UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.
- With his first spring practice season
in the rearview mirror, Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien is looking ahead to
the beginning of training camp on Aug. 6.
After spending three weeks on the Coaches Caravan in May, Coach O'Brien is back
in his office evaluating spring practice, setting the depth chart and preparing
for training camp.I recently sat down
with the leader of Nittany Lion football for a post-spring Q&A.
Read part II of the conversation with Coach O'Brien below.
GoPSUSports.com:
Moving to the defensive side of the ball, talk about the overall depth on the
defensive line for Larry Johnson's unit. Coach O'Brien: "There are a bunch of guys there who can play.We will rotate guys in and out to keep
everyone fresh.That is the best way to
play a defensive line.And that is a
great luxury we have with Jordan Hill and DaQuan Jones, and then Pete Massaro,
Sean Stanley and Deion Barnes on the outside.I think Barnes, who is a young guy can be a really special player.We are going to move Kyle Baublitz inside
because we lost Evan Hailes (blood clot).We have a number of guys there who can play and be productive for us."
GoPSUSports.com:
In the linebacker corps, Gerald Hodges seemed to really stand out during the
spring.What did you see from that group
and what are you looking forward to about the linebackers? Coach O'Brien: "That is a very good group.We have a number of strong, athletic players
with good instincts.(Gerald) Hodges,
Khairi Fortt, who was injured during the spring will be back for training camp,
(Michael) Mauti will be back for training camp. I am looking forward to seeing
him on the field.We have Glenn Carson
there who had a solid spring.Mike Hull,
to me, one of the things he does well is the way he blitzes.He has a knack for blitzing.(Michael) Yancich is a guy who got better
during the spring.We lose (James) Van
Fleet with the knee injury, so some of the younger guys will need to step up
and play.I feel good about those guys
on defense and on special teams.They
will all be contributing on special teams."
GoPSUSports.com:
You talked about depth in the secondary being a little thin heading into the
spring, how much progress did you see out of that group, and then specifically
Stephon Morris? Coach O'Brien: "It is really depth.I want to make sure that I am really clear on that.It is not talent.It is depth.We just don't have a lot of guys there.Stephon (Morris) had a very consistent spring.He is a guy who competes every day.He can play man-to-man coverage.He is instinctive in zone coverage.You can match him up with a team's best
receiver.He had a very good spring.Then you have Adrian Amos, who was out some
of the spring with an injury.He can
play safety or corner.He is a really
good young player who we are expecting big things out of.Then Malcolm Willis, at safety had a very
solid spring and is a leader back there.(Jacob) Fagnano had a very good spring at safety.He is a tough guy.Stephen Obeng-Agyapong had a very good
spring, and he is a guy who will also really contribute on special teams.There are some depth issues, but we feel like
we have a good group of core guys."
GoPSUSports.com:
You spent a lot of time on special teams during the spring practice
season.How do you think special teams
went? Coach O'Brien: "I thought things went well.It was our goal to rep each special team
three times during the spring.And we
got that done.They all understand what
we are trying to do.We were able to
watch it and say here are the 20 core special teams players, which is
good.John Butler did a really good job
overseeing all of the special teams work.That was a really big part of it.Each coach did a good job of coaching it up.Special teams is an area that I feel like we
will be able to go out in the fall and be a pretty good unit.We have a really good kicker in Anthony
Fera.He can punt.He can kick.He can place the ball where you want him to place it.He is a luxury to have back there.I feel pretty good about where we are special
teams wise."
GoPSUSports.com:
You said going into spring practice that you thought the defense was ahead of the
offense, just because of the natural progression of things.Where do you think things are at in the
summer?Are you happy with where both
units are collectively? Coach O'Brien: "I would say that the defense is still a little bit
ahead.It is more of a veteran
group.Offensive football, especially in
our offense, is about timing.Some of
the timing was off a little bit during the spring.But defensive timing is more about being
aggressive and instinctive.I thought
the guys on defense did a very good job of that.I feel good about where our defense is.They have improvement to make between now and
Sept. 1, but the defense is still a little ahead of the offense.The offense definitely closed the gap, and
like I said, that Saturday scrimmage before Blue-White was a very good day for
the offense."
GoPSUSports.com:
You are in the process of planning training camp.How similar or different will the practice
structure be at training camp versus where things were at during spring
practice? Coach O'Brien: "It will be a little bit different.Number one, during spring practice you had 15
practices spread out over a month.Now,
you have 29 practices opportunities before your first game.You bring them in on Aug. 6.The first five days you have one-a-days and
then you can never have two two-a-days in a row.Practice will be a little bit different in
the structure of how we do drill work.We pretty much know who our top players are.Now, it is about getting a team ready to play
a season.Understanding how we are going
to practice during a season is part of it.The other thing that is really important is what we want to get
accomplished during the first week, the second week and then the third week.Then we will have three or four scrimmages
during the training camp to really get our guys in a game mentality.Training camp will be different, but at the
same time, the tempo won't change.The
intensity won't change.The way we coach
won't change."
GoPSUSports.com:
In terms of gameplan preparation from your perspective, what are your thoughts
on Frank Solich's Ohio Bobcats that you will see during week one of the season? Coach O'Brien: "I have a great deal of respect for Coach Solich.He has been a head coach for a very long
time.He has been very successful.They do some different things. Offensively,
they run an option scheme that is a little different than what our defense sees
at practice.We have to do a great job
taking Ohio periods during training camp.We will be showing our defense some of the things they will see on Sept.
1.They run a little bit of a different
scheme on defense.It is kind of a 3-3
look, so there are some different things we have to get ready for there.The blocking will be a little bit
different.We have to really hone in on
those things all during training camp."
GoPSUSports.com:
Are you looking forward to the non-conference schedule?You have some pretty unique challenges with
Ohio, a trip to Virginia, Navy and Temple. Coach O'Brien: "It is a tough schedule.You have four teams there that are really well coached teams that have a
lot to play for when they are playing Penn State.Navy has a very unique attack.Virginia at Virginia is a very tough place to
play.Temple, what they have done with
Al Golden and now Steve Addazio is very impressive.Those are all tough games.It is a challenging schedule and we have to
be ready for it."
GoPSUSports.com:
For you personally, what is your summer going to look like? Coach O'Brien: "Most of the month of June will be staff meetings and
several camps.The staff meetings will
consist of planning for training camp and evaluating the roster.In July, we will take a little bit of time
off for a couple weeks.And then we will
be back at the end of July ready to go for training camp."
Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on
Twitter @GoPSUTony
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With his first spring
practice season in the rearview mirror, Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien is
looking ahead to the beginning of training camp on Aug. 6.
After spending three weeks on the Coaches Caravan in May, Coach O'Brien is back
in his office evaluating spring practice, setting the depth chart and preparing
for training camp.I recently sat down
with the leader of Nittany Lion football for a post-spring Q&A.Read part I of the conversation with Coach
O'Brien below.Look for part II
tomorrow.
GoPSUSports.com:
What is your overall evaluation of spring practice?Did you get everything done that you wanted
to in the 15-practice window? Coach O'Brien: "We definitely got a lot accomplished.The kids learned how to practice at a fast
tempo.We installed a great deal on both
sides of the ball and special teams.The
coaches learned how we wanted run things practice wise.The coaches got a chance to be around their
players a lot, which was really good.We
are behind in certain areas - situational football.We have got to do a better job in training
camp really hitting the ground running in 2-minute, red zone, third down and
all of the situations that go into winning a football game.So I think if we can make up ground early in
training camp on that then we will be in good shape.But that is where we are behind."
GoPSUSports.com:
You threw a lot at the team, especially on offense.Is it a situation where you hope when they
come back at the start of camp they pick up where you left off as opposed to
needing to re-teach things.How do you
strike that balance? Coach O'Brien: "The kids need to have a great summer.We can't be around them at all during the
summer.So what we did at the end of
spring we took one practice and coached them on how we wanted the summer to go,
and how to communicate during the summer.That way, the guys can use the language on the field that they are
supposed to use.That is the biggest
key.As long as the language stays
fresh, when they get to training camp it will not be like re-learning.Hopefully they have a good summer.And if they do, then we will be able to pick
up where we left off at the end of spring."
GoPSUSports.com:
You have mentioned the scrimmage on the Saturday before the Blue-White Game
several times.What specifically did you
like about the way the team played on that day? Coach O'Brien: "We went ones against ones, twos against twos, threes
against threes.A bunch of guys got reps.We had referees there.We ran it like a game.Offensively, I thought they clicked.We played a little bit better than the
defense that scrimmage, which was good to see because our defense can be
strong.We made some plays on
offense.The quarterbacks played more
consistently.I felt that was our best
practice of the spring."
GoPSUSports.com:
From the players' perspective, with that positive practice coming at the end of
the spring after facing such a steep learning curve, how much confidence do you
think that will give the team heading into the summer? Coach O'Brien: "I think they definitely have confidence that they can
learn our system.They know that they
have to study it, and again, have a really good summer with it.I think these guys should have
confidence.This is a hard-working
team.It is a tough team with smart
guys.We preach confidence to these
guys.They have a chance to be a good
team, but they have to understand the meaning of team, communication,
operation, and I think if they continue to improve on that over the summer then
we will have a good training camp and be ready to go."
GoPSUSports.com:
Personnel-wise, what impressed you about the offensive line? Coach O'Brien: "I am probably putting some pressure on these guys
because I was impressed with these guys.They're smart.They're
tough.They love football.They enjoy practicing.We have eight to 10 guys there that take a
lot of pride in what they do.We have
really good leaders on that line with (Matt) Stankiewitch and (John)
Urschel.They are coached very
well.I have a lot of confidence in Mac
(McWhorter).I am looking forward to
those guys.I enjoy being around
them.I think they are good team guys
that came together pretty well during the spring."
GoPSUSports.com:
In the receiving corps, Justin Brown is a guy who has played a lot of football
and had a good spring.But some of the
younger guys seemed to emerge during the spring - Allen Robinson, Alex Kenney
and Shawney Kersey to name a few - what did you see out of that group? Coach O'Brien: "I think we have five or six guys there who can
play.Justin Brown and Devon Smith,
before he got hurt, both had really good springs.(Shawney) Kersey, like you said, had a really
good end to the spring.He really came
alive and made some plays at the end and in the Blue-White Game.Allen Robinson probably had the most
consistent spring of that group.He got
better from day one to day 15.To me,
that is a really good group of guys.They
are big, except for Devon (Smith) who is fast.Alex Kenney has good speed.We
have some guys who can run.We have guys
with good hands.We have guys who are
smart, instinctive football players.I
feel pretty good about that group right now."
GoPSUSports.com:
What about the running backs?Silas is
the leader of the group, but what did you see out of Bill Belton, Derek Day,
Michael Zordich and Zach Zwinak? Coach O'Brien: "I think that is probably one of the stronger positions
on the team.If I had to choose one
position on either side of the ball, I would say that position on offense and
the defensive line on defense.We are
four deep there, and then we have (Michael) Zordich at fullback.These guys all bring different values to the
table for our team.They are led by
Silas (Redd), who has good vision, tough, great character.Bill Belton has good speed, and he catches
the ball well out of the backfield.I
think that is a very good position for us."
GoPSUSports.com:
Talk about the quarterbacks.They
probably faced the steepest learning curve of anybody during the spring.How did they accept the challenge?And what did you see in terms of progress on
the field? Coach O'Brien: "That is a tough situation for them to come in and learn
a completely new scheme.There is a
heavy burden on the quarterbacks because in this offense, they run the
show.They have to operate the show in
the huddle.They have to operate at the
line of scrimmage.There is a lot that
goes into playing that position.I think
those guys got better and better.They
had somewhat of an inconsistent spring, but again, at the end of the day I feel
pretty good about where we are at with that position.They need to have a good summer and be ready
to go at training camp.If they do have
a good summer, I think we will hit the ground running at training camp and be
right where we need to be."
Stay tuned for Part II of the post-spring Q&A with Coach O'Brien tomorrow.
Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on
Twitter @GoPSUTony
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No team in Big Ten baseball had a bigger
turnaround than Penn State did during the second half of the regular season.
Through 17 games, the Nittany Lions found themselves in a 3-14 hole before coming
home on March 21.Since April 1, Penn
State has been on a tear, winning six consecutive Big Ten series en route to a
22-7 record down the stretch.
Aside from Big Ten regular season champion Purdue (41-12), Penn State enters
this week's Big Ten Baseball Tournament as the hottest team in the conference.
The Nittany Lions (29-25, 15-9) open play in Columbus on Wednesday afternoon
(3:35 p.m. on BTN) as the No. 3 seed against sixth-seeded Ohio State (31-25,
11-13).Penn State took two out of three
games against the Buckeyes at Medlar Field in April.The Lions' two victories were both dramatic
one-run decisions.
Senior slugger Jordan Steranka leads the Lions into the Big Ten Tournament with
a red-hot bat.The Pittsburgh native
finished the regular season batting .362 with 11 homeruns and 39 RBI with a
slugging percentage of .615.He and
fellow senior Sean Deegan finished tied for second in the Big Ten homerun
race.Steranka led the Big Ten in total
bases (134), finished second in doubles (18), third in hits (79) and fifth in
batting average (.362).
On the mound, sophomore left-handed starter Joe Kurrasch enters the postseason
following a superb conference season.The California product finished second in the conference in ERA
(1.98).Kurrasch made 15 appearances (10
starts) and finished with a 4-2 record.For
the season, Kurrasch's opponents hit just .219 against the lefty.In Big Ten play, his numbers were even
better.Kurrasch went 3-1 with a 1.71
ERA in eight conference starts.His Big
Ten opponents managed just a .213 average against him.
The Big Ten Tournament is double elimination.Should the Nittany Lions move past Ohio State on Wednesday, they would
play second-seeded Indiana.Indiana
defeated Penn State in two of the three games during the regular season series
in March at Medlar Field.If the Lions
drop their opening game, they would meet the loser of the first round matchup
between Michigan State and Nebraska.Penn State defeated Michigan State in two out of three meetings over the
weekend.The Lions did not play Nebraska
this season.
Penn State has the potential to be a very dangerous team in the postseason with
its power in the lineup.Deegan,
Steranka and fellow senior Joey DeBernardis have accounted for 30 of Penn State's
37 homeruns in 2012.Keep an eye on the
veteran trio in Columbus this week.
On the mound, Kurrasch and junior Steven Hill will start Penn State's first two
games.Kurrasch's numbers speak for
themselves.Hill, who tossed a no-hitter
at Iowa on April 21, enters the postseason with a 3.54 ERA and a 5-3 record.
The Nittany Lions have the tools to make a run in the Big Ten Tournament, but
anything can happen on a baseball diamond in the postseason.Follow the action beginning Wednesday when
the Lions open competition with the Buckeyes.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State men's and women's hockey coaches Guy
Gadowsky and Josh Brandwene are counting down the days until they kick off
Division I competition in the fall.
Last week, both Gadowsky and Brandwene shared updates with the fans and alums
about the progress of their programs and the construction of Pegula Ice Arena
on the Coaches Caravan.Gadowsky joined
the Caravan for all six stops during week three, while Brandwene spoke in Pittsburgh
and Buffalo.
Take a look at a video feature from the Coaches Caravan on Penn State Hockey.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State's first football game under the
direction of head coach Bill O'Brien may not be for another 105 days, but the
momentum for the 2012 season is already in motion.
Coach O'Brien kick-started that momentum when he embarked on a 1,968-mile,
nine-day caravan beginning on April 30 with a stop in downtown Philadelphia.For 18 stops, the leader of Nittany Lion
football, along with 10 other Penn State coaches, addressed passionate and
enthusiastic fans.
Coach O'Brien gave Nittany Lion fans a clear vision on the type of team he
wants to field and how he plans on running the football program.The fan reception across all 18 stops was outstanding.All in all, the Coaches Caravan was a
tremendous success for everyone involved.
In total, nearly 5,000 Penn State fans and alums attended the Coaches Caravan
events in Philadelphia, Drexel Hill, Baltimore, Washington D.C, Richmond,
Harrisburg, Hazleton, Lehigh Valley, Woodbridge (N.J.), New York, Hartford,
Scranton, Altoona, Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Cleveland, Erie and Buffalo.
From a media perspective, Coach O'Brien conducted 61 different one-on-one
interviews and 18 press conferences on 11 days from April 30-May 16, bringing
the total number of Coaches Caravan media meetings to 79.
GoPSUsports.com provided written, video and photo content from all 18
stops.Take a look below at several
video features posted along the way.
Week One Philadelphia/Drexel Hill
Baltimore/Washington D.C.
Richmond/Harrisburg
Week Two Coaches Caravan from a Fan's Perspective
Coach O'Brien Visits New York City
Life on the Caravan Bus
Week Three Altoona/Pittsburgh
Coaches Caravan Visits Ohio
Below is a compiled list of media coverage from the 2012 Coaches Caravan:
Stories/Columns prior to Caravan event in a city/National Associated Press -
Caravan preview ESPN.com
Allentown Morning Call Altoona Mirror Cleveland Plain Dealer Harrisburg Patriot News Home News Tribune Newark Star-Ledger New York Daily News New York Times Philadelphia Inquirer/Daily News Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pittsburgh Tribune Review Scranton Times-Tribune/Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice Warren Tribune Chronicle Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
TV-Radio
coverage prior to Caravan event in a city ESPN
Radio Altoona & State College WRTA Radio - Altoona/Tyrone WMAR-TV - Baltimore 105.7, The Fan - Baltimore ESPN Radio 950 - Philadelphia KYW NewsRadio - Philadelphia ESPN Radio 970 - Pittsburgh 93.7, The Fan - Pittsburgh Sirius XM - 2 interviews WBRE-TV - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre WNEP-TV - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre WJAC-TV/Fox 8 - State College/Altoona/Johnstown WTAJ-TV - State College/Altoona/Johnstown
Stories generated by Caravan event in a city/on bus Associated Press Sporting News USA Today
Allentown Morning Call Altoona Mirror Baltimore Sun Beaver County Times Bergen Record Bucks County Courier Buffalo News Centre Daily Times Daily Collegian Easton Express Times Erie Times-News Harrisburg Patriot News Hartford Courant Hazleton Standard Speaker Home News Tribune Lancaster Intelligencer Newsday Philadelphia Inquirer/Daily News Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pittsburgh Tribune Review Reading Eagle Richmond Times-Dispatch Scranton Times-Tribune/Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice Washington Post Wilkes-Barre Times Leader York Daily Record Youngstown Vindicator
TV-radio coverage generated by Caravan event in a city Sports Biz, NBC Sports Network Yahoo! Sports Radio
ESPN Radio Altoona & State College WRTA Radio - Altoona/Tyrone WGRZ-TV - Buffalo WIVB/WNLO-TV - Buffalo WKBW-TV - Buffalo WJET/Fox 66 - Erie WSEE/WICU-TV - Erie Fox 43 - York/Harrisburg WGAL-TV - Lancaster/Harrisburg WHP-TV - Harrisburg WHTM-TV - Harrisburg WYLN-TV - Hazleton TV2 - Lehigh Valley Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia CBS 3 - Philadelphia Fox 29 - Philadelphia WPVI-TV - Philadelphia KDKA-TV - Pittsburgh WPXI-TV/Fox53 - Pittsburgh WTAE-TV - Pittsburgh 93.7, The Fan - Pittsburgh CBS 6 - Richmond NBC 12 - Richmond WBRE-TV - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre WNEP-TV - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre WJAC-TV/Fox 8 - State College/Altoona/Johnstown WTAJ-TV - State College/Altoona/Johnstown Comcast SportsNet D.C. WUSA-TV - Washington, D.C. WILK Radio - Wilkes-Barre
Web/Social
Media coverage generated by Caravan event in a city/bus Alumni.psu.edu BlackShoeDiaries.com BleacherReport.com BlueWhiteIllustrated.com CBSSports.com GoPSUsports.com Fightonstate.com Lions247.com Live.psu.edu Onward State Penn State Facebook sites Penn State and media Twitter accounts PennStatermag.com SI.com SportingNews.com StateCollege.com VictoryBellRings.com
Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist
Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
Fullington Trailways driving ace Gottfried Fodor pulled up to the curb outside
of the Mezzanine Entrance at the Bryce Jordan Center shortly after 1 a.m. on
Thursday morning, ending a nine-day, 1,968-mile tour through seven states and
18 stops.
Life on the modified Penn State Coaches Caravan bus was an incredible
experience to be a part of.All of the
coaches enjoyed conversing, sharing stories and getting to know one another for
three weeks.There were eight
individuals, and Fodor, on the bus for every stop during all nine days on the road.Several other coaches, staff members and a
few media members joined the Caravan for stints along the way, and all three
weeks were filled with fun on the bus.
Take a look at a video feature of what life was like on the bus with Coach O'Brien
during the first caravan event of its kind in Penn State Athletics history.
Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on
Twitter @GoPSUTony
By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After a three-game sweep of Illinois last weekend,
the Penn State baseball team (27-24, 13-8 Big Ten) made a statement in the Big
Ten standings and have all but clinched a birth in the 2012 conference
tournament.
The wins against the Illini featured some of the best baseball the Nittany
Lions have played all season including strong pitching from both the starters
as well as the relievers along with clutch hitting throughout the batting
order.It was Penn State's fifth
straight conference series win, an accomplishment never before achieved in the
program's history.
All three games were decided by two runs or less.When the offense struggled, the defense held
the opposing team at bay and when pitching gave up runs, the batters were there
to respond.Consistent, aggressive play
from the seniors also was crucial in the sweep as senior first baseman Jordan
Steranka led the way, going 6-11 with two homeruns and three RBIs over the
weekend.The performance earned Steranka
Big Ten player of the week.
Balance between hitting and pitching will be key for the Nittany Lions moving
forward as the weekend sweep of Illinois clinched a birth for Penn State in the
Big Ten tournament thanks to Nebraska's three-game sweep of Minnesota.
With Minnesota in seventh place at 10-11, even if the Nittany Lions were
swept by Michigan State in their last conference series and the Golden Gophers were
able to win all of their games against Illinois, Penn State would take the tiebreaker
after it took two out of three games from Minnesota earlier in the year.
Currently, the Nittany Lions have their sights on a different goal as the
top two teams in the Big Ten have a first-round by in the tournament.They are tied for second with Indiana in the
standings with three teams just two games or less behind them.
Penn State will play a three-game series at Michigan State to end the
season.Though they are guaranteed a
spot in the tournament, the players are hungry for more.
ERIE and BUFFALO - After traversing through seven states and the
District of Columbia during nine days, the Penn State Coaches Caravan made its
final two stops on Wednesday on the Penn State Erie campus and in Buffalo.
Nearly 150 enthusiastic Nittany Lion fans and alums greeted Bill
O'Brien, Guy Gadowsky and Mark Pavlik at Dobbins Gazebo at Penn State Behrend
for lunch on Wednesday.Following a
100-mile drive on I-90, the Fullington Trailways motorcoach pulled into stop
No. 18 outside of Buffalo, N.Y.
Take a look through the final two stops of the Coaches Caravan.
Stop XVII - Erie The first event of the final day was held in a superb location on Penn
State's Erie campus, The Behrend College.Outlined with windows on both arching side walls, the luncheon was held
inside a beautiful enclosed gazebo.The
trio of coaches addressed an attentive crowd that asked some of the best
questions during the past three weeks.
Coach O'Brien has been asked several questions by fans during the Caravan stops
about working under Bill Belichick.A
fan in Erie asked him Tuesday about the three best things he learned from the
leader of the New England Patriots.
Coach O'Brien's answer: 1. Coach Belichick's ability to enable the assistant coaches the freedom
to coach under him.Coach O'Brien said
there were obviously parameters, but the assistant coaches had independence.
2. Coach O'Brien said he learned how to build and evaluate a team under Coach
Belichick.
3. The third item he mentioned was Coach Belichick's ability to get a
team ready for a game, which included a great deal of situational football.
Coach O'Brien often says that nothing really surprises him.But one thing has really stood out to he and
the other coaches on the Caravan.
"Having never done this before, all I can tell you is how impressed I
have been with the turnouts," Coach O'Brien said.
Coach Gadowsky added the following.
"I am extremely proud to be a part of you."
VIDEO: Highlights from the Stop in Erie
Stop XVIII: Buffalo The first traveling
Caravan of its kind in Penn State Athletics history began on April 30 in
downtown Philadelphia, and it ended on Wednesday night outside of Buffalo.From start to finish, Coach O'Brien and the
entire roster of participating coaches contributed to make the nine-day stint
on the road a resounding success.
When he took the job in January, Coach O'Brien wanted to get out on the road
and meet as many Penn State fans as possible.The Caravan provided that opportunity in 18 different locations across
seven states and the District of Columbia.
It is impossible to count the number of fans the new leader of Penn State
football met and shook hands with during the three-week journey, but the
reception was tremendous at every stop.The fans were engaged and enthusiastic day after day.And Coach O'Brien went 18-for-18 delivering
speeches.
On Wednesday night in Buffalo, Coaches Brandwene and Gadowsky spent time with
Terry Pegula, whose $102 million donation enabled Penn State to begin Division
I men's and women's hockey in the fall and build the state-of-the-art Pegula
Ice Arena.Pegula, who also owns the
Buffalo Sabres, spent time with both hockey coaches and Coach O'Brien in
Buffalo.
The third week was highlighted by the humor from Coach Pavlik.During all six of his speeches, the men's
volleyball leader had a clever analogy for the other coaches on stage.Wednesday night's centered on the other three
coaches being rock stars, including "The Boss", Bill O'Brien.
Like The Boss often does on the road during the last stop on his tours, Coach
O'Brien told the crowd in Buffalo that he will be back on the road again next
year.
"I look forward to doing something like this every year," Coach O'Brien
said."Maybe it won't be 18 stops in 17
days, but we will figure it out.I'm
sure every year we will get out and see everybody."
After 1,968 miles of travel, 18 events on nine days and six nights in hotels,
the Caravan pulled back into the Bryce Jordan Center parking lot after 1 a.m.
on Thursday morning to cap off a great journey.
Thank you to all of the fans and alums who attended the Coaches Caravan at
every stop.The 18-stop trip was taxing
for the crew on the bus who attended every event during all three weeks, but
results exceeded expectations for everyone involved, largely because of the outstanding
fan base supporting Penn State Athletics.
VIDEO: Football and Hockey Talk in Buffalo Coach O'Brien and
Coach Gadowsky talk football and hockey in Buffalo during the final stop of the
Penn State Coaches Caravan in Buffalo on Wednesday.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season
tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can call
1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce
Jordan Ticket Center.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
YOUNGSTOWN and CLEVELAND - Following two stops in Pennsylvania, the Penn
State Coaches Caravan moved into Ohio for a pair of events on Tuesday.
Nearly 100 fans and alums greeted Bill O'Brien, Coquese Washington, Guy
Gadowsky and Mark Pavlik for lunch in Youngstown.The Penn State-themed coach bus took a short
drive across the Ohio Turnpike and north on Interstate 77 to Cleveland for the
second stop on day eight of the nine-day caravan.
Take a look through highlights of the two Ohio stops on the final week of the Coaches
Caravan.
Stop XV - Youngstown With some audio difficulties during the introduction to stop 15, Coach
O'Brien took things into his own hands with a rousing We Are...Penn State chant
in the Grand Ballroom at the Holiday Inn located just south of Youngstown,
kicking off a very good stop in Northeast Ohio.Coaches Pavlik, Gadowsky and Washington, respectively, delivered candid
messages to say thank you to the Penn State fans and alums in the room.
Although we keep stating it, the
reception and interaction from the fans at every stop has been tremendous.The fans have made the traveling caravan a
resounding success.The coaches repeat
themselves time and time again on the importance of receiving support from the attendees
in the room.The alums and fans across
the nation are a big part of the success Penn State Athletics is able to
achieve on a yearly basis.In many ways,
the coaches have used the Caravan as an opportunity to remind the fans and
alums of their role in the department's success and a way to say thanks for
everything they do.
Coach O'Brien talks about recruiting at every stop.One of the points he really drove home to the
Youngstown crowd on the recruiting front is the importance of finding the right
guys who fit into the football program.Sure he is looking for talented athletes, but Coach O'Brien wants high
integrity individuals who will work hard every day on the field and in the
classroom.
Stop XVI: Cleveland The Caravan bus
rolled into downtown Cleveland shortly before 3 p.m. on a warm afternoon along
Lake Erie.Tuesday evening's event was
held at the City Club of Cleveland in front of nearly 200 people.The same cast of coaches - Bill O'Brien,
Coquese Washington, Guy Gadowsky and Mark Pavlik - spoke at the evening festivities.Tuesday's program was among the best evening
events with energetic, entertaining and humorous speeches from all four
individuals.
As you hear each coach speak more and more on the Caravan, it has become
extremely apparent just how much the opportunity to coach at Penn State means
to each of them.Coach Pavlik, like a
number of veteran coaches on the University Park campus, is a tremendous
ambassador for the entire athletic department.And while they have not been in Happy Valley quite as long as Coach
Pavlik, Coaches Gadowsky and Washington are cut from the same mold.
"There are a lot of special things about Penn State and the athletic department
that you don't see at other places," Coach Gadowsky said.
"It is truly an honor for us to be a part of this special community," Coach
Washington said.
Coach O'Brien is exactly the same way.His passion for Penn State oozes from every speech on the Caravan.When he is finished with the evening
PowerPoint presentation you are ready to put pads on and start playing for the
University everyone in the presentation room loves.
The evening in Cleveland was another great representation of Penn State's
contingent of great coaches, and it was a superb stop to cap off a day in Ohio.
Before shifting into coverage of the day nine stops in Erie and Buffalo, Coach
O'Brien filled the media in Cleveland in on a number of football topics
pertaining to the roster, depth chart and schedule, among other things.Coach O'Brien was asked what he is looking
forward to most about his first gameday in Beaver Stadium.
Boarding the blue buses and riding from the Lasch Football Building to Beaver
Stadium and running onto the field out of the tunnel for the first time topped
his list.The countdown is on for the
season-opener against Ohio on Sept. 1.Take a look at the video below for more football talk in Cleveland.
VIDEO: Coach O'Brien Talks Football In Cleveland Coach O'Brien talks about the team, depth chart
and more during his meeting with the media in Cleveland on Tuesday.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season
tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can call
1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce
Jordan Ticket Center.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
ALTOONA and PITTSBURGH - The final leg of the 18-stop Penn State Coaches
Caravan kicked off on Monday with events in Altoona and downtown Pittsburgh.
More than 190 Penn State fans and alums filled the gymnasium on the Penn
State Altoona campus at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast.From there, the Fullington coach bus moved
west to Pittsburgh for a stop in Allegheny County at the Omni William Penn
Hotel.
Take a look through highlights of the first two stops on the final week of the Coaches
Caravan.
Stop XIII - Altoona For the third-straight week, the Penn State Coaches Caravan pulled out of
the Bryce Jordan Center at 6:30 a.m. Monday to begin a six-stop tour with head
coach Bill O'Brien.This week, men's
hockey coach Guy Gadowsky and men's volleyball coach Mark Pavlik boarded the
bus to join Coach O'Brien for three days on the road.
Penn State's Altoona campus played host to the 13th stop on the caravan with a
morning breakfast inside the Adler Athletic Complex.Upon arrival, Coach O'Brien made the rounds
from table to table throughout the gymnasium shaking hands and signing
autographs with Penn State fans in the room.
He approached a table with three young boys and their fathers and asked them why
they weren't in school today.As it
turned out, Monday's breakfast with the Penn State coaches was just a stop on
the way to elementary school.
One of the comical moments during Monday's breakfast came with Coach O'Brien
during the Q&A portion of the program.An enthusiastic fan stepped up and said, "What percentage of the total (offensive)
package will be in for the Ohio game and the season moving forward?"
Coach O'Brien's response before the room erupted into laughter, "A very big
percentage."
The leader of Penn State football said that meeting with the other traveling
coaches on the bus is one of the best parts about the caravan travel.He added that working with so many head
coaches is one thing he loves about working in college athletics compared to
working with just one team in the NFL.
Coaches Gadowsky and Pavlik also addressed the Altoona crowd.Coach Pavlik hails from just down the road in Derry, Pa., a small town off of U.S. 22 between Altoona and
Pittsburgh.
Coach Gadowsky informed the crowd of the men's hockey program's progress as it
transitions into varsity status for the 2012-'13 season.One year later, Penn State will be a part of
the six-team Big Ten men's hockey conference, and Coach Gadowsky cannot wait.
"When you come to see (Big Ten) hockey at Penn State, you're going to see the
best college hockey in the country," Coach Gadowsky said.
The bus loaded up after breakfast for a short drive west to the center of
Pittsburgh for the evening session on Monday.
VIDEO: Coaches Press Conference in Altoona Head coaches Bill O'Brien Guy Gadowsky and Mark
Pavlik talk about the Coaches Caravan with the media in Altoona on Monday
morning.
Stop XIV: Pittsburgh In an area rich in
football history, Coach O'Brien repeated his desire to play Pitt on an annual
basis to a group of media at the Omni William Penn Hotel on Monday
afternoon.Coach O'Brien also spoke at
great length about the superb quality of high school football in Western
Pennsylvania and the importance of recruiting the Pittsburgh area.
Men's hockey coach Guy Gadowsky fielded several questions about the growth of
the Nittany Lion program as it begins to countdown the days from its Division I
opener.One of the topics he discussed
was the possibility of playing an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium one day.Coach O'Brien gave the idea his blessing if
the opportunity presents itself.
There are nearly
27,000 Penn State alums in Allegheny County, and Monday night's crowd was
terrific inside the Grand Ballroom on the 17th floor in the Omni William Penn
Hotel.More than 400 enthusiastic fans
and alums greeted four Penn State coaches.The list included women's hockey coach Josh Brandwene, who joined the
caravan for the first time.Coach
Brandwene, a Penn State alum himself, delivered a passionate speech to the
Nittany Lion faithful.
Fellow hockey leader, Coach Gadowsky received a rousing cheer as he kicked off
his speech by showing the room renderings of what Pegula Ice Arena will look
like when it opens in the fall of 2013.
Coach O'Brien's initial reception was not quite the same.
He told the crowd the last time he was in Pittsburgh was during the fall when
he coached against the Steelers as the offensive coordinator of the
Patriots.Jokingly, the Steeler Nation
booed Coach O'Brien on stage.
Nevertheless, Coach O'Brien again did a superb job explaining his vision for
the football program through an informative PowerPoint presentation.One piece of football news Nittany Lion fans
will be interested to hear about came out during Coach O'Brien's speech.He said on Monday that the depth chart,
including the quarterback position, will be out "soon".
Collectively, all four coaches on stage kept the great crowd engaged and
entertained throughout the night.Coaches Brandwene, Gadowsky, O'Brien and Pavlik are great ambassadors
for Penn State Athletics.
Speaking about all three new head coaches on stage, Coach Pavlik ended
his speech by telling the crowd that the athletic department is in very good
hands.
"These guys are going to make you proud, Penn State proud," Coach Pavlik said.
VIDEO: Coach O'Brien Talks PA Football; Coach Gadowsky Talks Outdoor
Hockey Coach O'Brien talked about Pittsburgh football
and recruiting in Western Pennsylvania during Monday's media session.Coach Gadowsky shared his thoughts on an
outdoor hockey game at Beaver Stadium.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season
tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can call
1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce
Jordan Ticket Center.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Earlier this year "struggling" would have been a
very accurate word to help describe the Penn State baseball season.Lately however, they have been anything
but.
Following a 3-14 start to the season things were looking bleak in Happy
Valley.But, fortunately for Nittany
Lion fans no one told the team, and especially the seniors, that they were
supposed to go down that way.
Since that 3-14 start the team has been rolling, going 24-10 to bring its
overall record to 27-24, good for a tie for second place in the
conference.
The latest victim for the Nittany Lions was the Illinois Fighting Illini,
who Penn State took down in a huge three game series this past weekend, winning
all three games at home.
Not only was the three game sweep special for the Nittany Lions in the
standings, it had even more meaning for the seniors, as it was their final home
series, including Senior Day Sunday afternoon.
For head coach Robbie Wine the struggles early on helped the team get to
where they are now.
"When you struggle early in the year you have to re-evaluate things," Wine
said."The credit goes to the guys for
making the adjustments and committing to the plan and sticking with it."
Making adjustments were huge all weekend for the Lions vs. Illinois as they
fell behind first in two of the three home games.
While Friday the Lions kept a lead or tie the whole game, resulting in a
3-2 win, the rest of the weekend was not as easy.
Saturday turned into a slugfest, with the Penn State seniors, particularly
in the top of the lineup, shining through.
After falling behind 3-0 in the first the Lions used four home runs by
three seniors (two from Sean Deegan, one from Jordan Steranka, and one from
Joey DeBernardis) to win a back and forth 8-6 ball game.With all eight runs coming from those homers
and that senior class.
Sunday the senior
moments continued on Senior Day as Steranka went 3-4 (and broke the Penn State
total bases record) with Deegan and DeBernardis each banging in a hit and RBI.
For those seniors this
weekend was truly a special one.
"It's been huge, it's kind of surreal right now, hasn't really set in yet,"
said Steranka on the senior weekend."These last three games Sean (Deegan) has played two great games, DeBo
(DeBernardis) stepped up big-time, overall this team got behind us, supported
us and we got the sweep."
"To go out sweeping a team my last home series, it's amazing," said
DeBernardis.Who also added just how
much an honor this whole weekend experience, and playing for this program the
last four years has been for him.
For Coach Wine this senior group has been a special one in many ways.
"This senior class has been awesome on and off the field," Wine said."It's something where I don't have to worry
about these guys, they take care of their business in the classroom, they come to
practice, and they work hard."
That hard work will have to continue for the Lions to make a run in the rest of
the season and the Big Ten tournament, but it is something they are confident
they will be able to do.
The team has won five straight Big Ten series, and they are not looking to stop
now.
"Right now we think we can beat anybody," said Deegan following the sweep."And that's exactly how you want to feel."
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State football coach Bill O'Brien and the
Coaches Caravan will hit the road on Monday to kick off week three of the 18-stop
tour through seven states.
The first two weeks of the Coaches Caravan were a resounding success.This week, Coach O'Brien will headline stops
in Altoona (breakfast) and Pittsburgh (evening) on Monday, Youngstown (lunch)
and Cleveland (evening) on Tuesday and Erie (lunch) and Buffalo (evening) on
Wednesday.
In addition to Coach O'Brien, men's hockey coach Guy Gadowsky (six stops), men's
volleyball coach Mark Pavlik (six stops), Lady Lion head coach Coquese
Washington (two stops) and women's ice hockey coach Josh Brandwene (two stops)
will join the Coaches Caravan for week three.
By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Seniors are the heart and soul of any collegiate
athletic team and Penn State baseball is graduating six seniors this year who
have been instrumental throughout their time as Nittany Lions.
These seniors have been around the game of college baseball for four
years.They know what it takes to
win.Their experience acts as a guide to
younger players as they are embraced into the Penn State tradition. Their contributions have come in many forms,
both on and off the field.This year's
senior class is lead by senior first baseman Jordan Steranka.
Steranka was drafted by the Astros at the end of his junior year and
elected to return to Happy Valley for his senior season.He has fueled the fire on offense and is
leading the team in batting average (.354), hits (68), RBIs (33) and is tied
for the lead in homeruns (8) with his fellow senior Sean Deegan.
Playing baseball at the collegiate level taught Steranka a valuable lesson
to go along with all of his accolades.He has learned that to be successful in life, as in baseball, people need
to put in the effort required to accomplish their goals.
"That experience of every game has just really made me learn about the game
and more about life in general," said Steranka."You got to show up and give a hundred percent effort in anything you
do."
In his four years as a Nittany Lion, Steranka has seen a number of
different opponents, numerous dramatic victories and a rare no-hitter by junior
Steven Hill at Iowa.What means the most
to him, through all of it, are the bonds he has formed with his fellow
teammates and the adventures they've had together.
"I think most of all the relationships you form with the teammates and the
older guys that have already graduated," said Steranka on what he will remember
in his years as a Nittany Lion."There's
been some big wins, some fun trips."
One player who has been a part of Steranka's journey from the very beginning
is Sean Deegan.Deegan has been a force
to be reckoned with both in the outfield as well as at the plate.Many of his eight homeruns have come when the
team needed them most.Whether Penn
State needed a spark on offense or a game-winning three-run blast with two outs
in the bottom of the tenth against Ohio State, Deegan has been more than happy
to oblige.
Naturally, the homerun versus the Buckeyes is a moment the senior will
never forget.A picture taken by
Deegan's friend of him throwing his helmet in the air as he approached home
plate with his teammates ready to celebrate shows just how special the
series-clenching hit was.
"Not only was it a huge moment for me personally, but everyone on the team
looks ecstatic and just so happy in that one picture," said Deegan."It just shows what a team really is in one
little moment."
The best piece of advice Deegan has for his teammates is to stay positive,
even when you're in a slump, because every pitch represents a new opportunity.
"One thing that I would tell [the players] is that baseball is a game where
you can never really get down on yourself," said Deegan."You can always get better and as bad as you
think things are, you can always turn it around on the next pitch."
Sitting between Steranka and junior Steven Snyder at the top of the Nittany
Lion batting order is senior Joey DeBernardis. With a team-high 14 doubles, accompanied
by five homeruns, DeBernardis is another power hitter for opposing pitchers to
fear.To go along with his hitting prowess,
DeBerdardis's fielding capabilities solidified the left side of the infield
after he moved from first to third at the start of the year.
For DeBernardis, Penn State will always hold a place in his heart.He has enjoyed his four years in college and
is proud to be a Nittany Lion.
"Penn State's going to be in my life forever," said DeBernardis."I'm always going to quote on quote 'bleed
blue.'It's just been amazing and I
wouldn't change one thing about my four years in college.
Representing the senior class on the mound is pitcher Mike Franklin.Franklin has been Penn State's premier midweek
starter this year and his performance in the home opener against Pittsburgh
helped pull Penn State out of a 3-14 start to the season.His weeknight performances set the tone for
the Nittany Lions heading into the weekend series' versus Big Ten opponents.
"Franklin's been huge during midweek," said Steranka."He's one of those guys that you know he is
going to go out there and pitch a great game and give you a chance to win."
Two unsung heroes in this year's graduating class are senior transfer Sean
Parvin and former closer Ryan Ignas.Parvin has been a key utility player for Penn State and his humorous
personality defines the team's relaxed, optimistic culture on the field and in
the locker room.
"Sean, he's a fun guy and keeps everything light-hearted in the locker room
and Ignas helps out with the coaches during practices and everything," said
Steranka."Those two guys especially
have really helped a lot."
Ignas was Penn State's ace closer last year before suffering a
season-ending injury that also kept him from the mound during 2012.Losing him was devastating to a bullpen that
needed a solid pitcher for the ninth inning.Nevertheless, Ignas found his home as a coach-like figure for younger
pitchers.Despite his injury, he was
there for his teammates every step of the way.
"(Ignas) is huge," said DeBernardis."He's been here for four years too, so those young pitchers they can go
to him because he's been in those situations."
With the final home series against Illinois this weekend, the seniors
prepare to bid farewell to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.They hope to make a lasting impression on a
school that has taught them well and fans that have supported them through all
four years.
HARTFORD, Conn. and
SCRANTON, Pa. - The second leg of the three-week Penn State Coaches Caravan
ended with a great stop in northeastern Pennsylvania on Thursday.
A capacity crowd of more than 930 enthusiastic fans gave the Coaches
Caravan a warm reception in Genetti Manor to cap off a superb week on the road
for Bill O'Brien and the traveling Penn State coaches.The modified Fullington bus made six stops in
four states and drove more than 700 miles during three days.
Take a look through highlights of the final day on week two of the Coaches
Caravan.
Stop XI - Hartford As he has done at each stop on the Coaches Caravan, Coach O'Brien sat in a
small conference room inside the Farmington Marriott Hotel for a media session.At the time he was answering questions from a
local reporter and CBSSports.com national college football writer Dennis Dodd
when a man appeared through the back door of the room.
Coach O'Brien stopped mid-sentence and said, "That is my uncle, John Murphy."
Murphy, a lawyer from Jamestown, R.I., surprised his nephew with a visit to the
caravan stop on Thursday morning.Clad
in a blue "We Billieve" T-shirt, Murphy told the room how proud the family was
of Penn State football's new leader.Coach O'Brien attended Brown University with Murphy's daughter, Emily,
and joked during his presentation that Emily had all the good stories about him
from his college days.
Coach O'Brien polled the audience in Hartford to see how many New England
Patriots fans were in the room on Thursday morning.More than half of the 140 attendees raised
their hand.
"As we get further north, I feel more comfortable," joked Coach O'Brien.
The first stop of the day ended shortly after 1 p.m., and the bus loaded up for
a drive through mountains, across the Hudson River and Delaware River en route
to Scranton for stop No. 12 on the caravan.
VIDEO: Coach O'Brien Talks About His First Four Months While meeting with a local reporter in Connecticut, Coach O'Brien shared
insight on what his first four months on the job have been like.
Hartford Photos:
Stop XII: Scranton After talking with Scranton Area Alumni Association President Jim Elliott
at the Hazleton stop earlier this week, expectations were high for a big
turnout during Thursday evening's dinner at Genetti's in Dickson City.Without question, Elliott and his staff
played host to the largest event on the caravan.
More than 930 Penn State fans seated at 94 tables crammed into the ballroom at
Genetti's to welcome a great group from the Penn State Athletics family.The list of attendees included Scranton
native and Penn State team physician Wayne Sebastianelli, Acting Director of
Athletics Dave Joyner, the voice of the Nittany Lions Steve Jones, current
Nittany Lions and Scranton-area products Matt McGloin and J.R. Refice.
Prior to dinner, Coach O'Brien signed autographs for a throng of fans that
lined up more than 90 minutes prior to the program beginning.Among the hundreds of fans in a line that
snaked throughout the building was a large contingent of the McGloin
family.In all, 27 members of the senior
quarterbacks family attended the event, many of which posed for a family photo
with Coach O'Brien during the autograph period.
Fan after fan walked up to Coach O'Brien for an opportunity to shake hands, take
photos and obtain an autograph fore more than an hour.Some offered advice.Some told stories. Some even gave him gifts.
Women's volleyball head coach Russ Rose, who joined the caravan for the
second-straight night, received a standing ovation when he was introduced to
the crowd.Coach O'Brien received two
rousing ovations, one when he was introduced and a second when he finished his
presentation.
Simply put, the Scranton crowd was tremendous.
"I've got chills up my spine.I'm ready
to go play right now!" Coach O'Brien said during the middle of his speech.
"Every single day, I thank the people who hired me," Coach O'Brien said
during his closing remarks.
Thursday evening's dinner was a terrific way to move into week three of the
Coaches Caravan.Coach O'Brien will hit
the road on Monday morning with men's hockey head coach Guy Gadowsky and men's
volleyball coach Mark Pavlik for a breakfast stop in Altoona.
The final week of the caravan will also feature stops in Pittsburgh (Monday
evening), Youngstown (Tuesday evening), Cleveland (Tuesday evening), Erie
(Wednesday lunch) and Buffalo (Wednesday evening).A big thank you goes out to all of the fans
in attendance at the six stops on week two.We look forward to seeing you on the road next week.
VIDEO: Coach O'Brien and Coach Rose Meet
the Media In Scranton Coaches O'Brien and Rose talk to the media in Scranton.Coach Rose shared a story about interviewing
Coach O'Brien before he was hired in January.
Scranton Photos:
For information on
joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season tickets, as well as club
seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can call 1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY)
weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Ticket Center.
Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on
Twitter @GoPSUTony
By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
Penn State won its fourth straight conference series last weekend as they took
two crucial games out of three from Minnesota, moving into a three-way tie for
third place in the Big Ten.
Both starting pitching and the art of manufacturing runs have been huge for the
Nittany Lions throughout conference play and the series against the Golden
Gophers was no different.All three weekend
starters had strong outings and in the two victories the offense was able to
come up with big hits when it mattered most.Penn State moved to 10-8 in the Big Ten after beginning the year 2-4.
The season thus far has been defined by highs and lows as the Nittany Lions
began their journey with a harsh 17-game away stretch where they went 3-14
followed by an opening 2-1 conference series loss to Indiana and a 2-1 series
loss to Purdue the following weekend.Since
then Penn State has won four-straight Big Ten series and is 17-5 in its last 22
games.
The Lions have been sharp of late as the mid-season turnaround has seen
everything from dramatic walk-off hits to a number of pitching gems including a
no-hitter by junior Steven Hill at Iowa.With the middle of the conference standings jumbled, Penn State has to
play at a consistently high level to make the post season.
The top six teams in the Big Ten will compete in the conference tournament and
with two games separating seven teams from second place, every win is
vital.Barring a late breakdown, Purdue
has virtually secured first place, which means those seven teams (Indiana,
Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Ohio State, Nebraska and Illinois) are
battling for the five remaining spots with Iowa, Michigan, and Northwestern
barely hanging on at the bottom of the list.
The Nittany Lions have two more Big Ten series' left against Illinois and
Michigan State, both of which are in the heat of the race.As has been the case all year, pitching will
be key.Penn State's offense has been
hot and cold, but the starting pitching has played consistently well for most
of the season.Each weekend starter has a
sub-5.00 era, despite the rough start, and sophomore ace Joe Kurrasch boasts a
dominant 2.06 era and a team-high 63 strikeouts.
Penn State looks to keep up the momentum this weekend as the team prepares for
another important Big Ten series at home against the Illini.It
will be the last home stand for the Lions as the seniors say an emotional
farewell to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Big
Ten Standings Update:
Big Ten
Overall
Team
Record
Pct.
Record
Pct.
1. Purdue
14-4
.778
35-9
.795
2. Indiana
11-7
.611
24-24
.500
3. Michigan State
10-8
.556
29-16
.644
Minnesota
10-8
.556
28-22
.560
Penn State
10-8
.556
24-23
.511
6. Ohio State
11-10
.524
27-20
.574
7. Nebraska
9-9
.500
29-18
.617
Illinois
9-9
.500
26-21
.553
9. Iowa
7-11
.389
19-24
.442
10. Michigan
6-12
.333
19-28
.404
11. Northwestern
5-16
.238
16-29
.356
***Note records do not include all
mid-week games***
NEW YORK - The Penn
State Coaches Caravan rolled into New York City on Wednesday afternoon
following a lunch stop in Woodbridge, N.J., which marked the ninth event on the
18-stop trek over three weeks.
Head football coach Bill O'Brien, Lady Lions coach Coquese Washington and men's
golf coach Greg Nye spoke at again spoke at both events on Wednesday.Take a look through highlights of the Coaches
Caravan stops in the Woodbridge Hilton and the Sheraton New York.
Stop IX - Woodbridge More than 140 Penn State fans and alums filled third-floor ballroom inside
the Woodbridge Hilton for the midway point of the Coaches Caravan.With the room being smaller than some of the
stops, the lunch presentation had an intimate feel for the fans to be able to
get up close and personal with all three coaches.
A few new topics came up in the Woodbridge presentation and media meeting with
some of the New York Metro media.Coach
O'Brien told the media that his first trip to Beaver Stadium with Herb Combs,
the supervisor of the athletic fields, came long after he accepted the head
coaching job.Combs turned on the Beaver
Stadium at 5:30 a.m. for Coach O'Brien to visit.He labeled the visit as one of the "wow"
moments in his first four months on the job.
Coach Washington urged the crowd to grill the "rookie", Coach O'Brien, during
the Q&A portion of the program in Woodbridge.He was put on the spot by a fan asking which
flavor was his favorite at the Penn State Creamery.Coach O'Brien's answer, "Peachy Paterno."
VIDEO: Coach O'Brien Talks Recruiting in New Jersey
Stop X: New York From Woodbridge, the
Coaches Caravan motorcoach rolled north on the New Jersey Turnpike en route to
the Lincoln Tunnel and a trip through the heart of midtown Manhattan.With the Sheraton New York just a few blocks
from one of the most famous places in the world, we took a walk with Coach
O'Brien down to Times Square before the media festivities began.He had not been to Manhattan in several years
prior to Wednesday's trip.
Joining the three coaches in New York was women's volleyball head coach Russ Rose.Coach Rose shared a story of his trip to the
2009 NIT games in Madison Square Garden where he and Coach Paterno walked to
the arena and visited a street vendor without anyone recognizing who they were.
Coach Rose provided great humor during his speech, but the five-time national
champion inspired the crowd with remarks of how the Penn State fans and alums
truly fuel the coaches at Penn State with their passion for the university.
As he did in Woodbridge, Coach O'Brien weaved Jets and Giants talk into his
speech.Having defeated the Jets by a
score of 37-16 last season in MetLife Stadium, Coach O'Brien joked that he is
looking forward to playing neutral site games there after his successful trips
in the NFL.
He wants the Nittany Lions to play complementary football from here on
out.What he means by complementary
football is the offense helping the defense succeed by scoring points and
keeping them off the field or the defense forcing quick punts of opposing teams
to give the ball back to the offense.He
used a New York-specific example to drive home his point.
"The Giants played complementary football by pinning us deep in our own
territory. We had to keep driving 95 yards to score points.That's why you won the Super Bowl. I'm mad at
you people," Coach O'Brien joked.
Penn State has a great fan and alumni base in New York City.Several people we talked to after the show
said the Nittany Lion fans band together and watch the football games every
Saturday in different establishments on Manhattan.The Big Apple's Penn State faithful was
thrilled to have an opportunity to host the coaches in an event on their home
soil on Thursday night.
The coaches in attendance felt the same way.
"It is an honor to represent you wherever we go," Coach Washington said.
With the 10th stop completed, the Caravan travelers loaded the bus with Ray's
Pizza onboard en route to Hartford, which is stop No. 11 on Thursday morning.
VIDEO: Penn State Coaches Talk in New York City Hear from head coaches Coquese Washington, Greg Nye and Russ Rose during the New York City stop on the Penn State Caravan.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season
tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can call
1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce
Jordan Ticket Center.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
HAZLETON and BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Week two of the Coaches Caravan kicked off on Tuesday
morning when the Penn State-themed Fullington Trailways coach bus rolled out of
the Bryce Jordan Center parking lot with football head coach Bill O'Brien, Lady
Lions head coach Coquese Washington and men's golf coach Greg Nye aboard en
route to Hazleton.
Day four included a lunch stop on the Penn State Hazleton campus and an evening
program in the Lehigh Valley.The nine-day
event co-hosted by the Nittany Lion Club and the Penn State Alumni Association
will continue on Wednesday and Thursday this week.Take a look through highlights from the first
day of week two on the caravan.
Stop VII - Hazleton More than 200 Penn State fans and alums greeted the head coaches inside the
gymnasium at the 1,300-student Hazleton Campus on Tuesday morning.Coaches Nye and Washington each spoke for the
first during the caravan.Coach Nye
addressed the crowd about the history of successes the men's golf program has
endured during his tenure as head coach.
Coach Washington highlighted the Lady Lions' journey to a Big Ten title
this spring.She also spoke at great
length about the exciting season ahead for Penn State across the athletic department.
"It's poised to be a season for the ages
for Penn State Athletics," Coach Washington said.
Coach O'Brien gave his colleague a great deal of praise during the opening
portion of his speech.
"There is no better women's basketball coach in the country than Coquese
Washington," Coach O'Brien said.
In addition to explaining his vision for the football program, Coach O'Brien
told the crowd in Hazleton that he has spent time recently working on the
future schedules for Penn State Football.With the schedules set for the next three seasons, Coach O'Brien said
that he eventually wants to add a marquee game at the beginning of each
season.Among the teams he mentioned
were - Alabama, Stanford and Southern California - and possibly at neutral
sites.
Take a look through some photos during the lunch in Hazleton.
VIDEO: Media Interviews in Hazleton Watch Bill O'Brien and Coquese Washington talk to the media in
Hazleton.Coach O'Brien speaks about
football in the northeastern portion of Pennsylvania.
Stop VIII: Lehigh Valley The eighth stop on
the Coaches Caravan visited the Sands Hotel and Casino in Bethlehem, Pa.The evening program was the first ever event
held by the Sands Events Center. A crowd of nearly 400 Penn State fans
attended the program on Tuesday night.The Lehigh Valley fans were energetic and engaged throughout the
program, providing a great atmosphere for Tuesday night's stop.
All three coaches spent time talking about the importance of a close-knit
community in the athletic department moving forward.Coach Nye informed the crowd of the brown bag
lunches that the golf clubhouse hosts from time to time for the head coaches
across the athletic department to attend.Coach O'Brien was among the attendees to a lunch in March where he got
to know several coaches.Coach Nye's
message plays off of the "One Team" mentality Coach O'Brien has adopted for the
Nittany Lion football team and its place in the athletic department.
The leader of Penn State football delivered an impassioned, informative
presentation in the Lehigh Valley.He
told the crowd that he likes to adjust his presentation at every stop of the
Coaches Caravan.Having been at all
eight stops, Coach O'Brien talks about a lot of the same topics, but the
variation of his speech makes the presentation riveting every time he delivers
it.
On Tuesday (for the first time on the caravan), Coach O'Brien said that he
caught the coaching bug at 8 or 9 years old.He grew up in Massachusetts watching Penn State games on TV with his
dad.As we have written before, what you
see is what you get with Coach O'Brien.He is a passionate, competitive individual who loves the game of
football, and his speeches on the Coaches Caravan are a great representation of
that.
The fan reaction to all three coaches was terrific in the Lehigh Valley.The fan response has been the most impressive
thing about the first eight stops of the caravan.The crowd gave Coach O'Brien a standing
ovation when he finished his PowerPoint presentation on Tuesday.Coach Washington directed her final remarks to
the crowd on a great night at the Sands Events Center.
"Thank you for being the best fans," Coach Washington said.
VIDEO: Lehigh Valley Press Conference Coach O'Brien and
Coach Washington addressed the media at a joint press conference at the Lehigh
Valley event.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season
tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can call
1-800-648-8269
(1-800-NITTANY) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan
Ticket
Center.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State football coach Bill O'Brien and the
Coaches Caravan will again hit the road this week for six more stops across
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
The first week of the Coaches Caravan was a resounding success.Coach O'Brien had the opportunity to shake
hands, sign autographs and talk with Penn Staters throughout the week in
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond and Harrisburg.The reception from the Nittany Lion fans and
alums towards all five coaches on the caravan was tremendous last week.
The leader of Penn State Football is eager to get back on the road this week
for leg two of the 18-stop Coaches Caravan.Tuesday includes a lunch stop in Hazleton and an evening stop in Lehigh
Valley.Wednesday features lunch in
Woodbridge, N.J. and an evening in New York City.Thursday includes lunch in Hartford, Conn.,
and an evening in Scranton.In addition
to Coach O'Brien, Lady Lion head coach Coquese Washington (four stops), men's
golf coach Greg Nye (six stops) and women's volleyball coach Russ Rose (two
stops) will travel this week.
By Jackson Thibodeau, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On the day of the 2012 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament
selection show, let's take a look at what the Nittany Lions need to fall in
place to receive one of nine at-large bids.
Tournament Information:
- 61 teams compete in NCAA Division I men's lacrosse. By season's end, the
field is narrowed to just 16 teams that compete in the NCAA tournament.
- Seven conferences receive automatic bids if they win their conference
tournaments (America East, BIG EAST, Colonial Athletic Association, ECAC, Ivy
League, Metro Atlantic, Patriot League).
- The remaining nine spots in the tournament belong to at-large bids.
- 2012 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships will take place at Gillette
Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Conference Championships:
NOTE: All rankings are Men's Lacrosse
RPI.
ECAC Championship (May 4, 2012)
-
No. 3 Loyola Md. def. No. 15 Fairfield, 14-7
- Loyola earns automatic bid for winning ECAC.
- What Penn State needed: A Loyola win was a plus for the Nittany Lions, as
Penn State needs as many favored teams to win their conference championships as
possible.
Patriot League Championship (May 4,
2012)
- No. 6 Lehigh def. No. 9 Colgate, 16-14
- Lehigh earns automatic bid for winning Patriot League.
- What Penn State needed: A Lehigh win was a positive for Penn State, although
Colgate may still earn an at-large bid.
America East Championship (May 5, 2012)
- No. 39 Stony Brook def. No. 40 Albany, 14-8
- Stony Brook earns the automatic bid for winning the America East.
- What Penn State needed: The loser of this contest will not receive an
at-large bid in the tournament, meaning that the outcome did not affect the
Nittany Lions.
BIG EAST Championship (May 5, 2012)
- No. 19 Syracuse def. No. 29 St. Johns, 12-4
- Syracuse earned the automatic bid for winning the BIG EAST.
- What Penn State needed: The way things unfolded in the BIG EAST was a blow to
the Nittany Lions after St. Johns defeated Notre Dame.The fact that Notre Dame will likely an at-large
bids could hurt the Lions' chances.
CAA Championship (May 5, 2012)
- No. 2 UMass def. No. 20 Drexel, 18-12
- UMass earns the automatic bid for winning the CAA.
- What Penn State needed: The Nittany Lions needed UMass to win to avoid the Minutemen
taking up another at-large bid if they were to lose.
Ivy League Championship (May 6, 2012)
- No. 22 Yale vs. No. 12 Princeton
- What Penn State needs: The Nittany Lions need Princeton to win this game,
because Yale is not likely to receive an at-large bid if they are defeated.
MAAC Championship (May 6, 2012)
- No. 48 Canisius vs. No. 32 Siena
- What Penn State needs: Due to the low RPI rankings of these two teams, the
team that falls in this contest most likely will not receive an at-large bid.
Where the Nittany Lions stand:
- 9-6, 5-1 CAA
- RPI: 11
- Top 5 RPI wins: Notre Dame
- Top 25 RPI wins: Drexel, Ohio State, Villanova, Hofstra
- Penn State can be considered a "bubble team" as of right now because the
Nittany Lions are riding on several outcomes to boost their chances of earning
an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn Staters in northern New Jersey and New York
City will play host to the Coaches Caravan on Wednesday (May 9) with stops in
Woodbridge, N.J. and dinner in the heart of Manhattan.
Women's volleyball coach Russ Rose will join Bill O'Brien, Lady Lion head coach
Coquese Washington and men's golf coach Greg Nye during the evening stop in the
Big Apple.Make plans to spend an
evening with Penn State in NYC.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Week two of the 18-stop Penn State Coaches
Caravan kicks off on Tuesday with a lunch stop in Hazleton and a dinner stop in
the Lehigh Valley.
Lady Lion head coach Coquese Washington will join Bill O'Brien and men's golf coach
Greg Nye during the first stop of the week.Coach Washington wants to see you there.
RICHMOND, Va. and CAMP HILL, Pa. - The Penn State Coaches Caravan rolled into the Marriott
Richmond West shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning in preparation for
stop No. 5 during the nine-day event co-hosted by the Nittany Lion Club and the
Penn State Alumni Association.
Day three included an early breakfast in Richmond, a four-hour drive to
Harrisburg and a dinner event in Camp Hill.Take a look through highlights from the final day of week one on the
caravan.
Stop V - Richmond For the first time on the Coaches Caravan, head coaches Bill O'Brien and
Beth Alford-Sullivan addressed a Penn State crowd during a breakfast
event.With the Richmond event slated to
begin at 8 a.m., you wondered how enthusiastic the crowd would be at an early
hour.
That was quickly answered with a boisterous We Are... chant from the crowd in the
room at 7:55 a.m. before the program began.The Penn State fans in Richmond were terrific.Eagerly anticipating Penn State's trip to
Virginia on Sept. 8, the crowd gave both head coaches a warm welcome, which
included a standing ovation for Coach O'Brien when he finished speaking.
Coach Alford-Sullivan spoke first at breakfast, telling the crowd that the
Caravan is a great opportunity to spend time together as an athletic department.She and Coach O'Brien have shared ideas and
coaching tips with one another on the bus during the past two days.
Coach O'Brien kicked off his speech with stories from each stop on the caravan
thus far.All five speeches have been
genuine representations of his personality and vision for the football
program.The fan reception towards Coach
O'Brien, and all of the coaches on the Caravan, has been outstanding.
"There have been so many things that have impressed me in the first four
months, and this has to be right near the top," Coach O'Brien said.
Throughout the
Caravan, Coach O'Brien has spent a great deal of time talking about
recruiting.He has repeatedly stated the
importance of recruiting the core of the team that is within driving distance
to Happy Valley to enable parents of the student-athletes to be able to drive
and see their sons play in Beaver Stadium.
Being under six hours from State College, Richmond is well within that
range.Former Nittany Lion great Michael
Robinson hails from Richmond, and Coach O'Brien used the 2005 First Team
All-Big Ten quarterback as a prime example of the type of student-athlete the
coaching staff is looking for in recruiting.Robinson earned two degrees from Penn State (Advertising/Public
Relations and Journalism) and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection
before being drafted in the NFL.
With breakfast complete, the Coaches Caravan bus loaded up and headed north on
I-95 en route to I-81 and Harrisburg for the final dinner session of week one.
VIDEO: Media Interviews in Richmond Watch Coach O'Brien address the Richmond media.He talks about the importance of recruiting
in Virginia and how the caravan has gone so far.
Stop VI: Camp Hill The Coaches Caravan
returned to the Keystone State after driving through four states and the
District of Columbia since the bus pulled out of Philadelphia on Monday
night.For the third stop on the tour,
field hockey head coach Char Morett joined Coach Alford-Sullivan and Coach
O'Brien inside the Camp Hill Radisson for the sixth and final event of week one.
The first leg of the
Coaches Caravan wrapped up with a great crowd in the Harrisburg on Wednesday
evening.Coach Morett kicked off the
speaker panel with another pride-filled speech, like she did on Monday in
Philadelphia.She and Coach
Alford-Sullivan spoke at great length about what makes Penn State such a
special place.
"It's the people," Coach Morett said."The people make Penn State a great place."
"I just want to let everyone know how proud I am of being at Penn State and
coaching my teams," Coach Alford-Sullivan.
Coach O'Brien's message again featured a detailed PowerPoint presentation on
the vision of the football program.He
told the crowd that nothing will be accomplished in the football program without
hard work.Coach O'Brien assured the
room with more than 400 that he and the team will work incredibly hard at
achieving in the classroom and on the football field.
All six stops this week have all had a unique Penn State feel to them.The constant is the unrivaled support and
enthusiasm for the coaches and student-athletes on the University Park campus.With 761 miles down, we look forward to seeing you next week on
leg two of the Coaches Caravan next week.
"This has been a fantastic trip. It's proven to me why I took the job," Coach
O'Brien said.
VIDEO: Coach O'Brien Meets With the Media on the
Caravan Bus Prior to Wednesday
night's program at the Radisson in Camp Hill, Coach O'Brien met with some of
the local beat writers on the Coaches Caravan bus.Take a look at some of his thoughts on the
Caravan and more here.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and
purchasing season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can
call 1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce
Jordan Ticket Center.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
BALTIMORE, Md. and WASHINGTON, D.C. - Shortly after the evening program ended in Drexelbrook
on Monday night, the Penn State Coaches Caravan bus loaded up and trekked south
on I-95 for day two of the nine-day, 18-stop trip.
The travel party arrived at the Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor hotel in
preparation for Tuesday's lunch stop with the Nittany Lion fans and alums.The caravan continued south for a dinner stop
in Washington at the Washington Hilton. Take a look through highlights from day two.
Stop III - Baltimore Into his second day on stage, Coach O'Brien thoroughly enjoyed his time
interacting with the Penn State fans and alums in Baltimore.Saying he came into his own on stage Tuesday
would not be a fair assessment because his first two speeches on the caravan
were great, but he took things to another level on Tuesday morning in the
Marriott Inner Harbor.
Through much of his speech and Q&A session Coach O'Brien had the room filled
with more than 225 people laughing.The
humor ranged from ribbing the Ravens fans in the room about the result of the
AFC Championship game (Patriots victory) in January to asking women's golf
coach Denise St. Pierre if she could help his slice on the golf course.
He told the crowd before the Q&A session began and said there is one
question off limits.
"Don't ask me about the starting quarterback," Coach O'Brien said."When we take the field on Sept. 1, we will
have a starting quarterback!" (Laughter throughout the room).
Coach O'Brien said that one of the things that has really impressed him since
he started at Penn State is the tremendous school spirit from the student body.
"How many other places do you see the students decked out from head-to-toe in
gear like you do at Penn State?" Coach O'Brien said.
He enjoys seeing all of the Penn State students covered in gear on College
Ave., in the Dunkin' Donuts he visits or on campus every day.
For the third-straight stop, Coach Chambers joined the leader of Penn State
football on stage.Coach Chambers told
the crowd of his history recruiting in Baltimore for several years during his
coaching career.He also told the room
that Tuesday exactly marks 11 months on the job as head coach of Penn State
men's hoops.Coach Chambers fielded a
great question about Tim Frazier during the Q&A session to which he
responded with how the senior point guard is a special talent Nittany Lion fans
are able to watch.
Penn State track and cross country coach Beth Alford-Sullivan and women's golf
coach Denise St. Pierre drove from State College to Baltimore on Tuesday
morning to join the Coaches Caravan.Alford-Sullivan told the room about her track team's tremendous
performance at the Penn Relays over the weekend.St. Pierre explained how important it is for
the entire athletic department to work together as one unit.
VIDEO: Media Interviews in Baltimore Watch Beth Alford-Sullivan, Denise St. Pierre and Bill O'Brien talk to the
media in Baltimore on Tuesday morning.
Stop IV: Washington, D.C. Just three days
removed from the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the Washington Hilton's
International Ballroom played host to the fourth stop on the Penn State Coaches
Caravan tour.
A crowd of more than 375
Penn State fans enjoyed the second dinner program of the Caravan inside the
immaculate ballroom on the bottom floor of the Washington Hilton.All four coaches - St. Pierre, Chambers,
Alford-Sullivan and O'Brien - again addressed the crowd before an informal
Q&A session.
For the first time on the tour, Coach O'Brien spoke to the crowd without a suit
jacket on and his cuffs flipped up.He
joked with the crowd about his sideline exchange with Tom Brady at FedEx Field
against the Redskins.Coach O'Brien again
delivered his PowerPoint presentation - "A Championship Program On and Off the
Field" - to the audience again on Tuesday night.He will speak with a presentation during each
night session during the Caravan.
Coach Chambers wrapped up his involvement on the Coaches Caravan with another
energetic speech.He told the crowd that
everyone in the program will be working relentlessly to take Nittany Lion
basketball to new heights.
"People now are a little bit afraid on the recruiting trail of Penn State
basketball," Coach Chambers said of the progress he and the hoops staff
are making.
Coach Alford-Sullivan finished her speech with a great quote for the Penn State
crowd to take home.
"You put the 'We' in We are...Penn State," Coach Alford-Sullivan.
VIDEO: Coach O'Brien Meets the Media
in Washington, D.C. Head coach Bill O'Brien addressed the media in Washington, D.C. outdoors at
the Hilton prior to the evening event.Take a look as he talks
about the advancements of football video editing and gameplanning.
For
information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and
purchasing season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium,
fans can
call 1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit
the Bryce
Jordan Ticket Center.
Follow GoPSUsports.com
Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
