Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1467458
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 2 17 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M They Said It "I'm here to win, and we are going to win. We are go- ing to add to the 80 national championships and the 303 conference championships [that Penn State has won in its athletics history]. "We will do this with integrity, and we'll do it with hard work, grittiness, toughness. We're going to do it with passion. We're going to have a good time. We're going to have fun, but we are going to win. … You'll have that promise that this department is going to attack every single day with effort, energy and a great attitude. Effort, energy and attitude — you can control those three." — Patrick Kraft, at his introductory press conference as Penn State's new athletics director "As the president of a land grant university, which is supposed to be about social mobility and economic development, just think of what Penn State football does for State College, for our surrounding communities. "I'm mindful of all of those things, and it was impor- tant to get a leader who gets that and also understands [the university's desire to field] 31 teams. Every one of those teams deserves the chance and the support to win. " — Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi, during her introduction of Patrick Kraft, on the importance of the football program to the rest of the athletics department "On average, [James] Franklin has signed exactly four offensive linemen per cycle. But, in three of the last four signing periods he's inked five. It's an acknowledgement, I think, that he knows the most important position on a football team — after quarterback — is the offensive line and that the Nittany Lions need to do better. "Franklin's O-line strategy includes, smartly, dipping into the portal for OL smarties who are already sea- soned, and not just in the classroom. The last two cycles, he has adroitly recruited O-linemen from the Ivy League. "Eric Wilson, who had 22 starts at Harvard before missing the 2020 season [Harvard did not play any games that year, due to the pandemic], started 12 games for the Nittany Lions in 2021. He quickly became a key part of the team, on the field, in the locker room and on campus. "[Incoming transfer Hunter] Nourzad, at 6-4 and 298 pounds, should follow Wilson's blue[and white]-print — and then some. He was an FCS All-American and two- time All-Ivy League right tackle at Cornell." — Mike Poorman, StateCollege.com columnist, on Penn State's offensive line "I love his leadership. He's a tremendous leader, com- ing from being a head coach. He bought into his room as the defensive coordinator here. He was able to lead and show us by example every day his passion for us. "You can't ask for anything more from a defensive coordinator with so much passion for the game. I've said this before, I think if Coach [Manny] Diaz had some years of eligibility left, he would go out there and play with us." — Senior safety Ji'Ayir Brown on new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz JOE KRENTZMAN & SON, INC. • Buyers and Brokers of Steel, Iron and Nonferrous Metals • Industrial Scrap Buyers • Container Service Available • Large Service Territory Since 1903 Lewistown, PA • Hollidaysburg, PA • DuBois, PA (800) 543-2000 • www.krentzman.net F irst i n S cra p "I feel like everybody is doubting us, and we love that. We're just going to come in, work hard and prove everybody wrong." — Senior center Juice Scruggs, on Penn State's football outlook this fall Senior center Juice Scruggs is preparing for his second season as a member of the Nittany Lions' starting offen- sive front. He was one of only two offensive linemen to start every game for Penn State last year. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL