| Joe Suhey |
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Joe Suhey comes from a family that is as synonymous to Penn State football as the Paterno namesake. Suhey is a fourth-generation Nittany Lion, hailing from what has been coined the "First Family" of Penn State football. The redshirt sophomore fullback began to add his name to his family's long line of successes on the Penn State gridiron by playing in every game in 2008. Suhey will enter preseason camp as the top candidate at fullback. A multi-talented and instinctive running back, Suhey has good skills as a runner, receiver and blocker. He was lauded by Joe Paterno for his efforts in spring practice and has an opportunity to emerge as a significant contributor on offense and special teams. Suhey earned team MVP, all-conference and all-area honors at Loyola Academy and was honorable-mention all-state. His father, Matt, was a standout running back at Penn State from 1976-79, rushing for 2,818 yards, good for No. 9 on the school career list, and 26 touchdowns before starting a lengthy and successful career with the NFL's Chicago Bears. Joe Suhey's great grandfather, Bob Higgins, was the second All-American in Penn State gridiron history, earning the honor in 1915 and again in 1919, and later served as head coach from 1930-48. That gives the Higgins-Suhey family 93 years of involvement with the Penn State program of the 122 seasons it has existed, prior to this season. Joe's grandfather, Steve Suhey, was a letterman at guard in 1942 and again in 1946-47, garnering All-America honors his senior season. He married one of Bob Higgins' daughters, Ginger. Three of their sons -- Paul, Larry and Matt -- played for Penn State in the 1970s.
2008 Sophomore Season
In his first season on the field, Suhey saw action in every game on offense and special teams. He proved to be an effective runner, receiver and blocker in his redshirt freshman campaign. Suhey gained 26 yards on nine carries and had two receptions for 36 yards. In his collegiate debut, against Coastal Carolina, Suhey gained 11 yards on three carries and made one catch for 17 yards. He gained 11 yards on three carries against Temple, including a season-long nine-yard run. He caught a season-long 19-yard pass in the 48-7 win at Wisconsin. Suhey was on the field for 172 snaps, led by 24 each against Coastal Carolina and Temple.
2007 Freshman Season
Redshirt season. Suhey scored a touchdown and gained 17 yards on six carries in the 2008 Blue-White game.
High School
Suhey was a standout player at Loyola Academy. His high school coach was John Holecek, a former Buffalo Bills linebacker. As a receiver, Suhey made touchdown receptions of 25, 35 and 45 yards. He earned team MVP, all-conference and all-area honors and was honorable-mention all-state. He also was a three-year starter for the basketball team and a team captain. He played with Michael Jordan's two sons, Jeff and Marcus, at Loyola Academy.
Personal
Full name is Joseph Steven Suhey. He is the son of Matt and Donna Suhey. He has one brother, Scotty, and a sister, Allison. His father was a standout running back at Penn State from 1976-79, rushing for 2,818 yards, good for No. 9 on the school career list, and 26 touchdowns before starting a lengthy career with the NFL Chicago Bears. His mother also is a Penn State graduate. Joe's great-grandfather, Bob Higgins, was the second All-American in Penn State football history, receiving the honor in 1915 and again in 1919, and later served as head coach from 1930-48. Joe's grandfather, Steve Suhey, was a letterman at guard in 1942 and again in 1946-47, earning All-America honors his senior season. He married one of Bob Higgins' daughters, Ginger. Three of their sons, Paul, Larry and Matt, played for Penn State in the 1970s. One of Joe's first cousins, Kevin Suhey, was a quarterback and special teams player for the Nittany Lions from 2005-07 and graduated in 2008. Joe is a recreation, park and tourism management major and compiled a 3.22 grade-point average for the 2009 spring semester. Born May 30, 1989 in Chicago, Ill.
