Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/590325
P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L > > A nthony Zettel was going to play. There was never any doubt about that. Only a day earlier, his father, Terry, had died at age 46 after an 18-month battle with cancer. Zettel's coaches at Penn State had left it up to him whether to suit up for the Nittany Lions' game against San Diego State on Sept. 26. Whatever his de- cision, they would support it, just as they had been doing throughout the season as he traveled back and forth between State College and the family's home in West Branch, Mich. But to the senior defensive tackle, there was no decision to make. He was going to honor his father's memory the best way he knew how, and that was to play. "When I would come home and he was going through chemo sessions, he would be yelling at me: Get back to college and go do your thing because sitting here with me, you're not doing anything you want to do and bettering yourself," Zettel said. "I think me not playing that game was not even a question, you know. I'm playing that game no matter what – for him and for my career, too. That's what he would want me to do." Zettel didn't just play; he played bril- liantly, finishing with a career-high seven tackles including 2.5 tackles for loss and an assisted sack. He also broke up a pass and recovered a fumble to set up a touch- down, as Penn State outlasted the Aztecs, 37-21. It was his best game of the season, | STAYING STRONG Anthony Zettel draws inspiration from his father's memory WRAPPED UP Zettel tackles running back Donnel Pumphrey in Penn State's 37-21 victory over San Diego State. Photo by Steve Manuel