Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/703041
P R E V I E W pens. You can either go out there and do what I know you're capable of doing, or not.' " Penn State held off the Badgers, 31-24, and Golden's steady play in the secondary was a factor in its success, as he finished the game with a season-high three tackles and one pass break-up. Now that he's getting set for the final season of his career, the Nittany Lions will be looking for more of the same. With the defensive line sporting three new starters and the linebacker situation ap- pearing a bit precarious due to injuries and a couple of off-season transfers, the secondary is easily the defense's most ex- perienced position group. And of the play- ers in that formidable unit, no one has more seniority than Golden. Now a fifth-year senior, the 6-foot-0, 205-pound Golden will man the strong safety position. He's coming off a junior season in which he played extensively, making four starts, including the final three games of the year, during which he replaced the injured Jordan Lucas. He fin- ished 10th on the team with 40 tackles, and he had one of the bigger plays of Penn State's season, a late interception against Maryland that helped thwart the Terrapins' comeback bid in a 31-30 victory. Filling in for Lucas helped Golden be- come a more complete player. "The only way you can get better is by playing more football and getting more game reps," he said. "The more reps you get, I think it helps you in the long run." Before that, Golden paid his dues. A na- tive of Hartford, Conn., he was one of the last players recruited by Joe Paterno. Rated by Rivals.com as the No. 2 overall prospect in Connecticut's Class of 2012, he stuck with the Nittany Lions through the tumult that followed the Sandusky scandal, from Paterno's exit to Bill O'Brien's arrival to the imposition of harsh sanctions by the NCAA. Golden had totaled more than 2,900 all-purpose yards in his final two seasons at Cheshire Academy, so even though Pa- terno's staff had recruited him as a cor- nerback, it made sense for O'Brien and his receivers coach, Stan Hixon, to station him at wideout as a true freshman. But in the spring of 2013, they changed their minds. The Lions needed depth in the secondary, and Golden had also been a standout defensive back in high school, intercepting seven passes as a senior. So he switched to safety. It was a humbling experience at first as he found himself matched up with future NFL players Allen Robinson and Jesse James. "I had some rough days," he conceded. But he made strides. In one of his prac- tices as a defensive back, he faced off against quarterback Steven Bench. Two of Bench's receivers were running vertical routes, and Golden maneuvered into po- sition to make a diving interception. Al- though it took place behind closed doors, it was – and still is – an important moment in his career. "I still watch it to this day," he said. "I just look at it and think about how far I've come. That play helped me realize what I can do." Over the next two seasons, Golden saw action on special teams and defense, play- ing in all 12 games as a redshirt freshman and eight as a sophomore. Then came his eventful junior season, during which he made his first career start and intercepted his first career pass: the game-clincher against Maryland. When he filled in for Lucas at the end of the year, he was always around the ball, setting a career record with eight tackles against Michigan and breaking that mark a week later with nine stops at Michigan State. He finished with six tackles in the TaxSlayer Bowl against Georgia, including three solo stops. By all accounts, Golden maintained that momentum into the off-season. At the end of spring practice, coach James Franklin described him as "one of the most improved guys on our team right now, not just physically but also from a leadership perspective and mentally. "I think safety is one of our deeper po- sitions," Franklin added, "especially when we get some guys back who've had some nicks and bruises." In addition to putting himself in position to be a major defensive contributor, Gold- en has excelled in the classroom. A telecommunications major, he collected his diploma in December and is working on a second degree in broadcast jour- nalism. "Hopefully I can use that and work for ESPN or become the next Oprah, the male version of Oprah," he said, laugh- ing. "So look out for me in a couple of years." Reflecting on his college career, Golden takes pride in having helped the Nittany Lions get through the most difficult period in their history. Penn State, he said. "has changed my life more than I could have ever known, and I'm just grateful to be a part of it." With his final season fast approaching, he's mostly looking forward. Not too far forward, though. "I'm not worried about the first game yet," Golden said. "I'm wor- ried about our [daily] conditioning [drills]. I'm going to try to finish off the summer strong and then go into training camp completely healthy. Then we'll worry about the first game." ■