Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/825639
fielder and catcher originally from Lan- caster, Pa., who was an All-Big Ten fresh- man last season at first base. Goganious's involvement with IMG Academy has spurred speculation that his presence at the nearly 600-acre spread in Bradenton will lead more graduates in all sports to Penn State, just as Illinois head football coach Lovie Smith has said pub- licly that he expects a closer association with the academy after hiring Gogan- ious's predecessor. Keep in mind that Goganious and Terry Smith, Penn State's defensive recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach, were in the same recruiting class in 1987 and spent five years as teammates. They have not only stayed in contact but have re- mained good friends, so close that when Goganious was looking into the IMG Academy position, he sought the advice of Smith. "I asked him what he thought about this op- portunity, and he gave me his opinions and thought it was a great move," Goganious said. "And he was correct. Obviously, there is a unique tie to Penn State and their foot- ball coaching staff. I have a great relationship with Coach [James] Franklin and his staff. I respect how they're build- ing the Penn State program and the char- acter of the student-athletes they're producing. But with that being said, I will treat them the same way I would any other college staff recruiting our student-ath- letes." A change in plans Coaching was not part of Goganious's lifetime plan when he graduated in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in business management or during his five years in the NFL. Drafted in the LINEBACKER U Goganious chases down West Vir- ginia running back Michael Beasley during a game at Morgantown in 1990. The line- backer was PSU's second-leading tackler in his junior and senior sea- sons. BWI file photo