Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1439730
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2 15 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M "In terms of being a head coach moving forward, that's the last thing on my mind right now. There are some things about it that I'll miss, and there are some things about it that I certainly won't miss. What I'm really excited about is coaching defensive football at Penn State University. That's fun to say out loud, and that's really where all my focus is right now." — Manny Diaz, former Miami (Fla.) head coach and now Penn State's defensive coordinator "Diaz was fired as Miami's head coach despite producing a 21-15 record and going 12-5 in the ACC the past two seasons. (James Franklin is 22-12 over his last three seasons.) Diaz is the newest new guy on a staff where — counting him — seven of the 10 current full-time assistants are in their first or second year as PSU assistant coaches. "Still, more than anyone on Franklin's staff these days, Diaz un- derstands the pressures and responsibilities that come with being a head coach at an upper echelon, name brand Power 5 school with a successful history and (very) high expectations. Like The U. Like LBU." — Mike Poorman, StateCollege.com "A lot of people were wondering whether taking a sixth year was a tough decision. But in the end, I love football and I want to keep playing football as long as possible." — Quarterback Sean Clifford on his decision to return for a super senior season in 2022 "Joe Paterno was pretty conservative by nature, content to lean on a physical run game and flawless linebacker play and lean on opponents until they fell. He enjoyed decades of success with that recipe, but in 1994 his offensive talent was too vast to control. Penn State led the nation in averaging 47 points per game behind the work of quarterback Kerry Collins, running back Ki-Jana Carter, receivers Bobby Engram and Freddie Scott and tight end Kyle Brady. "In just their second year in the Big Ten they romped unbeaten to the Rose Bowl, where they sprinted past Oregon 38-20. The cre- ation of the BCS came a few years too late, however: Nebraska also went unbeaten and sewed up a long-awaited national title with a win over Miami in the Orange Bowl. Nebraska-PSU would have been an absolute banger." — Bill Connelly, ESPN.com college football writer, on Penn State's undefeated 1994 team, which finished No. 2 in the polls that year and No. 10 on Connelly's recent list of the best teams in college football history that didn't win a national championship "People throw around the term GOAT a lot nowadays, but Russ Rose is without a doubt The Greatest of All Time. I'm convinced he would have built a dynasty in any sport he coached. Thanks for everything Coach Rose!!!" — Rob Cooper, Penn State baseball coach, tweeting about the retirement of Russ Rose after 43 seasons as PSU's women's volleyball coach "No doubt many will comment on what he meant to the game, but to those of us in Rec Hall he was simply the best. Enjoy those cigars in the sun, Russ! You have certainly earned them!" — Mark Pavlik, Penn State men's volleyball coach, on Rose's retirement "What a career. What a legendary program. Russ Rose, you have been a delight!!!" — Holly Rowe, ESPN reporter, via Twitter They Said It PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL "None of us are satisfied with how things went [in the 2021 regu- lar season]. We need to capitalize and get better from it. You can't change the past; you can only grow and get better. We are all com- petitors and we're all trying to be the best at our craft. So, we have to have a gut check, look at ourselves in the mirror and find out who we want to be." — Junior running back NOAH CAIN on the struggles that Penn State's ground game endured