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ahead 28-14, but Purdue struck back with 10 points before the end of the period. The defense won the game in the fourth quarter, climaxing it all with a goal-line stand in the closing minute that enabled Penn State to escape with a 31-25 win. Two weeks later, the roof caved in against Minnesota. The 1999 team made big plays but not the biggest play that would have elevated it from good to great. 1968-69 Ham said the 1968-69 line- backers did not face the same type of of- fenses that the other three groups did but feels they would have held their own against the more pass-oriented style of the present day. "Onkotz, especially, would do just :ne today," Ham said. "We were outstanding in the passing game and with the guys in our line [in a 4-3-4 de- fense] like [Mike] Reid and [Steve] Smear and [John] Ebersole, Mike Hull [in '69], [Frank] Spaziani [in '68] and some others, and we were pretty good against the run, too. We never had to blitz because of that front line. But we didn't train or work out year-round, either, and we were 20-30 pounds lighter and that also made a dif- ference between us and those other groups. "But we made our share of big plays in '68 and '69 and :nished undefeated and No. 2 in country both years. So we belong up in the discussion, but Conlan's group was the best by far." ■ O F F - S E A S O N R E P O R T Read More About the Remarkable Journey of the 2012 Football Team Historian Lou Prato's day-by-day, game-by-game diary of an unforgettable season Autographed copy available via louprato@comcast.net through Lou Prato and Associates at 814-954-5171 Price: $19.95 plus shipping, handling and tax if applicable Also available, with autograph, Lou's book Price: $16.95 plus shipping, handling and tax if applicable LEGENDARY LINEBACKER Ham is in the college and pro football halls of fame. Before be- coming a perennial All-Pro with the Steelers, he made 251 tackles as a standout at Penn State. Photo cour- tesy of Penn State Athletics

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