The sign inside the visiting media room at MetLife Stadium says that any occupancy over 49 people is unlawful.
Judging by the overflow of media almost back out into the hallway that number had either been reached following Penn State’s win over Syracuse, or college football reporters are just larger people than those covering the Jets and the Giants. I’m not convinced that “small” journalists are the average.
Penn State coach Bill O’Brien has dragged this kind of crowd around with him since he stepped on campus over a year ago. It’s a mixed bag of regulars and national reporters with the occasional local scribe popping up to ask a question about a player of local interest.
O’Brien may no longer be the new kid on the block, but it will be some time before his story isn’t interesting. Penn State has never lacked for media attention in the past and the current circumstances make the story all that more compelling. So for now it’s just part of the job.
For the most part O’Brien has maintained a positive relationship with the media as a whole. Every coach has a mental list of reporters he likes or doesn’t like but in large O’Brien has handled the transition from the airtight Belichick regime to the more leak prone world of college football well.
Similarly, the topic of post game was Nittany Lion freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg whose starting role had been published by ESPN a day or so prior to the game. It was information known by a handful of regular beat writers, but the likely negative backlash from O’Brien in this particular situation was not worth the reward. Get the scoop, but maybe O’Brien gets to your sources and you lose a scoop for a story that really matters. It’s a difficult line to walk, one that could take several posts to discuss.
While Hackenberg remained the talking point of the day, so was standout receiver Allen Robinson who was benched in the first half by O’Brien who wasted no time getting a jab in.
“That’s between me and Allen,” O’Brien said ever so slightly like he was jabbing the air with each word. “I’m sure some of the beat reporters will try and beat it out of our players like you did the starting quarterback job, but that’s between Allen and I.”
A subtle reminder that unlike his predecessor he reads a good amount of what is said, even alluding to the slight offense he takes reading he was indecisive about the quarterback position.
“That’s one thing about me,” O’Brien said. “I make bad decisions but I always make decisions.”
From there O’Brien is as cheerful as he ever is with the media, a mixture of genuine respect with a level of annoyance similar to the feeling one gets having to empty the dishwasher. It’s not that it’s bad to do, you’d just rather be doing other things.
But even so the respect between the two parties is an interesting dynamic. For as much as O’Brien looks forward to the end of his conferences, a PowerPoint slide during an early season team meeting mentions that the media is the bridge between the fans and the program, reminding players to be polite and on time to interviews.
In return, O’Brien would rather not have to answer the same question twice or answer ones so broad he can recite them in his sleep. Answers that include Hackenberg’s young age and the number of weeks removed from his senior prom have become a popular go-to in the days leading up to Penn State’s opener. Getting a good answer from O’Brien takes work.
If you put thought into your question and how you articulate it, and your question/point is accurate, O’Brien will often oblige you with a straight answer. Fail to meet some of these criteria and O’Brien might address the question with a little less enthusiasm.
“You seemed to take the wraps off of (Hackenberg) in the second half.” one reporter said.
“Not really,” O’Brien stated squinting his eyes as he took a drink from his bottled water. “We ran the ball a lot, so not really.”
Eleven minutes after entering the room O’Brien leaves back through the parting sea of reporters before shaking the hand of the last reporter he crosses in the room. O’Brien opens the door, turns right and walks back up the ramp towards the locker room. For now, the dishes are clean and put away.
All These Ficken Questions:
Anytime Penn State kicker Sam Ficken is available to the media he wears a certain look that much like his head coach, he knows what’s coming. For better or worse Ficken’s 13 straight field goal streak continues to open questions about his up and down start to the 2012 season. Ficken can see the questions coming before they even get there, and leaning up against the wall of the MetLife Stadium field tunnel he prepares himself for them.
About six hours earlier Ficken took the field and sized up his kicks still in shorts and a t-shirt. Over three hours away from the start of the game the would-be Week One Big Ten Special Teams player of the Week was lining kicks up in his head. Be it confidence or a good day, Ficken was true on all three kicks including a career high 46-yard attempt that may have been good from 50+.
“I made the last kick I took,” Ficken said. “But that was a long time ago, so it’s always good to get the first one out of the way.”
His teammates recognized his improvements too. Giving him a healthy cheer following the game once they were back inside the locker room.
“It means a lot, coming from where I came from,” Ficken said. “It feels good and it’s a boost to the confidence.
Penn State’s record for consecutive made field goals? Ficken needs nine more to tie.
No Food, Just Towels:
After a Penn State home game you see a few different things in the media room. One of the more unexpected things though is boxes of pizza. Players will enter with entire boxes to themselves sometimes open and half finished. Saturday there was no pizza though as defensive tackle DaQuan Jones carried two towels with him, mopping sweat off his face as fast as it appeared. The senior had had maybe the game of his career with nine tackles, three for a loss and one sack. Being named one of the top prospects in his NFL draft class by NFL.com isn’t a big deal to him though.
“I don’t really pay too much mind to that,” Jones said. “I’m still just trying to go out there and play my game and enjoy this time with my team. I see that stuff and people show it to me but I really don’t pay mind to any of it.”
For many players, even more so on the defensive side of the ball hype can kill. Heisman hopeful South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney struggled in his season opener, so getting off on the right foot was great for Jones.
“Just to get after it is great,” Jones said. “My dream is to be able to play in the NFL and me taking plays off ain’t gonna get me there. So I’m playing as hard as I can and am just trying to make plays.”
And the advice he got from former teammate and NFL defensive tackle Jordan Hill on being able to make plays?
“Be active and really be verbal out there,” Jones said, taking another healthy swipe with the towel.
Help people line up and talk to the defensive line and the linebackers and really take charge out there on the field.
All Alone But Ready To Go:
Tight end turned offensive tackle Garry Gilliam is one of the funnier guys to cover on the team. While some may shy away from the camera he famously uploads YouTube videos of him and his friends lip-syncing popular R&B or rap songs. On the field though and in the locker room there are few people on the Penn State roster more respected than him.
The do-anything effort was obvious following a fumble by Allen Robinson that placed Gilliam, at 303 pounds, as the only obstacle between the oncoming Syracuse defender and Penn State’s endzone. Gilliam rose to the occasion and wrapped the defender up saving a sure six points. Syracuse wouldn’t get a single point despite the short field and in large part thanks to Gilliam.
In a game with more than a few broken tackles Gilliam may have provided Penn State with the best technical effort on the tackling side. As the remark is coming out, Gilliam is already smiling as he leans into the wall.
“I had about 30 yards between us and it really gave me a lot of time to think,” Gilliam said laughing. “And when you’re put in that kind of situation you’ve got to make the play.”
Trash Tornado:
From the tunnel the media makes its collective journey back up to the sixth floor of MetLife stadium to file game stories. This doesn’t happen without a quick walk across the field and the occasional Mark Sanchez butt-fumble recreations for good measure. By the time writers start to leave around 10:30 that night the parking lot is empty minus a trash tornado flipping bottles and other remains from the day’s crowd across the parking lot.
So you know, pick up your trash.
