VIDEO FEATURE: The Coaches Caravan from a Fan Perspective
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. "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.
Coaches Caravan Registration
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.
"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.
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.
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Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
