Jan. 25, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - When the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints clash in Super Bowl XLIV on February 7 in Miami Gardens, Fla., Penn State Football once again will be well-represented on the field and sidelines.
Former Nittany Lion tight end Isaac Smolko plays for Indianapolis, who is led by head coach Jim Caldwell, a former Penn State assistant coach. The Colts' special teams coordinator, Ray Rychleski, is a former Penn State graduate assistant coach.
Also, Penn State Football Video Assistant Jevin Stone was a member of the Colts' video staff from 2004-06 and in 2008 before coming to Happy Valley last year. He was a member of the Colts' video staff when they defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
A member of the Nittany Lions from 2001-05, Smolko in his second season on the Colts' practice squad. He previously has been with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars, making one catch with the Jaguars in 2007. From Petersburg, Ohio, Smolko was a three-year letterman at Penn State, playing in every game his last two seasons. A starter in every game in 2005, he helped Penn State win the Big Ten and FedEx Orange Bowl titles, earning an 11-1 record.
Smolko made 13 receptions for 192 yards as a senior and will forever be remember by Nittany Nation for his huge 20-yard catch from Michael Robinson on fourth-and-15 in Penn State's 2005 Big Ten opener. Trailing Northwestern and on the Penn State 15 with less than 2:00 to play, Smolko's catch over the middle gave the Lions a first down and ignited a drive that ended with Robinson throwing a touchdown pass to Derrick Williams with :51 left for the critical 34-29, confidence-boosting win. Smolko graduated from Penn State in 2006.
A member of the Penn State coaching staff from 1986-92, Caldwell is just the fifth NFL rookie head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl. He will have an opportunity to join Don McCafferty (Colts, Super Bowl V) and George Siefert (49ers, XXIV) as the only first-year head coaches to win the Super Bowl. Red Miller (Broncos, XII) and Bill Callahan (Raiders, XXXVII) were the other rookie head coaches to take their teams to the Super Bowl. In his eighth season as a member of the Colts' coaching staff, Caldwell served as quarterbacks coach for seven years, as well as assistant head coach for four years, on Tony Dungy's staff prior to his promotion last January. Caldwell has been instrumental in the development of record-setting quarterback Peyton Manning, who has been selected NFL Most Valuable Player a record four times (2003, '04, '08 and '09). Caldwell is the first head coach in NFL history to win his first 14 games.
Caldwell joined Joe Paterno's Penn State staff in 1986 as wide receivers coach and helped the Nittany Lions post a 12-0 record and win the National Championship. From 1987-92, he served as quarterbacks and passing game coach, helping develop Tony Sacca and Kerry Collins, the latter of whom led Penn State to a 22-2 record in 1993-94 and won the 1994 Maxwell and Davey O'Brien Awards. A member of the Tennessee Titans, Collins just completed his 16th NFL season. Caldwell was named head coach at Wake Forest in 1993, coaching there for eight seasons before joining Dungy's staff in Tampa Bay in 2001.
Rychleski is in his first season as special teams coordinator of the Colts. A Pennsylvania native, he was a Penn State graduate assistant coach in 1991. Rychleski helped the Nittany Lions earn an 11-2 record and the No. 3 ranking after whipping Tennessee in the 1992 Fiesta Bowl. He then joined Caldwell's staff as an assistant coach at Wake Forest.
In addition to Smolko, Caldwell and Rychleski, Indianapolis Colts' President Bill Polian has ties to Penn State. He served as an assistant football coach at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in the early 1970's under George Paterno, brother of Penn State head coach Joe Paterno.
For just the fifth time in the Super Bowl's 44-game history, Penn State will not have at least one former player on the active roster for one of the participating teams. Penn Staters Sean McHugh and Scott Paxson were members of the Super Bowl XLIII Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Thirty-two former Nittany Lions have earned a total of 48 Super Bowl rings.
There are nearly 30 former Nittany Lions on NFL rosters, placing Penn State in the top 15 nationally among schools in producing current NFL players.
More than 350 Nittany Lions have signed NFL contracts under Paterno's tutelage. The Hall of Fame coach has seen 239 of his players drafted by NFL squads, including 35 first round draft choices. All-America defensive end Aaron Maybin was the No. 11 overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft, by the Buffalo Bills, and All-America tackle Levi Brown was the No. 5 overall pick, by the Arizona Cardinals, in 2007.