One Fan’s Early Season Reflections on the Return of Penn State Football

Well folks, we are two weeks into the college football season and things are looking mighty fine in Happy Valley. Penn State  is off to a solid 2-0 start with a surprising road victory over an always tough Wisconsin Badgers squad and a very business-like victory over defending MAC champion Ball State.  

After what seemed like an eternity waiting for some sense of normalcy in the world, it really felt like the college football we know and love was back. Sorry, but it’s hard for me to count the 2020 season as anything but an asterisk in the college football world. The local economy may have been the biggest winner of all.

Here are some of my early season reflections on the 2021 season. 

Week One vs. Wisconsin

Last week, while visiting our son Jonathon in Washington, D.C., we attended a Penn State football watch party with members of the Metro D.C. PSU alumni chapter at Exiles Bar on U Street. The atmosphere was electric as both floors as well as the outdoor deck and patio were jammed with Penn State fans. The bar’s website proclaims partnerships with “Old Glory DC Rugby, Penn State DC Alumni chapter, Buffalo Bills, Kansas University basketball, Liverpool FC (Exiles Reds) and Washington Irish Rugby club, to name but a few.” They played Penn State Blue Bland music as well as Nittany Lion crowd favorites like “Sweet Caroline” and Zombie Nation’s “Kernkraft 400” during TV timeouts throughout the game. They clearly understand our love of football.

We had an absolute blast. The mix of the young alumni and us more “experienced” old Lions was impressive. It was as though two years of pent-up energy had been released all at once. The periodic “We are!” cheers had the crowd passionately yelling at the top of their lungs.  As the game wound down a younger alumna sitting beside us sighed and said, “Not sure my heart can take too many of these types of games!” It was invigorating and a vivid reminder of the loyalty and reverence we Penn Staters have for our football.

Meanwhile our youngest son Ryan, PSU Class of ’23, and three of his friends made the drive out to Madison, Wisconsin (one of the truly great college football towns) to witness a surprising victory in a very tough Camp Randall Stadium. Based on the photos and videos he shared in real time and the stories he told upon his return, it was an epic trip that he and his friends will be retelling for years. They managed to get on TV and in a few photos posted on social media. What more could college students ask for on an adventure to a hostile place than a big win and some airtime?  

Week Two vs. Ball State

We waited patiently for almost two years to join our fellow Nittany Lion faithful in Beaver Stadium. The 105,323 who attended this past Saturday were treated to a perfect day for a home opener. Not too warm or humid, sunny with an occasional cloud, a great tribute to remember 9/11 complete with a military flyover, and a decisive victory over a solid Ball State team.

Seeing close friends and football acquaintances and tailgating again was a breath of fresh air (despite the pandemic fears). We even had the chance to see our grandniece Savannah Notz at her first ever Penn State game as she was the guest of Scott and Brooke Mentzer and their daughter Peyton of Danville. What a great day the football gods gave us in Happy Valley.

The Team:

I’m sure there a lot of things the coaching staff, and most definitely all the Monday morning quarterbacks, believe the team needs to work on, but from where I sit there was a tremendous amount of improvement from week one to week two. The Nittany Lions looked much sharper in all aspects of the game.

Improvement from the first week to the second is always a sign of good things to come.

I felt new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich started the Wisconsin game with a whimper then let Jahan Dotson cut loose and Sean Clifford connected with him for 102 receiving yards and a TD. Against Ball State, PSU had a very balanced attack with several different looks and new plays.  So far, so good. Clock management and use of timeouts? Ah, why even go there?

The defense has looked solid, and opportunistic, creating numerous key turnovers at crucial times in both games. I am particularly enjoying watching a fellow Penn Hills native, Daequan Hardy, enjoying a great start to the season. Certainly, our best player in the first half against Wisconsin, and perhaps the entire game, was punter Jordan Stout. Place kicker Jordan Stout has a powerful leg and has been perfect kicking off so far as well. However, field goal kicker Jordan Stout still needs to work on his consistency.  I am optimistic he will come through when we need him most.

The Game Day Experience:

Overall, from my perspective, I give the folks in the Nittany Lion Club, ticket office and in football game day operations a thumbs up, given it was the first real home game in a long time.

Mobile ticketing was top of mind for many fans leading up to the first home game. Yes, there were some issues, as there always are when change takes place. But overall, it appears to have worked out just fine. I was impressed with the number of ticket resolution stations I saw around the stadium and the overcommunication from Penn State Athletics about getting your tickets downloaded was much better than under-communicating it. I guess we can chalk up all the worry of mobile tickets to the same “the sky is falling” mentality that gripped us like the Y2K scare back in late 1999.

The 9-11 tributes were outstanding. Very tasteful, not over the top. In remembrance of former Penn State football kicker Patrick Dwyer, who worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105^th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center and was killed on that tragic day, having the Dwyer family, Patrick’s wife JoAnn, daughter Sarah, and son Brendan on the field for the coin toss was a tearjerker. Dedicating a permanent seat as a “Chair of Honor” in Beaver Stadium for all prisoners of war/missing in action (POW/MIA) service members was all class. Well done, Penn State.

OK, a few items to work on. The referee’s microphone not working was annoying in the first half but not getting it replaced and/or working for the second half was plain embarrassing. The special effects folks were a little premature with the fireworks on the touchdown in the south endzone when we were stopped at the 1-foot line. That’s an oops we can forgive. Traffic flow was OK from my perspective, except I don’t understand why we got rid of the colored parking passes. Now the traffic attendants and police must slow everyone down and squint to see a letter on a much smaller parking permit. The Wi-Fi at the stadium is still mediocre at best. Oh, and before we start spending huge money on a brick facade around the stadium, fix the infrastructure. Start with more bathrooms for women, better concessions, and a new press box!

I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on the performance of “The” Big Ten’s perennial power school in the state to our west. The Buckeyes took a cue from their drum major and stumbled out of the gate before losing to a resurgent Oregon team led by the offensive game plan from former Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead (another Penn Hills native!). I know Penn State fans love it when the Buckeyes falter, but their loss could affect the rest of the country’s assessment of the Big Ten’s strength this year. We’ll see.

The Future:

As for the rest of the season, there is a long way to go. Our next opponent, Auburn, has yet to be tested but has certainly flexed their offensive muscles in two blowout victories 60-10 over Akron and 62-0 over Alabama State. We have very challenging road games against a very good-looking Iowa team and of course we still have the “hairy nuts” of OSU at “The” Horseshoe, who you can bet will be fired up for the Nits. Our biggest home challenges on paper include an Indiana team that has matched up well against us recently and an improved Michigan squad. The game that is not on anyone’s radar just yet and is the perfect trap game is the season ending road trip to an overachieving Michigan State. Of course, as we have come to learn over the years, every Big Ten game is Big. There are NO gimmies. 

So, get your pre-game tailgate plans ready for the first night game of the year as Auburn comes to Happy Valley on Saturday. Whether you plan to be here in person dressed in white or will be cheering from afar in your home or at a bar with other Penn Staters, get ready to roar! Let’s let ESPN’s College GameDay audience and the SEC know why a Penn State White Out is still the Greatest Show in College Football.