Blue White Illustrated

T H E 2 0 1 5 S E A S O N and after watching it from the sideline, coach James Franklin said he was "just really proud of him and the whole team. This team is going to be here to support him every step of the way." Linebacker Ben Kline, a fellow member of the Class of 2011, marvels at how Zettel has persevered this year. "He's been stronger than I would ever expect anyone to be in a similar circumstance," Kline said. "[It] makes me proud to be his friend and makes me really proud to be his team- mate." It's helped that Zettel's support system has extended well beyond his team, reach- ing out into the massive community of fans that cheer on the Nittany Lions every week. "I've gotten thousands of letters and everything from people," Zettel said. "It really shows you the support that Penn State has toward their student-ath- letes." Speaking with reporters earlier this month, Zettel shared some of his favorite memories. He talked about watching his father walk his sister, Jenna, down the aisle at her wedding in August. He talked about the hole-in-one that he hit a few months ago, which his father was on hand to help celebrate. "He had just come off a round of chemo and could barely walk, and he's out there golfing," Zettel said. "[That] was something spe- cial." Through it all, an ordeal that he described simply as "emotional," Zettel has been a force for the Nittany Lion defense. After the first six games of Penn State's regular season, he was seventh on the team with 23 tackles and third with six tackles for loss. After emerging as a star last season fol- lowing a move from defensive end to de- fensive tackle, Zettel quickly developed a reputation as a fun-loving tough guy, lighthearted off the field but all-business on it, the kind of guy who was just as apt to appear on YouTube or Instagram as on "SportsCenter." But having endeared him- self to Penn State fans with his miraculous pick-six vs. Ohio State last year, having gone viral with his tree-tackling video over the summer, he's getting ready to end his Penn State career and has been in a reflective mood as he prepares for what's next. "I've been here for five years and it's amazing to think that I've been here that long and I've played in this stadium that many times," he said. "Looking into these next couple of games, I want to do this for the Penn State football family, this town, this community, my teammates, my coaches, my family back home. I have a lot to play for, and it really makes playing hard every game a lot easier, so I have a lot of passion for this university." Inspired by his father's memory, Zettel said he felt more focused than ever in Penn State's victory over San Diego State. "I felt like he was with me every step of the way, so it just felt different," he said, "and I know every game I play from now on out, or whatever I do in life, he's going to be with me." ■ S ean Spencer's defensive line has been one of Penn State's strengths this season, just as it was a year ago when the veteran assistant coach arrived in University Park after three seasons with James Franklin at Vander- bilt. But while the Nittany Lions' starting four have been making most of the headlines, there's also a group of freshman linemen who are awaiting their opportunity. Spencer recently took the time to assess the develop- ment of the team's freshmen, some of whom are coming off redshirt seasons and are just starting to see action, some of whom only recently arrived and are redshirting this year. Spencer said that even the players in the latter group are being groomed to play right away if needed. "We make those guys study and take notes," he said. "We give them the same test as the older guys because you never know when their preparation will be called upon in a game." Here are Spencer's thoughts on… TORRENCE BROWN "One thing about Torrence that we always liked: He was the small-school basketball player of the year in the state of Alabama, just a tremendous athlete. A D-end with that type of athletic ability, he's the quote-unquote best basketball player on the team. We have a lot of guys who say they are, but they all know that if Torrence was playing basketball against them, he'd give them all they can handle. He's got a great skill set. He can play on the perimeter. He's also strong enough and powerful enough to play against the run and he's also probably one of the more dynamic pass rushers that we have." ANTOINE WHITE "He came in as a mid-year kid, and it was a little fast for him. He really should have been going to the prom and things like that, but he Spencer assesses freshman linemen SEAN SPENCER

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