Blue White Illustrated

O c T O B E R 8 , 2 0 1 6 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . c O M 12 T i M O W E N | O W E N . T I M . B W I @ G M A I L . c O M It's become a weekly tradition. Before every game, Koa Farmer receives a handmade gi@ in the mail from his mom, Shirley, who sends it from back home in Lake View Terrace, Calif. What it is is a ti leaf lei, a traditional garment in Hawaii. Each game, Farmer wears it under his shoulder pads. "Guys have a good luck shirt that they're wearing underneath their pads. This is my thing," Farmer said. "My mom makes it every week and she sends it to me and it kind of keeps the bad spirits away." Speaking to reporters a@er Penn State's 38-14 win over Maryland on Saturday, Farmer still wore the green-leafed horse- shoe-shaped lei around his neck. He had just finished what he considers to be the best game of his collegiate career and he was proud to display. He was also proud – rightfully so – in talking about his per- formance. A redshirt sophomore, Farmer finished with five total tackles as part of a defen- sive performance that held the Terrapins to just 170 total yards on the ground a@er they averaged 300 in their first four games. Penn State held Maryland to only an additional 100 yards through the air, as it passed for one touchdown and also an interception by fellow linebacker Brandon Smith. Another key play of the game came from Farmer. Leading 17-7 late in the second quarter, Penn State had just turned the ball over deep in Maryland territory a@er a blocked punt. On the very next play from the 15-yard line, with Maryland QB Perry Hills looking to throw, Farmer blitzed from the blind side. When he made con- tact with Hills' back, the force of his hit jarred the ball loose. With Torrence Brown recovering the fumble, PSU re- gained possession just one play a@er los- ing it, and Farmer's first career sack was the reason why. "That's literally the best feeling right there," Farmer said, describing the antic- ipation before he made contact with the QB. "My eyes just got big. I'm like, please don't throw this, and when it happened it was so much fun. I knew he fumbled and I tried to pick it up but [teammates] got in the way." Once Farmer saw that his teammate had possession, he took off running to- ward the sideline in celebration. "I almost lost my mind," he said. "I mean, I almost took off my helmet on the field, which would've been a penalty. So I took it off when I got to sideline. I went crazy. Heat-of-the-moment type of thing." Farmer had started his Penn State ca- reer as a safety, then was moved to line- backer, and then back to safety, and then again back to linebacker earlier this sea- son in response to the host of injuries to his teammates. In the wake of all those moves, head coach James Franklin was pleased to see one of the first prospects he recruited to PSU finally have the game of his young career. "I'm happy for him and I'm happy for our defense and our team, because Koa has kind of been like a man without a home since he's been here," Franklin said. "A high school running back, and wildcat quarterback [who] played a little safety as well, [he was] probably more of an of- fensive-minded player when he first got here. So it's nice to see him not only play- ing but making an impact." DRESSED FOR SUCCESS Koa Farmer bolsters the Lions' battered defense in a victory over Maryland PSUtixman@gmail.com www.PSUtixman.com Get your PSU Football Tickets at go t ti cke t s? k c i t t t e k man@g .PSUtixm www.PSUtixman.com at ootba Get yo k c i t t o gm .PSUtixman.com all ur s t s e k Farmer closes in on Maryland running back Lorenzo Harri- son. Photo by Steve Manuel

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