factory in nearby Lock Haven. The Navy
created the now-famous V-12 program
and
shipped Navy and Marine recruits en
masse to Penn State and other colleges
throughout the nation.
It was like a daily three-ring circus on a
merry-go-round for the athletes. No mat-
ter what college the recruit had attended,
he could be abruptly shipped to another
college, sometimes staying only a week or
two before being recalled. Even true fresh-
men were suddenly whisked away for
service in the armed forces. That's how
Penn State's 1943 and '44 football seasons
became an obstacle course for Higgins and
his players. Not only was Higgins never
sure which players he would have for the
upcoming game, but oAen one of his V-12
players would later show up on an oppo-
nent's team. AAer the war, some of those
players returned to Penn State rather than
their original college. Ed Czekaj was the
most prominent one. Rather than return
to George Washington, Czekaj came back
to Penn State in 1946 and became one of
the key players on the undefeated 1948
Cotton Bowl team. He went on to become
the university's athletic director from
1968-80.
Despite Higgins' personnel problems,
his Lions posted winning records,
