Tuesday Roundup: Penn State vs. Rutgers
No. 12 Penn State concludes its regular-season slate by honoring 16 seniors this Saturday in Beaver Stadium at 3:30 p.m. on BTN. The Nittany Lions are looking to cap off their third undefeated season at home in the past four years. Penn State has not completed such fate since 1972-75. Here's what we learned from Tuesday's press conference with head coach James Franklin, linebacker Cam Brown and safety Garrett Taylor.
Senior Day
Penn State will honor the 2019 senior class who has compiled a 40-11 record to become the first 40-win class since 2009. This is a senior class who has been instrumental in Penn State's 2016 Big Ten Championship title, a Rose Bowl appearance, Penn State's highest ranking since 1999 and a Fiesta Bowl Championship.
"It's really kind of amazing when you think about five years and the impact guys can have on a team, on a locker room, on a coaching staff, and on a community," head coach James Franklin said on Tuesday. "They committed to Penn State at a time that maybe it wasn't as easy of a decision to commit to Penn State. They've battled through adversity. It's really hard to kind of sit here and put into words what they have meant to this program, what they have meant to me personally."
"Honestly, I think it didn't hit me. I think it's hitting me currently," senior linebacker Cam Brown said on Tuesday. "It's going to be an emotional weekend for me, mentally at least, but the game of football is about containing those emotions and playing the game. That's my biggest thing this weekend is focusing and being able to channel myself to play in this game."
Senior safety Garrett Taylor was asked about the impact he believes he'll have left within this Penn State program. "I want to be remembered as a great teammate, as a guy who people on the team felt like they could come to whatever for, whether it's personal issues or football issues," Taylor said. "I want to be a guy that people found approachable and helpful in their time of need. I think that's the most important thing to me, especially being a captain this year. On the field, a guy who gave it my all. I put a lot into this, a lot into this school and into this football program. I want people to think I was a guy who went out there every Saturday and gave it my best shot. Hopefully people think I was consistent and had a pretty decent career here."
Battling through Adversity
During Tuesday's press conference, head coach James Franklin was asked about freshman quarterback Will Levis' ability to step forward during a big-time moment. "I think it was remarkable. On the road against a top-two team, you could make an argument -- top-two team, against a team that's got tremendous talent and playing with a lot of confidence, and that he went in and not only did he play well, but also the team believed," Franklin said. "I think that's important, that the team believed in him. We didn't flinch when times were tough. Will [Levis] went in and made plays, our defense made plays, we ran the ball and we just kind of kept battling."
Thanksgiving Tradition
What does Penn State football do on Thanksgiving? Great question, here's your answer. "I think it's really, really important that these guys have got a place to go. They've got a place to go where they're comfortable. They've got a place to go where they can eat food that they expect to eat. Because let's be honest, we all expect to eat like what our mom cooked for us on Thanksgiving," Franklin stated on Tuesday when asked about players coming to his house. "I think one of the things that's different here at Penn State is how many parents come here for Thanksgiving and then come to our houses, as well, so you get the kid and the parents all at your house. It's changed now. My daughters are getting older. They're not little kids anymore. But it used to be you'd go upstairs -- and we have a bedroom that we don't really use as a bedroom, it's a playroom, video games and crafts and all that kind of stuff. You'd go in there and the players would be sitting on chairs that they definitely don't fit and they're playing video games or they're putting makeup on C.J. Thorpe."
Senior Linebacker Cam Brown added: "Coach Pry, Coach Franklin and all the coaches, they welcome everybody to come to their houses, no matter who you are, what position you play. It's a very welcoming environment, the coaches have always emphasized that. They actually make it mandatory that we let them know where we're going to make sure we get a home-cooked meal and know that we're loved and make sure; that family atmosphere is part of what we preach all the time, bringing that family atmosphere and this is just another example of that showing."
Game Information
The Nittany Lions will aim to capture their ninth straight win at Beaver Stadium and 11thconsecutive win over an unranked opponent. Saturday's game can be found on BTN or the Penn State Sports Network. Check out @PennStateFball following the game for exclusive interviews and more.
