VOLUME 77 ISSUE 13 Penn State vs. Boston College January 5, 2015

The Letter Penn State’s enigmatic 2014 football Follow us on season ended the same way it started. Twitter and Slender senior Sam Ficken kicked a ball Check out the through the uprights Dec. 27 to give Penn new Football State another last-play victory, then took Letter Blog off running as fast as he could all around ’s vast baseball field, because he didn’t want to get dogpiled by PSU 7 0 7 10 7 -31 his screaming teammates. BC 7 0 14 3 6 -30 Four months ago he did the same thing an ocean away, circling around the even CONTENTS larger Croke Park’s Celtic football pitch in The Letter Dublin, Ireland. Notes from the Cuff And both times he was fast enough to Other Sports avoid being pounced upon by bigger and heavier teammates and winding News of Note up on the bottom of a celebratory dogpile. Game Photos Statistics One sure swipe of Ficken’s foot provided bookend victories in Penn State’s two bowl games this season.

PAST ISSUES The first swipe produced a 36-yard field goal to give the Nittany Lions a 26 –24 win over Central Florida in a season-opening substitute “” View past issues arranged by two Irishmen. (Former Penn State coach Bill O’Brien convinced UCF headmaster George O’Leary to play overseas because State was serving a four-year post-season ban under NCAA sanctions enacted after the Sandusky scandal in 2012. Then O’Brien left to become head coach of the Houston Texans in the NFL.) Ficken’s second saving swipe produced a 20-yard extra point to give the Lions a 31–30 overtime victory over Boston College in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium. And that swipe came just minutes after FAN ZONE Ficken had split the uprights with a 44-yard field goal only 20 seconds before the end of the fourth quarter to climax State’s 14-point second half Football Schedule comeback against BC and send the contest into overtime. Team Roster GoPSUSports.com “We have a way of starting the season in a dramatic fashion and ending Radio/TV Listings the season in a dramatic fashion,” said first-year head coach James Big Ten Football TV Franklin. Schedule Big Ten Standings “Started in Dublin, Ireland, and ended in City—who could’ve Big Ten Schedule and drawn it up better than that? It wasn’t always pretty, but we persevered Results and stuck together and to me that’s who we are,” added Franklin, whose Penn Staters in the Pros Lions ended with a 7–6 record to post their 10th consecutive winning season. It gave State a 22–15 mark in the three years under NCAA sanctions. For advertising info, “There are very few teams that could overcome the sanctions like we did,” contact: Angelo Scialfa claimed defensive tackle Anthony Zettel. 609-259-1910 [email protected] The Lions won their first post-season game since beating LSU, 19–17, in the Capital One Bowl following the 2009 season. It was the first bowl game they played since 2011 because of the post-season ban that was part of the Sandusky era sanctions. That ban was lifted in September. The Pinstripe Bowl matched two of the highest-ranking teams in the country for graduating their players. No other bowl had two teams that even ranked in the Top 25 in Graduation Success Rate. It was the first sellout for the five- year-old Pinstripe Bowl—where blue-and-white fans outnumbered maroon-and-gold supporters by about a 3–1 margin among the 49,012 total in the baseball stadium and provided a home-field advantage for the Nittany Lions. “I couldn’t have asked for a better ending for my career,” said Ficken, whose career has turned 180 degrees from the game in which he missed four of five field goal attempts and had an extra point blocked in a 17–16 Penn State loss at Virginia in 2012. Any one of those attempts could have saved the contest for the Lions. This fall the Academic All-Big Ten finance major, who graduated in three- and-one-half years and looked more at home at the opening bell ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange Friday, set the Penn State season record with 24 field goals in 29 attempts. Coach Franklin said, “He’s probably been our best offensive weapon all year long.” Ficken, who actually booted four field goals in the opener in Ireland, led the team in scoring for the third consecutive year. He finishes second among all Penn State kickers with 54 career field goals, behind Kevin Kelley’s 78 from 2005–08. He is No. 4 in career scoring with 271 points. It was appropriate that the Lion co-captain, who was assigned to the locker used by legendary Yankee baseball captain Derek Jeter, would conclude his Yankee Stadium experience in the same manner as did Jeter three months earlier—with a walk-off RBI. Of course, Ficken would never have had his “storybook ending,” if junior tight end Kyle Carter had not caught the game-tying touchdown pass, after Boston College had taken a 30–24 lead in the first overtime. (But the Eagles’ kicker missed his extra point attempt.) Carter’s catch came on a 10-yard route into the end zone, after feigning a block on a fake bubble screen pass, and out-leaping the BC safety for the grab. “That was a huge catch, and he came through for us when we needed him,” said Coach Franklin. “There was no better way for me to end the season,” Carter said. It was Carter’s second game-winning reception in overtime, after his 15- yard catch of a laser against Illinois last year—which also happened to be his last touchdown catch. Both those overtime passes to Carter were perfectly thrown by Hackenberg, who during the Pinstripe Bowl tied his career-high with four TD tosses. That matched his total in the last six games of the regular season. His scoring aerials included a 72- yarder to freshman wide receiver Chris Godwin in the first quarter, a 7-yarder to sophomore Geno Lewis in the third quarter and a 16-yarder to freshman DaeSean Hamilton in the fourth. Hackenberg won the Pinstripe Bowl Most Valuable Player Award for his performance. He set Penn State bowl records in completions (34), attempts (50) and yards (371). His four touchdown passes tied the record set by in the 1992 win over Tennessee and matched by in the 1996 victory over Auburn. Hack surpassed Matt McGloin to claim State’s single-season mark for total offense at 3,258 yards and tied McGloin with 270 pass completions in a season. His 72-yard rope to Godwin to open the scoring against Boston College was the second longest of his career, exceeded only by his 79-yard bomb to Lewis in the third quarter of the season opener against UCF. Godwin’s TD catch tied the 72-yarder by Chuck Herd on a pass from Tom Shuman in the Lions’ 1974 triumph over LSU for the school bowl record. Godwin was the game’s leading receiver with 140 yards on seven catches. Lewis was second with 82 yards on seven receptions—all in the second half. Hamilton was third with seven for 51. BC’s top receiver was Shakim Phillips with three catches for 40 yards. Of course, Hackenberg couldn’t have completed as many passes as he did without improved protection from his offensive line. The inexperienced front that allowed a dubious record of 43 sacks in the 12-game regular season permitted only two in Yankee Stadium, despite losing their most inspiring leader, guard Miles Dieffenbach, in the first quarter. The senior co-captain, who tore an ACL in spring practice and was not able to return until the last couple games of the season, went down early in the bowl game with a leg injury. Derek Dowrey replaced him and played a solid game with the long blond hair that he cuts periodically to donate to Locks of Love streaming from under his helmet. Junior linebacker Nyeem Wartman led all Lion tacklers with 11 stops, followed by senior safety Adrian Amos, sophomore tackle Austin Johnson and junior cornerback Jordan Lucas with seven. Lucas also had a 6-yard quarterback sack. Mike Hull, the Big Ten’s Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and second-team All-American, had six tackles to increase his team-leading total to 140 for the year. His fellow All-Big Ten first-teamer Anthony Zettel also had six tackles, including two for losses of seven yards. He led the team this season with 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three . And Saturday he dazzled the Yankee Stadium and ESPN-TV crowd by dashing from the middle of the field to the sideline to chase down speedy Eagle receiver Marcus Outlaw and stop him three yards short of a first-down and force a punt at a critical time in the fourth quarter. While the Lions had the same trouble they had all season trying to mount a ground attack, sophomore tailback Akeel Lynch gained 75 of the team’s 82 net rushing yards on 17 carries and became Penn State’s 42nd player to top the 1,000-yard career mark (678 of his 1,036 total have come this year). Senior Bill Belton, who along with linebackers Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda and cornerback Christian Campbell came back from late season injuries to play Saturday, started at tailback and gained six yards on the game’s first play; however, he carried only twice more for two more yards, although he had some good blocks on blitzing Eagles. Penn State’s offense, which ranked 114th in the FBS, performed as it hadn’t since the Ohio State game, when it roared back from a 17-point deficit in the second half to force double overtime, until the heavily-favored Buckeyes finally prevailed. In Yankee Stadium the Lions roared back from a 14-point deficit with just 17 minutes remaining and tallied 24 of the game’s final 33 points to nab the one-point victory. It tied State’s 15–14 win over Kansas in the 1969 Orange Bowl for the smallest margin of victory in the Lions’ 28 bowl wins. It also tied Penn State’s 14-point rebound in a 24–17 triumph over Texas A&M in the 2007 for the Lions’ biggest comeback in their 45 bowl games. Defensively, State struggled to contain the nation’s 14th best rushing attack, including the second-best running quarterback in the FBS. BC averaged 252 yards per game behind a starting offensive line composed entirely of fifth-year seniors. The Eagles’ phenomenal freshman running back Jon Hilliman was nailed by Zettel for a five-yard loss on Boston College’s first play. But he went on to be the leading rusher of the night, netting 148 yards on 25 carries, including a 44-yard blast to start the Eagles’ second possession and a 49- yard touchdown burst through the right side just two plays after the Lions had drawn first blood with Godwin’s 72-yard TD reception.

But after his 93 yards on those two runs alone exceeded the total of the 81.5 average allowed by the nation’s No. 1 rush defense, Hilliman averaged only 2.4 yards on his other 23 carries. Tyler Murphy—the second leading rusher among the country’s with 1,079 yards entering the game—scampered for 105 yards on 11 carries, including a nifty 40-yard third- quarter touchdown run around left end, which left several Lions looking for their laundry on his way. Penn State was the only team in the nation to not allow a run of more than 30 yards during the season, but was blistered by these three of 40 or more by Hilliman and Murphy. BC’s total of 289 yards on the ground was the most allowed by State this season and was 3.5 times the 82 netted by Penn State. Conversely, the Lions’ 371 yards through air was 3.8 times the Eagles’ total of 97. Boston College did get two of its touchdowns through the air on Murphy’s 19-yard pass to Phillips in the third quarter and his 21-yard toss to Dave Dudek in overtime. Penn State could not get into the end zone on the ground, although many blue-and-white fans thought that Lynch was robbed, when he was ruled down inside the one-yard line after dashing around left end and fighting his way the final five yards while tip-toeing along the sidelines late in the fourth quarter. Facing a 21–14 deficit, no one thought it would be difficult for the Lions to punch the ball into the end zone to tie the match. However, State drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a late hit on the next play, and suddenly the anticipated automatic had changed. That’s when Hackenberg fired his third strike to Hamilton on a slant into the end zone, just like the play that produced State’s only touchdown at Michigan. Boston College put together an 11-play 69-yard drive that drained 4:36 off the clock, until the Lions stopped the Eagles at the PS-3. Mike Knoll left- footed a 20-yard field goal—the same distance as an extra point—and BC had a 24–21 lead with just 2:10 left in the game. Hackenberg completed five consecutive passes to four different receivers with the longest being a 25-yarder to Godwin. Eventually the Eagles stiffened and, with State facing a fourth-and-two at the BC-27, Slammin’ Sam stepped up and nailed a 44-yard field goal to tie the contest with just 20 seconds on the clock. BC returned the kickoff to the PS-22, but with just 12 seconds left Coach Steve Addazio ordered his QB to take a knee, preferring to take his chances in overtime. When Murphy converted a third-and-six by hitting Dudek on a short pass, and the Eagle receiver ducked under one Lion defender and slipped past another for a 21-yard TD, it looked like a good decision. But then Knoll, who had already converted three extra points and a field goal from the same 20-yard distance, pulled this extra point attempt wide right and opened the door for the Lions to delight their bowl-hungry fans for the first time in five years.

Knowing they had to score a touchdown to avoid a loss, the Lions got off to an inauspicious overtime start by drawing their fourth false start penalty of the game. On first down from the BC-30, Hackenberg went for it all on a bomb aimed at Lewis streaking down the right sideline, and it was nearly intercepted at the goal line. After another incompletion to Lewis, State faced a third-and-15. Hack hit Jesse James near the left sideline, and the big tight end rambled toward the first down marker, lowering his shoulder to fight through a defender for the last four yards to earn the first down on a 17-yard reception and run. Three plays later on a third-and-seven Hackenberg teamed up with Carter on the game-tying TD, followed by Ficken’s fabled footwork for the thrilling victory in the fabled stadium. After receiving the Pinstripe Bowl Trophy on the field, Coach Franklin thanked “the seniors who held this team together and the best fans in the world.” He added, “You want to talk about culture. Look around. This is culture.” The next chance for fans to see the Nittany Lions in action will be at the Blue-White scrimmage on April 18. The 2015 season opener will be Sept. 5 against Temple in Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. For the Glory, VOLUME 77 ISSUE 13 Penn State vs. Boston College January 5, 2015

Notes from the Cuff Athletic Director Sandy Barbour tweeted after the Follow us on bowl game that a New York Yankee executive told Twitter and her that he has never heard the stadium louder Check out the than it was that night … new Football It was the second largest crowd in the new Yankee Letter Blog Stadium, surpassed only by the 49,197 at Mariano Rivera Appreciation Day honoring a Yankee icon on Sept. 22, 2013 … PSU 7 0 7 10 7 -31 BC 7014 36-30 Dec. 27 was the first time Penn State played in since 1947, when its undefeated -bound team walloped Fordam, 75–0. The Lions played twice in CONTENTS the old Yankee Stadium, tying West Virginia, 13–13, in 1923 and losing to The Letter Georgia Tech, 16–7, in 1925 … Notes from the Cuff Pinstripe Bowl ticket prices were the third highest of all bowl games on Other Sports StubHub, surpassed only by the two playoff games in the Rose and Sugar News of Note Bowls … Game Photos Statistics Penn State is the first Big Ten team to play in the Pinstripe, but the conference has entered into an eight-year agreement to provide a Big Ten representative for the bowl … PAST ISSUES The Nittany Lions have made 45 appearances in 15 different bowls and View past issues have won at least once in 13 of them. State’s bowl record is now 28–15–2 … Coach James Franklin now has a 3–1 bowl record, having won three straight after losing his first year at Vanderbilt … The Yankee Stadium contest was Penn State’s second overtime bowl game. The first was the Lions’ 26–23 win over Florida State in three overtimes in the 2006 Orange Bowl. Overall State is 6–5 in overtime games (4–2 in the last three seasons) … FAN ZONE Penn State has won its season finale for the last three years, having Football Schedule defeated Wisconsin in 2012 and 2013 … Team Roster GoPSUSports.com The Lions have won eight of their last nine games played in the month of Radio/TV Listings December … Big Ten Football TV Boston College and Penn State had met on the gridiron 23 times from 1949 Schedule to 2004. State won 19 of the first 20 encounters, but BC won the last three Big Ten Standings … Big Ten Schedule and Results Penn State had the highest number of graduates playing on a bowl team Penn Staters in the Pros this year. Sixteen Nittany Lions had earned their degree by the end of the For advertising info, fall semester in mid-December. Twenty Lion football players earned contact: Angelo Scialfa Academic All-Big Ten honors this fall … 609-259-1910 [email protected] Redshirt juniors Donovan Smith, State’s most experienced offensive tackle, and defensive end Deion Barnes, a three-year starter, have decided to forego their final year of eligibility and declare for the NFL draft. They each graduated in December, having completed their degrees in three and one- half years. “It seems like it was yesterday that I was sitting at the kitchen table talking with the greatest coach in history, Joseph Vincent Paterno,” Smith said. “I promised him and my family that I would get my degree. After achieving one of my life goals of receiving a degree from The Pennsylvania State University, I feel it’s time to continue the pursuit of my dream of becoming an NFL player … Thank you to my family, all of my teammates, coaches and the best fan base in college football for the best four years of my life. I am eternally grateful to you all. WE ARE!!!!” “Can’t believe I’ve walked my last time out of the tunnel,” said Barnes. “I want to thank the Penn State family for being with me through the rough times. They’re the best fans in the nation. I’m going to miss playing in front of 107,000.” … Redshirt junior defensive tackle Anthony Zettel, who has already graduated, has asked for an evaluation of his prospects for the draft … Two high school graduates and one junior college transfer have already signed grant-in-aid agreements and plan to enroll in January. This would allow them to participate in winter workouts, and spring practice. Two are 6–8, 300-pound tackles (Sterling Jenkins from Baldwin High School in Pittsburgh and Paris Palmer from Lackawana College). One is a 6–4, 200- pound quarterback (Tommy Stevens from Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis) … Penn State expects to return 17 starters (eight on offense, eight on defense and one specialist) for 2015 … Only six seniors started for State in the bowl game—three on offense, two on defense and one kicker. Cornerback Grant Haley became the seventh true freshman to start this season. He replaced Jordan Lucas, who sat out the first quarter, after missing a bowl week curfew by a few minutes. Haley returned a school record 32 kickoffs this fall and gained 659 yards, second only to Chaz Powell’s 733 in 2011 … The Lions’ 31 points on Dec. 27 were the most they have scored since their 48–7 win over UMass in Beaver Stadium on Sept. 20. State was 4–4 in its eight contests that were decided by six or fewer points … Tight end Jesse James extended to 18 his streak of games in which he has caught at least one pass. He had three receptions for 27 yards against Boston College … Tight end Kyle Carter, who was an All-Big Ten performer as a redshirt freshman in 2012, broke his wrist late in that campaign, then nearly broke an arm in the 2013 opener and missed a lot of playing time until this fall, when he also picked up a lot more blocking assignments … One intrepid blue-and-white clad spectator brandished a sign in Yankee Stadium claiming “Babe Ruth was a Penn State fan” … The Lions tallied the first TD Saturday, then the Eagles scored the next three, then the Lions the next two. Both had field goals in the final 2:10 of the fourth quarter and touchdowns in overtime. But Sam Ficken kicked one more extra point than Mike Knoll … Penn State used a lot of no-huddle up-tempo offense and Boston College used a lot of late shifts to create unbalanced lines and other moves to confuse the Penn State defense early. Each team registered four plays of 20 yards or more … Christian Hackenberg had his first 300-yard passing game since the Rutgers contest on Sept. 13 and extended to eight his school record for that category. He passed for fourth in 200-yard passing games, posting his 15th in 25 starts. His bowl record of 34 completions is just one short of Matt McGloin’s 35 against Northwestern in 2012 for State’s most in any contest. Hackenberg threw for 2,977 yards this year—22 more than last year—and remains third on the season charts behind McGloin’ 3,266 in 2012 and Clark’s 3,003 in 2009 … On State’s career charts, Hackenberg is third behind and McGloin in completions (501), attempts (876) and yardage (5,932). He is eighth in career touchdown passes with 32. He ended the 2014 season with 12 TD tosses and 15 interceptions and was sacked a record 45 times. In his last two season finales, he has completed 55 of 80 for 710 yards and eight TDs with no interceptions. He did, however, have two turnovers on fumbles in the bowl game … All-American linebacker Mike Hull ended his career with 294 tackles to rank sixth on Penn State’s list and his season with 140 tackles to tie Greg Buttle (1975) for No. 4 … Chris Godwin’s 140 receiving yards puts him second on Penn State’s bowl list behind David Daniels 154 in the 1990 Blockbuster Bowl against Florida State and ahead of Gregg Garrity’s 116 against Georgia in the 1983 … Penn State’s home attendance average rose by 5,036 in 2014 … About 32,000 Penn State alumni reside in the New York City metropolitan area … Shane Conlan, Penn State’s All-American linebacker in 1985 and 1986, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December and Ki-Jana Carter, an All-American tailback in 1994, was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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