Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1486024
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 19 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M FIVE YEARS AGO, 2017 December was a big month for the Nittany Lions on the field and off. After years of discussion and debate, the NCAA for the first time offered an early signing period for football. Penn State took full advantage by sign- ing a 23-member class that would go on to be ranked fifth nationally in the On3 Consensus. Among the standouts that PSU welcomed were three future first- round NFL draftees (linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive end Jayson Oweh and receiver Jahan Dotson), a future Big Ten Tight End of the Year (Pat Freiermuth) and multiyear starters such as defensive linemen P.J. Mustipher and Nick Tarbur- ton, offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and kicker Jake Pinegar. There were some misses, too, and some of the better players in the class (quarterback Will Levis, receiver Justin Shorter, tight end Zack Kuntz) found success elsewhere. But many of the Lions' first December signees put their stamp on the program. Indeed, some are still making a differ- ence in 2022. On the field, meanwhile, Penn State wrapped up an 11-2 season by defeating Washington 35-28 in the Fiesta Bowl. It was Saquon Barkley's final collegiate ap- pearance, and he made it count, rushing for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns against one of the top defenses in the country versus the run. There had been speculation that the NFL-bound Barkley might not even play, but he ended up with 18 carries and 7 pass receptions. His 92-yard touchdown bolt in the second quarter was the most memorable moment of Penn State's win. "The whole week, we heard how big their defensive line was, how good a de- fense it was against the running game," Barkley said. "They only gave up 96 yards on average. We got 92 on one play. "We just split it like the Red Sea, and your job as a running back is to make your guy miss. I was able to make that guy miss." 10 YEARS AGO, 2012 There was no bowl game for which to prepare in 2012. As part of the NCAA sanctions arising from the Jerry San- dusky scandal, Penn State was banned from postseason competition for four years. While the Lions' 8-4 finish didn't re- sult in a bowl appearance, it did attract the attention of several NFL teams with head coaching vacancies. According to a CBS Sports report, the Eagles, Browns, Car- dinals and Chargers were all interested in luring Bill O'Brien back to the league after just one season in State College. O'Brien had a $9 million buyout, but the NCAA hadn't imposed its penalties when the longtime college and pro as- sistant coach took the job the previous January. With the NFL season drawing to a close, some observers argued that it might not be all that hard to extricate him from a situation that turned out to be much more challenging than it seemed when he took the job. With the New Year's revelry under- way, Penn State athletics administrators were in a less than celebratory mood, worried that the football program was once again in limbo. 25 YEARS AGO, 1997 Penn State didn't play a game in De- cember, but the football team made plenty of news after a report surfaced that star tailback Curtis Enis had ac- cepted gifts from an NFL agent named Jeff Nalley. Enis initially denied the allegation, but when he and his parents met with coach Joe Paterno in Melbourne, Fla., where Penn State was preparing for its upcoming Citrus Bowl matchup against Florida, the All-American admitted that he had broken NCAA rules. Enis' confession, which came on the heels of an in-house investigation by PSU, prompted Paterno to suspend him for the bowl game. "I think he realized he made a mis- take," the coach said. "He was trying to come clean with everything." Enis ended his career with 3,256 rushing yards. He still ranks sixth on Penn State's career list, trailing Evan Royster (3,932), Saquon Barkley (3,843), Curt Warner (3,398), Tony Hunt (3,320) and Blair Thomas (3,301). — Matt Herb This Month in Penn State Athletics History In his final college game, Saquon Barkley rushed for 137 yards and had another 38 yards in pass receptions to lift Penn State over Washington in the Fiesta Bowl. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL