Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545007
2 6 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M F ollowing his arrival at Penn State in December, new head coach Matt Campbell played the role of observer during the lead-up to the Nit- tany Lions' meeting with Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl. It didn't take him long to notice the effort of No. 89, local walk-on tight end Finn Furmanek. The State Col- lege native was buried for the most part at his position but was able to work his way into playing in all 13 games on special teams as a redshirt sophomore. While the Penn State roster underwent turmoil over the next month, Camp- bell decided that Furmanek was worth a scholarship to stick around following the coaching change. "One of the things that Coach Camp- bell has stressed is that the guys who are doing the right thing on and off the field are going to get rewarded," Penn State special teams coordinator Justin Lustig said. "Finn is a guy who does everything right on and off the field. He's a connec- tor, too, A guy who can get along with all kinds of different people. He's a leader by example, not a loud guy, but he's a guy who just goes to work. It's kind of a cliché, but he's a blue-collar, lunch pail guy. And I think that just connects with some of the Midwest values that have been brought in." Increased Workload This spring, with older tight ends like redshirt junior Andrew Rappleyea and redshirt senior Gabe Burkle working their way back from injuries, Furmanek saw an increased workload. Coaches and teammates frequently pointed to him as a player who was making the most of his opportunity. "When you have great tight ends, you're usually great not only offen- sively, but you also have the ability to be great on special teams," Campbell said while mentioning Furmanek. "Those roles, those body types, can do a lot of things for you to be suc- cessful. So, we'll work really hard to continue that lineage of success here." Added redshirt soph- omore tight end Cooper Alexander, "Finn Furmanek has been awesome, just with how fast he's been able to pick up the offense. In the run game, he mauls people." He's also played a valuable role in helping Penn State's many new players settle into their surround- ings. In addition to his on-field contributions, he's tried to ensure that everyone feels comfortable in his hometown. TEAM TEAM PL PLAYER YER Veteran tight end Finn Furmanek helps bring the Nittany Lions' transfer-laden roster together S E A N F I T Z | S E A N . F I T Z @ O N 3 . C O M Furmanek was a key special teams contributor last season and this year has played an important role in helping the Nittany Lions' many newcomers get acclimated to Penn State and the State College com- munity. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER