Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1476228
6 0 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M CLAIMS TO FAME Some of the greatest players in Nittany Lion history aren't enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame — and probably never will be P enn State's contingent of College Football Hall of Fam- ers is about to get bigger. In December, linebacker LaVar Arrington will be enshrined at a ceremony in Las Vegas, and he may soon have company. In June, the National Football Foundation announced that three former Nittany Lion greats — running backs D.J. Dozier and Ki-Jana Carter and linebacker Paul Posluszny — are on the ballot for the 2023 class. Arrington will be the 20th former Penn State player in the Col- lege Football Hall of Fame, a list that includes such luminaries as Dave Robinson, Jack Ham and Heisman Trophy winner John Cappelletti. As extensive and august as that list of players may be, however, it's also notable for who it doesn't include. There are some truly great Nittany Lions who aren't in the college hall, including four of the six former PSU players who are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. One of the former Penn State giants who isn't in the College Football Hall of Fame — and probably never will be — is Lenny Moore, perhaps the greatest Nittany Lion of them all. Known as the "Reading Rambler," Moore offered a preview of Penn State's football future when he tore through opposing de- fenses in the early 1950s. He was a dazzling runner, renowned for his high-stepping style and his immaculately taped cleats, which highlighted his footwork and made him look even faster and more agile than he already was. From 1953 to 1955, Moore rushed for 2,380 yards. He was the first Penn State football player ever to surpass 1,000 yards rush- ing in a season, gaining 1,082 yards during the Nittany Lions' nine-game 1954 campaign. An outstanding punt and kickoff returner, he led the team in all-purpose yards in all three of his varsity seasons. Moore also excelled on defense. The era of the two-way player had not yet drawn to a close, and while Moore is best remembered for his career as a running back, he also had 10 interceptions as a defensive player, including 6 picks as a senior. A Landmark Game One of Moore's final games at Penn State was a landmark that looks even more significant in retrospect than it did at the time. On Nov. 5, 1955, Penn State played host to Syracuse and its great running back, Jim Brown. The future NFL legend was spectacular that day, finishing with 159 rushing yards, scoring 3 touchdowns and adding a pair of 2-point conversions. Moore countered with 146 yards and a touchdown, and the Nittany Lions rallied to defeat the Orange, 21-20. After the game, Penn State coach Rip Engle gushed that "Lenny never in his life was greater." Joe Paterno, one of Engle's assistants at the time, recalled the game years later as something akin to a heavyweight title fight. Said the coach, "They were two of the greatest running backs to ever play the game on that field." Those two running backs would soon move on to the NFL, where their star power boosted the league at a time when it was starting to show signs of challenging Major League Baseball as the national pastime. Brown went on to lead the Cleveland Browns to an NFL cham- pionship in 1964 and finished his nine-year career as the league's all-time leading rusher with 12,312 yards. Moore teamed up with Johnny Unitas to lead the Baltimore Colts to a pair of NFL titles in 1958 and '59. He finished his pro career with 5,174 yards rushing and 6,039 yards receiving and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975. That Moore isn't also in the college hall might seem like an egregious oversight, but it's actually because he doesn't meet one of the prerequisites for consideration. To be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, a player must have received first-team All-America recognition at least once in his career. Moore was a two-time second-team All-American but never re- M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M