Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/575323
P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >> T H E 2 0 1 5 S E A S O N includes barber chairs among its many amenities, while Texas A&M has barber chairs and 100 flat-screen TVs. Those two schools are often cited as having set a new standard for elite programs, and Oregon is far from finished, having recently announced plans for a 29,000-square- foot sports performance center named after Heisman Trophy-winning quarter- back Marcus Mariota. But there's no need to travel 3,000 miles to find lavish facilities. The Big Ten is in the midst of its own building boom. Ohio State recently remodeled its football locker room, adding a waterfall and a separate set of lockers for its NFL alumni. And since joining the Big Ten, Rutgers and Maryland have announced ambitious plans to upgrade their football buildings. "There's a race out there," Pry says in the video. "There's an arms race. The best programs in the country year-in and year- out are elevating their game from a facil- ities standpoint, and you don't want to be left behind." Adds cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, "It's important to make a commitment to the Lasch Building because it's the foun- dation of the program. This is where we are 365 days a year. We need to make sure this facility is the best facility that it can possibly be. After all, this is Penn State, and we're committed to excellence and we're committed to being the best, and we want this to be the very best as well." Franklin has framed the improvements as part of an larger effort to ensure that his players are getting everything they need in order to make the most of their Penn State experience. "From top to bot- tom, we want to make sure that our players are being supported," he said, "and are part of a program that's teaching them lessons that they're going to be able to take with them for years and years to come." ■ HOME THEATER The "Experience Room" will give potential recruits what Penn State calls "an immersive digital experi- ence." Through the use of wraparound video screens, PSU will be able to show prospects the game day at- mosphere at Beaver Stadi- um. Photo courtesy of Penn State Athletics