Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/383968
than anything. Those guys can be rewarded for their commitment and for their sac- ri1ce to this community and this univer- sity." With congratulations, thanks and ap- preciation given, Franklin soon pivoted his focus. Traveling to Rutgers for a primetime clash and a critical matchup to open the Big Ten schedule just a few days a3er the news broke, Lions still faced more work. Understanding the moment's signi1cance to the future, Penn State's players seemed to embrace the idea of turning back toward the task at hand. Christian Hackenberg, the Nittany Li- ons' star quarterback who bucked all conventional wisdom by sticking with Penn State in the face of the sanctions, highlighted the duality of the day's emo- tions. Dutifully thanking the many people who helped keep the program not just afloat, but also thriving in many ways, the sophomore captain acknowledged the same realities as his head coach: Without dedicating their time to the cur- rent season, the wins they need in order to qualify for a bowl game can elude this team. "I think it's a credit to a lot of people, the seniors in 2012, guys like Adam [Bren- eman] and Garrett [Sickels] and Big Baby [Brendan Mahon] and everyone involved in our class for sticking through it," Hackenberg said. "Coach O'Brien for coming in here and doing a great job when really no one else wanted the job, and then Coach Franklin coming in and taking over and being the guy who is still going to lead us through it all and lead us out of it all. I think it's a good thing, but in reference to this team, we're still one game at a time, one week at a time, and it's just an opportunity to go to a bowl. "We're not guaranteed anything yet. We still have to go out and win those games. So it's one day at a time." Still, for some of the members of the team who had been freshmen or sopho- mores when the sanctions came down, the day struck an emotional chord. The daunting decision of staying or going, and the ultimate impact those decisions would have on their own lives and the future of the program weighed heavily in the face of an unknown abyss. Coming out on the other side of the sanctions in- tact – something many players weren't sure if they'd ever see when they com- mitted to PSU – proved to be the ultimate validation. "We know what we've all been through and the highs and lows," said junior of- fensive guard Angelo Mangiro. "We just kind of had a little smile on our face for just a little bit and just hugged each other and said congrats. But we know we have Rutgers this week and we're focused on them." So focused, in fact, that the team meeting lasted all of about 10 minutes before some players marched straight into their posi- tional 1lm rooms to study the Scarlet Knights. This, no less, on their only day o2 of the week. At his weekly press conference, less than 24 hours a3er the public learned of the news, Franklin said he hoped media members would be willing to follow the team's lead and turn the attention to the Rutgers game. Committed to the "best practices" that have led to success thus far in his career, Franklin explained that the report of reduced sanctions changed nothing with his day-to-day duties. "I think obviously it was received ex- tremely well and the guys are excited, but my message to you is the same message that I have to them," he told reporters at an atypically crowded media room at Beaver Stadium. "This is great, and now there's nothing being held back from them in terms of opportunities. "They have the ability to chase their dreams now, but we're going to go back to our same approach, which is one play at a time, one game at a time, one class at a time." ■