team entrance, and James Franklin ringing the Victory Bell.

13. For the clip with Franklin, we again encourage you to watch until the end. The guy’s got hops.

14. Malick Meiga and Parker Washington have the very real potential to provide one heck of a 1-2 receiving combo in the years to come. Meiga is 6-foot-4, and Washington has made tough catches in clutch situations all season. Those two will be a lot of fun to watch next season.

15. The announced attendance Saturday exceeded 106,000, which helped Penn State averaged 106,799 fans in seven home games this season. That mark is the seventh-highest average in program history and best season average since 2009, per Penn State Athletics. A year removed from no fans at Beaver Stadium, and the economics, social, and community impact of those numbers can’t be emphasized enough.

Shoutout to the tailgating crew across from parking space No. 5219. Pictured are: David, Ashley, Mallory, Mark, Juli, Matt, and Rebecca.

16. Last week, I mentioned the tailgating group right across from me. I chatted with them again Saturday, and the photo above shows the entire crew. They asked me to take a group photo of them, which I was happy to do. They’re moving to a new lot next year, though they’ll still be within easy walking distance. I may have to make my way over sometime next season and take them up on their offerings of food and conversation.

17. Penn State letterman and former NFL standout Garry Gilliam joined us last week on Football Letter Live, and here’s the episode link. Gilliam’s appearance is right after we speak with Bruce Apgar, president of our Naval ROTC Alumni Interest Group. The conversation was so good, the hour flew by. I looked at the time, thinking we had at least another half hour, and instead, we had less than 10 minutes left. That’s when you can tell the show is going well. Thanks to everyone who continues to tune in Thursday nights at 7.

18. We want to make sure we mention the passing of former Penn State and NFL fullback Steve, Smith, who died over the weekend after a long battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. The Raiders, with whom Smith played seven seasons, announced his passing Saturday, calling Smith an inspiration. Smith was drafted in the third round by the Raiders in 1987 after starring at Penn State, where he helped the Nittany Lions win their last national championship in the 1986 season. You can read more on ESPN.com.

19. For anyone attending Saturday’s pep rally at Michigan State, you’ll hear from Detroit Lions linebacker and fullback Jason Cabinda. The Nittany Lion standout will attend, and he’ll be part of the livestream that we’ll share. Tune in on Facebook on Saturday starting around 1:30 p.m.

20.  Go State. Beat the Spartans.

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

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11.14.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Michigan

The Penn State Cheerleaders joined in the celebration after Penn State scored on a Tyler Warren touchdown catch and Jahan Dotson 2-point conversion reception to tie the game at 14 in the fourth quarter against Michigan. The Wolverines notched a late touchdown to escape with a 21-17 win. Photo credit: John Patishnock

Check out this week’s Roaring 20 to see, hear, and feel what it was like to be at Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the Big Ten clash against Michigan. We’ve also embedded a few extra videos and photos for you.

1. On a defense full of superstars, Arnold Ebiketie might be the most valuable. If he’s not at the top of the list, he’s definitely in the top two or three. He not only makes plays, he also makes them at the most clutch moments. His sack and forced fumble on Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara late in the fourth quarter put Penn State in a position to seize a 17-14 lead.

James Franklin leads the Nittany Lions onto the field at Beaver Stadium. You can see the entire sequence on our Twitter page. Photo credit: John Patishnock

2. Linebacker Ellis Brooks tallied a career-high 16 tackles Saturday, boosting his team-leading season mark to 85. Brooks also led the Nittany Lions last season with 60 stops during the shortened schedule.

3. Tyler Warren’s touchdown catch in the fourth quarter was clutch and came with Michigan defensive back DJ Turner’s left hand around his waist. Not sure if it was interference (no penalty was called), though either way, that might’ve been Sean Clifford’s best throw of the day into tight coverage. And credit Warren, a freshman tight end, for stepping up when needed.

4. After the game, we spoke with Ebiketie and Warren. You can see both videos on our 2021 YouTube playlist.

“Don’t drop the Lion!” The Nittany Lion jumped into the stands for some afternoon crowd surfing. Students were happy to pass the Lion — and he wasn’t dropped. Photo credit: John Patishnock

5. Senior receiver Jahan Dotson shows up to play every single week. It’s impossible (and a little silly) to try and compare players from different eras, though two players who jump to mind when thinking of Dotson are both Bobby Engram and Deon Butler. More on Butler shortly.

6. Speaking of Dotson, the team’s sports information director, Greg Kincaid, shared this impressive stat today: Dotson is the only Big Ten player ever to have at least 80 receptions, 990 yards and 9 touchdowns in the first 10 games of a season. Like we said, he shows up every single week.

7. It was nice to see all-time great Paul Posluszny back in Happy Valley to serve as honorary captain. It had been years since he’d visited Happy Valley, and as he shared earlier this fall on Football Letter Live, the wait had been too long. You can see Posluszny’s appearance on our playlist and a photo of him with James Franklin on the football team’s Twitter page.

8. Anthony “Spice” Adams, Deon Butler, and Daryll Clark were among the turnout of former players at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. You can see photos of Adams and Butler and Butler and Clark on our Twitter page.

9. We chatted with Butler for a minute or two, and he and Clark were genuinely thrilled to be reunited. Butler said he met Jahan Dotson earlier in the week and that he hoped to speak with him after the game. Earlier in the month against Maryland, Dotson broke Butler’s program record for most receiving yards in a single game (242), besting Butler’s mark (216) against Northwestern in 2006. Butler spoke to the crowd and led a “We Are” cheer. You can see the on-field scene on our Twitter page.

10. In addition to all the lettermen mentioned, we also saw Michael Mauti and Mark Rubin, both guests this season on Football Letter Live. Similar to Butler, we briefly spoke with Rubin as he was taking in the action behind the south end zone. He’s a fan favorite whose appearance this season was popular among our audience. Again, here’s the link for all the season’s episodes. Mauti, meanwhile, watched the team entrance right by the goal post at the south end zone. He said it was the best seat in the house and that he’s never seen the Nittany Lions take the field from that angle. Glad he had that opportunity Saturday.

11. One more letterman note: Chafie Fields joined us for last week’s episode of Football Letter Live. You’ll want to check it out to hear stories of what it was like playing for Joe Paterno. Fields even shares his JoePa impressions. Here’s the link for the episode, which also features Hampton Raods (Va.) Chapter Vice President Jackie Eury and Secretary Tom Forrest.

12. Keyvone Lee finished with one of the best performances by a running back this season. The sophomore from St. Petersburg, Florida, totaled 88 yards on 20 carries.

13. We captured the usual game day sights at Beaver Stadium. Visit our social channels to see the Blue Band’s pregame performance, the Nittany Lion looking cool, the alma mater, and the team entrance in slow motion.

14. When leaving the stadium, I sometimes exit out of the south tunnel doors, which I did Saturday. That’s where the players exit, and there’s usually a crowd of fans and youngsters waiting for autographs. So, every time that door handle clicks, everyone gears up with excitement to see who’s leaving. When they saw me exiting Saturday, there was an instant look of disappoint. Really can’t blame them. I’ll have to write myself a note that says to leave another way.

Very few stadiums in the world compare to Beaver Stadium and the incredible attendance numbers we have. Saturday was the latest example. Photo credit: John Patishnock

15. There’s a group of 20- and 30-somethings that park across from me in my spot, in the lot across the road from the soccer practice field. I usually arrive early — anywhere from three to four hours before kickoff — and without exception, they’re always there before me and stay after. We finally chatted for the first time a few weeks ago. And we talked against yesterday. They were nice enough to offer me some coffee and food. I politely declined (I don’t drink coffee), though I totally understand how friendships are formed and last for years or decades between people who didn’t know each other before being tailgating neighbors.

16. Each week, we ask Penn Staters to share something about their fan experience that we feature on Football Letter Live. This week, we’re asking you to share photos of your Penn State fan caves and memorabilia collections. Visit our Facebook page to be included on the show.

17. With two games left in the regular season, it’s fair to say this year hasn’t gone the way coaches and players wanted. But the Nittany Lions will stay play in a bowl game. And more immediate, the team will celebrate Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon against Rutgers.

18. Following the home tilt against Rutgers, Penn State travels to East Lansing to finish the regular season against Michigan State. The Spartans have had a much better season than anyone could’ve predicted — we doubt even their fans felt like this year’s squad would’ve been ranked in the Top 4 of the College Football Playoff rankings. But it’ll be a legitimate challenge for Penn State.

The Blue Band always transforms game day at Beaver Stadium into a memorable experience. One of their several performances includes their pregame rendition of fight songs, pictured here. Photo credit: John Patishnock

19. If you’re heading to the game at East Lansing, we hope to see you at our game day pep rally. There won’t be an alumni mixer Friday night, so you can get some extra rest for Saturday.  

20. Go State. Beat Rutgers.

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.

Follow the Football Letter on Twitter for more videos, photos, and features.

11.07.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Maryland

It wasn’t always pretty, but Penn State is back in the win column and snapped a three-game skid with a 31-14 win over Maryland on Saturday. Here are 20 insights from this past weekend.

1. Jahan Dotson is special. Hands down the biggest takeaway of this weekend was the play of No. 5. There have been some great WRs in Penn State’s history: Bobby Engram, Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson II, KJ Hamler, Kenny Jackson, OJ McDuffie, DaeSean Hamilton, etc, etc. It’s time we put Jahan Dotson’s name near the top of that list. He’s a special, special player.

2. Dotson set a Penn State single-game record with his 242-yard effort against the Terps. Add in the fact he scored all three of Penn State’s offensive touchdowns on the day and that might have been the best single-game performance from a Penn State wide receiver.

3. With Penn State suddenly tied 14-14 early in the fourth quarter following a touchdown and two-point conversion from Maryland, the pressure was on the Nittany Lions offense to come up with something to spark the team back into life. Dotson answered the call, streaking down the middle of the field and into the end zone for a huge strike.

4. Now, back to the start of the weekend. Always great to come down to the Washington, D.C. area and see a terrific turnout from the vast amounts of Penn Staters in the area. Great mixer event Friday night in D.C. at The Admiral put on by our Metro Washington, D.C. Chapter.

5. Speaking of great turnouts. Penn Staters showed out and brought the energy at our Pep Rally before kick-off on Saturday. Catch the full Pep Rally livestream recording on our Facebook page.

6. I always enjoy seeing the warm reception longtime editor of The Football Letter John Black gets on our travels. Penn Staters always seek him out to exchange stories and thank him for all the great Letters he’s scribed over the years. He and Football Letter photographer Steve Manuel got a nice ovation during our Pep Rally program.

7. I’m going to reference a great turnout from Penn Staters a third time. There was PLENTY of blue and white in the stands at Captial One Field at Maryland Stadium, including the entirety of the Penn State Blue Band.

8. Here’s the Blue Bands halftime pertformance.

9. Another great showing from the Penn State defense on Saturday. The Nittany Lions stood up time and time again when the offense struggled to develop a rhythm.

10. Despite only putting up 14 points, I came away pretty impressed by Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa. The Terrapins quarterback was 41-of-57 for 371 yards and made some challenging throws in tight coverage. Without a couple drops from his receivers and that statline looks even better.

11. The Nittany Lions’ running game was better if not great. Nittany Lion backs combined for 109 yards. Penn State ended with 93 yards rushing because college football takes sack yardage into account (that’s really dumb, but that’s a conversation for another day. You still feel like this group lacks that dynamic rusher to give this offense a different dimension.

12. Always great to hear the Alma Mater after a W, especially on the road and especially to end a three-game losing streak.

13. As always, plenty of great postgame coverage from John Patishnock. Can’t say enough about the work he’s done this season. If you’re not following The Football Letter Twitter account, you’re missing out on a lot of great video coverage from him that you can’t get anywhere else.

14. Penn State is now 15-1 all-time at Maryland, and Penn State fans let Terps fans hear about it after the game.

15. I mentioned Jahan Dotson’s historic day earlier. Check out some of these eye-catching notes about Jahan’s day and season. Give this man the Biletnikoff Award, please!

16. Awesome moment postgame with James Franklin, Jahan…and a Penn State baby! Check it out below.

17. Penn State has some terrific student-athletes, and three of them are up for the Senior CLASS Award. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of NCAA Division I senior student-athletes in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition. The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors who are utilizing their complete athletic eligibility, remaining committed to their university and pursuing the many rewards a senior season can bring. Nittany Lions Sean Clifford, Jonni Parker and Pierre Ready are up for the award. Vote for them at this link.

18. Two early goals propelled Penn State Men’s Soccer to a Big Ten Tournament opening round win over Michigan State. Survive and advance!

19. At the time of writing, we’re still waiting on Penn State Field Hockey’s selection to the NCAA Tournament. It’s almost a certainty the Nittany Lions hear their name called, it’s just a question of who and where they will be playing.

20. See everyone at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. Go State. Beat Michigan.

10.31.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Ohio State

John Patishnock/The Football Letter

Here are 20 insights from this past weekend, as Penn State dropped its third-straight game in a tough 33-24 loss to Ohio State.

1. Before we dive into the weekend in Columbus, I’d encourage everyone to go check out John Patishnock’s story on Journey Brown from last week. Here’s a snippet of James Franklin talking about the importance of Journey still being around the program in a non-playing capacity. 

2. Was great seeing Penn Staters who came out to our Central Ohio Chapter’s Alumni Mixer Friday Night, including Nittany Lion super fan Paul Frankhouser. You might recognize Paul’s Penn State-themed Hummer. We caught up with Paul for a quick interview about his passion for Penn State. 

3. If you’re in Columbus or elsewhere in Central Ohio, check out the Central Ohio Chapter. They do a lot of great work keeping Penn Staters connected deep in the heart of Buckeye country. Follow them on Twitter (@psucolumbus) or visit their website psucolumbus.org. 

4. Had a great time at my first Pep Rally of the season. The Blue Band, the Nittany Lion, Lionettes and Cheerleaders brought the energy as usual. You can re-watch the livestream of the Pep Rally on the Alumni Association’s Facebook page. 

5. This past weekend was my first trip to Ohio State. I must admit everything I had heard about how opposing fans were treated in Columbus was not pleasant. Fortunately, there weren’t too many negative experiences on my end. The occasional snide comment or crude remark, but not anything worse than I’ve heard at other Big Ten away trips. In fact, there were several Buckeye fans who went out of their way to welcome us to Columbus and wished us well for the game, with one OSU fan noting that he has only had positive experiences in his travels to Happy Valley.

6. The process getting into Ohio Stadium was not all that pleasant, however. Only having two working gates for 100,000-plus fans to access the stadium doesn’t seem like a great idea. It probably took us 45 minutes to make our way through the entry gate. Luckily, we got to our seats just in time for kick-off. You won’t see me complaining about the process of entry to Beaver Stadium again anytime soon. 

7. There wasn’t an abundance of Penn State fans inside The Horseshoe, but the Nittany Lions fans who were there made their presence felt. Despite the loss, I had a great time interacting with the Penn Staters in our section just near the contingent of Blue Band students who were at the game. 

8. The flag-raising ceremony inside Ohio Stadium is so cool. I wish I captured it on video. 

9. I’m never one to highlight moral victories, but man, I came away from Saturday’s 33-24 loss incredibly proud of these players and coaches. Penn State played a hell of a game, it just came up short. That’s football. Change the outcome of one or two plays and the game probably ends in the Nittany Lions’ favor. I needed to see a positive response after last week’s upset loss to Illinois and I felt like I got it. 

10. Still, the loss last week to the Illini stings a little extra now that we saw a showing like that against a far superior opponent. 

11. The trick is now to bring the level of intensity we showed against Ohio State to the four remaining games: at Maryland, Michigan, Rutgers, and at Michigan State. 

12. 9-3 is a legitimate possibility and nothing to scoff at, regardless of how high our hopes got with this team after a 5-0 start.

13. The matchup with the Terrapins will be another intriguing game. Maryland topped the Nittany Lions last season, 35-19. Kick-off is set for 3:30 p.m. 

14. I thought Jahan Dotson gave a terrific response in his postgame interview about being a leader and making sure his teammates stay focused the rest of the season. 

15. Check out Dotson’s full interview, along with interviews with postgame videos of Arnold Ebiketie, Joey Porter Jr. and Parker Washington, on our YouTube page.

16. Look, it’s obviously been a tough season for the Penn State running game. They have not played to expectations, and I’m sure they’d all be the first ones to say so. It’s clear there’s no sign of division in the position group, though. The unit shared a nice moment before kickoff in one of the end zone, circling up with one another as they prepared for action.

17. Big shoutout to Penn State Men’s Soccer, clinching the Big Ten regular season title on Sunday. Congratulations to head coach Jeff Cook on his first trophy with the Nittany Lions. The first of many!

18. Another shoutout to Penn State Field Hockey. The Nittany Lions took down No. 2 Michigan in an overtime thriller on Senior Night.

19. I expect to see a big contingent of Penn State fans at Maryland next week. It seems like Nittany Lions fans always show out down in College Park. There’s still time to sign up for the Friday Night Mixer and Saturday’s Pep Rally. If you plan on going, stop and say hi. I’ll be on site shooting some video for social media.

20. I hope everyone had a fun, safe Halloween. If you rocked a Penn State-themed costume, tag us in a photo of it on Facebook or Instagram.

10.24.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Illinois

Mike Herr (Mike the Mailman) and Penn State professor and local musician Molly Countermine judged Friday night’s Homecoming Parade in State College. The parade featured dozens of Alumni Association affiliate groups, Penn State student organizations, and plenty of colorful floats. Photo credit: John Patishnock

Here are 20 insights from Homecoming Weekend in Happy Valley. Tens of thousands of alumni returned to University Park to celebrate, with numerous events leading up to Saturday’s game against Illinois, a 20-18 setback for the Nittany Lions. We’ve also embedded a few additional social media posts from the weekend, including one that features the old-school end zone design that was featured with the team’s “Generations of Greatness” uniforms.

1. Last week’s episode of Football Letter Live was an absolute blast. We welcomed Alumni Blue Band President Randy Seely ’91 and Keith Griffith ’21, both of whom participated in the band performing at Friday’s ice cream social (more on that shortly). Seely has deep Penn State connections, as his father (Wayne ’65), spouse (Judy ’86), son (Andrew ’16), and daughter (Amelia ’21) are all Penn State grads. Griffith, meanwhile, was the band’s drum major last year, which means he missed out because of COVID restrictions. So, seeing him lead the Alumni Blue Band during Friday’s ice cream social and on the field on Saturday was both meaningful and a lot of fun. Jump to the 18:45 mark of the episode to catch Seely and Griffith’s appearance.

2. In addition to speaking with Seely and Griffith about the Alumni Blue Band, we also shared an interview with Nittanyville President Matt Solomon. We stopped by Beaver Stadium on Wednesday night as students began arriving shortly after 9 p.m., with Alumni Association CEO Paul Clifford ’20g welcoming and thanking the students. You can see Clifford’s conversation with Solomon on our Twitter page or by jumping to the 10:00 mark of the episode for the intro to the video.

3. The episode also featured a long-form discussion with letterman linebacker Michael Mauti ’12, who is largely — and deservedly — credited for saving Penn State football during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Any Penn Stater would be well served to check out the interview, and it starts around the 36:00 mark of the episode. On a personal note, Paul and I absolutely enjoyed talking with Michael, and we hope to stay in touch with him and welcome him back to Penn State anytime he wants to visit. We’ll pick up the tab. 

4. The Homecoming celebration rolled into Friday, when the Alumni Blue Band, Nittany Lion, and cheer squad stopped by the Hintz Family Alumni Center for the ever-popular ice cream social. You can see the band’s first set (27:45 mark) and second set on our Facebook page, directed by Griffith.

5. Before the social kicked off, we chatted with Carol ’08 and Mark Poblete ’07, ’20g, Homecoming Co-Chairs for the Alumni Blue Band. You can see that conversation on our Facebook page. 

6. Everyone was in good spirits — free Berkey Creamery ice cream will do that. Check out some photos from the social on our Facebook page.

7. We livestreamed the Homecoming Parade and set up on the corner of College and Allen. You can see the parade here, and we’re encouraging Penn Staters to let us know in the comments where you watched the parade from. 

8. As always, our student group Lion Ambassadors hosted a wonderful Guard the Lion Shrine event Friday night, continuing a long-standing tradition that wouldn’t exist without Sue Paterno. Each year, she stops by to welcome alumni and share the story of how she and some friends painted the Nittany Lion orange ahead of a Homecoming battle against Syracuse, and this year featured a must-see moment. After she spoke, Sue joined with Lion Ambassadors and alumni to sing and dance along to Sweet Caroline. We’ll stop there in describing what happened. The video tells the story better than we ever could. As we said in the post, we love and appreciate Sue and continue to wish her and her family all the best. 

9. James Franklin’s customary pregame lap didn’t feature as many fan interactions since gates didn’t open until shortly after he arrived, though fans can still check out the scene, which featured him thanking stadium personnel and welcoming Illini staff.

10. One of the highlights of the Homecoming game is seeing the Alumni Blue Band on the field. You can see part of their halftime performance and part of their postgame performance online. 

11. You can’t fault fans for thinking that if Sean Clifford doesn’t get hurt against Iowa, it’s entirely possible that Penn State is 7-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country, inviting the inevitable comparisons between the Nittany Lions and the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs — the two teams that battled for the national title in 1982 — with Penn State (of course) winning the ’83 Sugar Bowl. 

12. We caught up with superstar tailgater and fan Sue Wilson and her husband, Ed, before the game. If you’ve ever seen our highlight videos, you already know Sue. Typically, the first shot of each video features the banner that she and her tailgating crew have made. They’ve become so popular that James Franklin will sometimes make it a point to say hello during team arrival. Tune into this week’s episode of Football Letter Live to see the conversation and learn more about Sue and what tailgating at Penn State means to her and her family. 

13. Even though Illinois racked up 357 rushing yards, Penn State’s defense stepped up when it counted. The Nittany Lions also forced multiple turnovers. The defense even scored a touchdown. Unfortunately, the only people who didn’t realize that were the ones who counted — the referees. Watching the replay multiple times, and the shot we got from standing behind the end zone, it was clear that the Illini running back was still upright and didn’t have forward progress stopped when the Nittany Lions forced a fumble and jumped on the football in the end zone in the first quarter. For as many bad calls as we see each week, they never become less stunning. In addition to the touchdown that wasn’t, Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford absorbed a clear late hit in the second half. But it wasn’t called. Penn State was driving and would’ve been set up for a score if the referees had made the correct call. It’s not our place to routinely comment on officiating, but at some point, it’s impossible to ignore. College football (whether you like it or not) is a billion-dollar business. Having expert referees oversee these games is essential.

14. Overtime was crazy. I know it. You know it. We all know it. Even just changing the rules to say that the teams will go toward the same end zone each possession would help. Because as it stood Saturday, players continually walked, jogged, etc. to each goal line after each possession. And considering there were nine possessions, that’s significant, especially after playing through four quarters of a grinder of a game.

15. Lucky isn’t the right word — I prefer “fortunate” — though either way, teams must avoid injuries to key players, have critical calls go in their favor (or at least avoid bad calls going against them, something which Penn State has faced all season), among other intangibles that don’t show up in a box score. Not many teams can legitimately say they’re one or two breaks away from contending for a playoff spot this year, though Penn State is one of them.

16. Speaking of which: For all the disappointment about Saturday’s game, (almost) nothing has changed for Penn State and its goals this season. If the Nittany Lions win out, it’s still entirely possible they’ll earn a trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title. They’d still need Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State to all lose one other conference game, and with all three of those teams playing one another still this season, that’s very much possible. 

17. Win or lose, the Blue Band and Nittany Lions always play and sing the alma mater. Check out Saturday’s rendition on Facebook.

18. We spoke with a few players following the game, and you can visit our 2021 Football Letter playlist on YouTube to hear from quarterback Sean Clifford, wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, and kicking specialist Jordan Stout. 

19. There’s still time to join us in Columbus this weekend. Sign up here for the alumni mixer Friday night at the local Quaker Steak and Lube and visit our website to RSVP for Saturday’s Pep Rally. We hope to see you.

20. Go State. Beat the Buckeyes. 

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.

Follow the Football Letter on Twitter for more videos, photos, and features.

10.10.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Iowa

Kinnick Stadium, hours before the venue’s biggest game since 1985, when No. 1 Iowa hosted No. 2 Michigan. The Hawkeyes escaped Saturday with a 23-20 win that was marred by fans booing Penn State injuries. You can see plenty of videos and photos from the weekend below. Photo credit: John Patishnock

Here are 20 insights from our weekend trip to see Penn State battle Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes erased a 17-3 deficit to win 23-20, as numerous Nittany Lions — including three team captains in Sean Clifford, PJ Mustipher, and Jonathan Sutherland — left the game because of injuries.

1. Friday was an adventure for the Alumni Association staff. Some colleagues flew to Chicago and drove to Cedar Rapids (about a 3.5 hour-drive). We were all booked for an early flight, which got delayed, and then canceled, and some of us got rebooked on the 6 p.m. direct flight. Then, that flight got delayed and canceled. I figured that was it — we weren’t all making the trip to Iowa, myself included. Miss out on a Top-5 matchup? It hurt. I was on hold with the travel agency and couldn’t get through. Nobody could find a reasonable flight that’d get us into Iowa on time. We were looking at other airports. It seemed lost. Colleagues had even left to go home. I was right behind them, when I decided to stop at the airline counter for a last-ditch effort to see what was possible.

Then, something happened like out of a movie. People hung around, stayed by the counter. Eventually, a call was made. A head count followed. I called colleagues who turned around on the road and returned to the airport, with still no guarantee. But it was possible we’d get a new plane into State College specifically for our flight. And it happened. We had to wait, and we didn’t get into Iowa until midnight local time, but it was so worth it to be there to gather with Penn Staters at our events and see the Nittany Lions give one hell of a battle. Here’s a photo I took as I got on the plane out of State College on Friday night. P.S., it was probably closer to six hours at the airport, but I was out of it. Thanks to everyone at United who helped get us to the game.

2. I was disappointed to miss Friday night’s mixer and not see alumni and friends, including Central Iowa Chapter President Herb Meier ’73. Meier was a guest on last week’s episode of Football Letter Live, and you can see our conversation with him starting around the 13:30 mark.

3. For the third time in six years, we traveled to Iowa and held our pep rally at Duane Banks Field, home to Iowa’s baseball team. Here was the scene as we set up and prepared for the crowd.

4. We had some internet connection issues during our live stream of Saturday’s pep rally. Specifically, it dropped a few times, though only for a moment or two. Thanks to everyone who stayed with us, and you can watch the pep rally (broken into sections) on our Facebook video page.

5. The Pep Band closed out the pep rally with the alma mater, and you can see (and hear) the student, cheer team, Nittany Lion, and Penn Staters enjoying the moment.

6. There’s still time to join us at one of our three remaining pep rallies this regular season. View more information and sign up for the pep rallies at Ohio State (Oct. 30), Maryland (Nov. 6), and Michigan State (Nov. 27). We hope to see you on the road at some point this season.

7. After setting up, we walked around the tailgating lots a bit. Lots filled up quickly Saturday, and here’s one view with Kinnick Stadium in the background.

8. Iowa’s press box is absolutely gorgeous. We snapped this photo a few hours before kickoff.

9. Penn State legend LaVar Arrington was in the house for the game, after he appeared on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff show to preview the game. You can see LaVar on set in this video from FOX’s College Football Twitter account, and we also snapped a quick photo of LaVar on the Penn State sideline shortly before kickoff. As you can imagine, he was popular among the Penn Staters who traveled, taking time for a photo with a young fan, moments before James Franklin led the Nittany Lions onto the field.

10. Say what you want about the fans — and we will in the next couple of notes — however, the wave to the children’s hospital at the end of the first quarter is a wonderful tradition that brings a lot of joy to the children facing much bigger battles off the field. You can see the moment on our Facebook page.

11. A lot’s been written and said about Iowa’s fans booing Penn State’s injured players. Obviously, the fans thought the players were faking to slow down Iowa’s offense, which in a word, is “absurd.” The Hawkeyes don’t run an upbeat, fast-paced offense. They huddle. They take time off the clock. Good for James Franklin directly addressing this after the game. Lions247’s Tyler Donohue shared Franklin’s response.

12. Following up on the last point: Outside of Nebraska, I’ve been to every away venue in the Big Ten, and Saturday was the third time I’ve seen Penn State play Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. While every fan base (even ours) has fans who act inappropriately and crudely, Iowa has more fans than most who fit into this category. Will that change in the future? Unfortunately, I doubt it, since Hawkeye coaches joined in the mocking. Here’s just one video making the rounds on social media.

13. After the game ended, you could see some Penn State fans applauding the team as players and coaches walked off the field. In addition to fans, family members also traveled, including Tariq Castro-Fields’ parents. Earlier this season, I finally introduced myself to a gentleman who I see at nearly every game, home and away. He usually has an appearance in our highlight videos, and I just wanted to thank him for always being so energetic. Turned out he’s Castro-Fields’ father, and he and his family attended the game at Kinnick Stadium. We shared a fist-bump when I saw him, and seeing him and his family and saying “hello” and “good to see you” has quickly become a nice tradition for me.

14. Just about every player available to the media afterward was asked about the fans booing their injured teammates. The Nittany Lions displayed an incredible level of maturity in their responses, showing much more class than the crowd. We shared Ellis Brooks’ insight, as he said Iowa “has loving (our emphasis) fans,” while adding that it’s a “weird” thing to have happen. You can view Brooks’ entire response on our Twitter page.

15. “Resilient” was one of the first words I thought of after Jordan Stout shared the message he had for teammates after the game, regarding the team still being in position to achieve all of is goals: “Don’t forget the goals, don’t forget what we’re pushing for. We’re going for a national championship, Big Ten championship. This doesn’t matter. We’re coming back stronger.” You can see Stout’s full response on our Twitter page.

16. Senior defensive end Arnold Ebiketie described Saturday’s setback as “just a bump on the road.” That response is a good indicator of the maturity level of Ebiketie, who is viewed as a leader even though this is his first year with the program after transferring from Temple.

17. We also spoke with standout linebacker Jesse Luketa. He discussed the team’s defensive performance, participating in the traditional wave, and much more. Visit our YouTube channel to see the whole discussion. You can also visit our Twitter channel for a shortened version, where he talks about the wave and why he’s confident the defense will bounce back.

18. Friday night, Lion Ambassadors hosted Haunted Valley, one of the many popular events they hold to celebrate and uphold Penn State spirit and tradition. You can see some photos from the event on the group’s Facebook page.

19. Even with the bye, we’ll still have a new episode of Football Letter Live this week. Sign up and hear from letterman Garry Gilliam ’13 and Paralympian and volunteer leader Jake Schrom ’11.

20. Rest up this week, Penn Staters. There’s still a lot of football to be played in the nation’s toughest conference and division.

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.

Follow the Football Letter on Twitter for more videos, photos, and features.

10.03.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Indiana

Another massive crowd (105,951) packed Beaver Stadium to watch Penn State knock off Indiana 24-0 during the annual Stripe Out game. Photo credit: Penn State

Here are 20 insights from another memorable Saturday in Happy Valley, with plenty of links for videos and photos that showcase the day. Penn State won its ninth straight game and improved to 5-0 with a 24-0 clobbering of Indiana. The Nittany Lions remain at No. 4 in this week’s AP Poll, released earlier Sunday, with this week’s opponent, Iowa, at No. 3.

1. Enjoyed a nice run around campus Saturday morning, and my route takes me the entire length of Curtin Road from Atherton Street to Beaver Stadium. Saw plenty of Penn Staters tailgating early and taking photos at popular campus spots like the Nittany Lion Shrine and the We Are Sculpture. Here’s a link for some of the photos we shared Saturday.

2. Team arrival was as cool as ever. We captured the scene from a new angle, and we got a pretty steady shot of the Blue Band and Nittany Lions walking to the stadium. Many thanks to the fans who made room for me on a nice, square boulder that allowed me to get high enough to capture the scene. You can see our video here.

3. We were fortunate to get a few nice shots of James Franklin welcoming fans during his pregame lap. Check out our video to see how hyped Franklin was before the game.

4. The Lion Ambassadors’ S-Zone looked dynamite Saturday. We snapped a photo from the press box a few hours before kickoff. As you can see, the students were set and ready to go.

The Lion Ambassadors settled into Beaver Stadium early Saturday night to cheer on the Nittany Lions and to create marquee their marquee S-Zone. Photo credit: John Patishnock

5. We got a nice sequence of James Franklin and the Nittany Lions taking the field before kickoff, and with a night-time start, the newly installed lights in the South Tunnel illuminated the shot quite nicely.

6. This week’s highlight video features some shots from the tailgating lots, next to Beaver Stadium, on the south side. Appreciate everyone allowing me to get some video, and the tailgating shots are early on in our highlight video.

7. Fans packed Beaver Stadium quickly leading up to the game. About an hour before kickoff, I looked around and was blown away. One of the team’s media relations pros was walking by, and I remarked to him how amazing the stadium looked. Always good to remind myself that we’re blessed to call Happy Valley home and share this community with so many passionate alumni and fans.

8. The Daily Collegian captured a nice photo of the pregame team entrance and fireworks. It really gives a sense of how much fans have embraced the Stripe Out. Penn State also posted a nice photo, and you can see that image on our Twitter page.

9. It was awesome to see Britt Baker at the game. For Penn Staters who don’t know, Baker is a Penn State grad and professional women’s wrestler for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), which airs nationally on TNT. She’s currently the women’s world champ for AEW, so she’s quite good at what she does. Just as interesting (or perhaps more so), she’s a dentist by day. Really, she is. You can check out her Instagram page to see her in action, and Alumni Association CEO Paul Clifford met her Saturday night and shared this photo. You can also see photos that Baker shared to her Twitter page.

10. Anytime Penn State legend Todd Blackledge returns to campus to call a game, it’s a treat. A few days ago, we shared the image of when he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, following Penn State’s epic win over Nebraska in the championship season of 1982. You can see that cover photo on our Twitter page.

11. The postgame alma mater never disappoints. Never. Check out the team and fans singing the alma mater Saturday night, led of course by the Blue Band.

12. Sean Clifford and Jahan Dotson connected for two scores Saturday, and the duo now hold the record for most touchdowns by a quarterback-receiver combo in Penn State history (18). Perhaps it was meant to happen against Indiana, since Blackledge was in the house. Clifford and Dotson broke the previous mark of 17, held by Blackledge and Kenny Jackson.

13. Anytime people are discussing this year’s Heisman Trophy race, Dotson’s name needs to be included. He’s the premier receiver in college football and helps lead a Top-5 team in the toughest division in the nation. He’s that good and deserves to be near the top of any list of candidates.

14. Following games, Clifford usually shows some fire as he walks up to ring the Victory Bell and celebrate with fans. Saturday was no exception. Check out our video, which shows lots of his teammates always enjoying the moment.

15. Sticking with the Victory Bell, we captured a funny moment between James Franklin and Devyn Ford. The star running back was getting ready to leave the field without ringing the Victory Bell, before Franklin called him back. Reminded me of a similar situation years ago between Franklin and Saquon Barkley. Coaches never stop coaching. You can see the entire sequence here, which includes Franklin ringing the Victory Bell himself.

16. Going back to Clifford, we captured his entire postgame media availability. He discusses his strong bond with Dotson, the team’s performance against Indiana, and a whole lot more. Clifford spoke with the media for a little more than nine minutes, and you can watch the entire video on our YouTube page.

17. Penn State’s next home game is in three weeks, when we’ll welcome tens of thousands of alumni back to University Park for Homecoming. You can read full details on Penn State News, and of special note, you can sign up for free for the popular ice cream social from 1-3 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 22, at the Hintz Family Alumni Center. As always, the Alumni Blue Band will be performing, and between that and free Berkey Creamery ice cream, we expect to see plenty of alumni stop by. We hope you’re among the group. Everyone is also invited to the Nittany Lion Shrine following the Homecoming Parade for Guard the Lion Shrine, hosted by our Lion Ambassadors.

18. Even if you can’t return to Beaver Stadium for home games, you can still cheer on the Nittany Lions with fellow Penn Staters. Many of our alumni chapters across the country host game watch parties (for all games, home and away) at local establishments, where space is reserved for Penn State alumni and fans. Visit our group events page to see what’s available near you.

19. There’s still time to register for the Saturday Pep Rally at Iowa. Visit our website for free sign ups and gather with fellow Nittany Lions while enjoying plenty of Penn State spirit and Penn State Bakery cookies. You can also sign up for our Pep Rallies at Ohio State, Maryland, and Michigan State.

20. Go State. Beat the Hawkeyes.

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