Blue White Illustrated

THE SPIRIT OF '78 QB Chuck Fusina and his teammates put together one of the greatest seasons ever at Penn State EDITOR'S NOTE This article is adapted and updated from a story that first appeared in Blue White Illustrated in November 2005. ne would think an All-America quarterback who was an ex- tremely close runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting, led his school to its first No. 1 ranking and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated would be remem- bered better by his team's fans. Unfortunately, the lasting memory of Chuck Fusina and his unfortunate team- mates of 1978 is the heartbreaking loss to Alabama in the '79 Sugar Bowl, a defeat that cost Penn State the national cham- pionship. "Nobody remembers who finishes sec- ond," Fusina said from his home in sub- urban Pittsburgh. "I don't care what it is. Nobody remembers who finishes second in the Super Bowl either, but that's just how it is." Fusina admitted that the disheartening 14-7 defeat in his last Penn State game bothered him for a few years. "Initially it was tough, and there is still disappointment that we didn't accom- plish what we really set out to do," he said. "I know I really didn't play my best game. But getting older and wiser I realize we took a lot for granted, and those things happen. It was two awfully good teams and [the game] could have gone either way." Until that season, Penn State had never been first in the national polls. It hap- pened on Nov. 13, 1978, when both the AP media and UPI coaches' polls boosted the Nittany Lions from No. 2 to No. 1 follow- ing a come-from-behind 19-10 victory over North Carolina State at Beaver Sta- dium. But the crucial game in the climb to No. 1 had occurred one week earlier when the Lions soundly defeated then- unbeaten, fifth-ranked Maryland, 27-3, before a national television audience and a record crowd of 78,018 at newly ex- panded Beaver Stadium. State's vaunted defense, which included first-team All- Americans Bruce Clark, Matt Millen and Pete Harris, held the Terps to minus-32 yards on 43 carries while totaling five sacks and five interceptions. Fusina threw for 254 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown reception by Tom Donovan, and his performance landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the head- line "Penn State Rolls… Chuck Fusina Dazzles Maryland. "I didn't know [the SI cover appear- ance] was going to happen," Fusina said. "It was nice for the team because we were starting to get a little recognition. It was really a beautiful day, a nice, clear, crisp day, and I remember our defense dictated the game just as they had most of the year. Our defense kept getting us the ball in really good position. When you have a defense like that, it makes it much easier for the offense, particularly the quarter- back." Clark went on to win the Lombardi Award as the nation's outstanding line- man/linebacker, beating out his team- mate Millen. Four of the defensive starters –Millen, Lance Mehl, Rich Milot and Larry Kubin – helped enhance Penn State's reputation as "Linebacker U" by going on to successful NFL careers. The offense also had its share of future pros in two-time All-America tackle Keith Dor- ney, All-America place-kicker Matt Bahr, running backs Matt Suhey and Mike Guman, wide receiver Scott Fitzkee and offensive linemen Irv Pankey, Chuck Correal and Pete Kuglar. It was an expe- rienced team spearheaded by juniors and seniors who had just missed playing for the national championship the year be- fore due to a 24-20 upset loss to Kentucky in the fourth game of the season. "It's not easy to be 11-1 two years in a row. We knew we had an experienced, good team because we had such a suc- cessful season in '77," Fusina said. "We felt we could play with anyone, that on any given day we felt we would win no matter who we were up against." But on Jan. 1, 1979, the Lions met their match on the artificial turf of the Louisiana Superdome. Everyone remem- | O H I S T O R Y

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