Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547542
1 8 D E C E M B E R 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 Andrew Rappleyea has been through this before. The redshirt junior tight end was a member of last year's Penn State team that lost six consecutive games at midseason, only to rebound and win its final three and earn a spot in the Pinstripe Bowl, which it also won. Losing streaks always take a toll, but last year's struggles helped Rappleyea and the team's other returnees navigate a tough stretch this year. After four con- secutive losses, the Lions rebounded with back-to-back victories over Purdue and Washington, raising hopes that they will still be able to attain bowl eligibility. Rappleyea has been one of the most productive members of a veteran tight end corps that also includes seniors Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle and redshirt junior Finn Furmanek. A former four-star prospect from Millbrook, N.Y., Rapple- yea was the team's fifth-leading receiver through nine games with 241 yards and 3 touchdowns on 30 catches. He's been one of redshirt senior quarterback Rocco Becht's favorite targets in recent weeks, with 7 catches apiece against USC and Michigan, 4 against Purdue and 2 versus Washington. Rappleyea recently spoke to Penn State beat reporters about his season. QUESTION: What's the leadership been like for the team this year? RAPPLEYEA: "I think we're trending upward, which is what we need. We've got to have certain guys, through their performance and through their leadership on the field, step forward. That will help bring this program back to the top. That's what we're trying to do." QUESTION: Some of the current players, including yourself, were on the team that lost six in a row last year, then you rebounded and won four to end the season. How instructive was that experi- ence for you, and how much are you try- ing to lean on that? RAPPLEYEA: "Yeah, it's very similar. To say I haven't been in this situation, I'd be lying. Last year was the same kind of deal. Going into this season … we were all thinking, all right, we're going to be in a good spot, but that's obviously not the case right now. The only thing you can do is prepare week in and week out to go execute to your best ability. "I know having that past experience, for myself, it's like, 'Okay, guys, this ain't the first time we've been here. Let's go out this weekend and get this one.' "You can't think about [the losing streak]. If you dwell on it, it's only go- ing to lead you to make a mistake in the game coming up. You've just got to flush it, trust your abilities, trust your training, and go out there and execute." QUESTION: It seems like you've been more involved in the passing game in re- cent weeks. What's gone into that? Why do you think that happened? RAPPLEYEA: "I'm just doing my job, what they asked me to do. I don't have any doubts about what I can do for this team to help it. It's just a matter of what they want me to do. There have been some opportunities the past couple weeks. They've always been there, but it's tough getting [the ball] to everybody." QUESTION: What kind of goals do you have for yourself for the rest of the season? RAPPLEYEA: "I'm more concerned with how the team is doing. I'm doing all right. I've definitely missed some blocks that I would want back for sure and dropped a couple of balls. It's football, it happens. But I'm just holding myself to the standard that was instilled in me upon getting to college — just playing how I know I can play every week." QUESTION: How important was the bye week as a way to go back and review what you were doing as a team? RAPPLEYEA: "When you take the bye week, it's a complete evaluation period. We put a cut-up [video] together — this is bad, this is good. A lot of things you watch, you think, damn, I didn't think it looked like that, but it did. Then you see the things that are good, and you're thinking, hey, we need more of that. That was the reality of the bye week. It's a big evaluation time." QUESTION: What's [offensive coor- dinator] Taylor Mouser like in those set- tings? RAPPLEYEA: "He's hard on you, 100 percent. He says what needs to be said. I can take coaching like that; I like be- ing held to a verbally hard standard. But you've got to know who you're talking to. Some guys, they go into the gutter when they get told that, but for me, and I know for Gabe and Ben and Finn, the guys who are playing a good bit [at tight end], they can and they will take that heat." ■ Sitting Down With Redshirt Junior Tight End Andrew Rappleyea Rappleyea went into Penn State's game against Minnesota with 241 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns this season. PHOTO BY FRANK HYATT