Tag Archives: Matt McGloin

Dec 4 2012

O’Brien Finalist for National Coach of the year – Football Writers Association


Penn State coach Bill O’Brien has been selected a finalist for the 2012 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

The first-year Nittany Lion mentor last week was named the Big Ten’s Dave McClain Coach of the Year (media) and Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year (coaches).

O’Brien is joined as a finalist for the 2012 Eddie Robinson Award by:  Gary Andersen (Utah State), Dave Doeren (Northern Illinois), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), Urban Meyer (Ohio State), Will Muschamp (Florida), David Shaw (Stanford), Bill Snyder (Kansas State) and Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M).

The FWAA membership will vote this week and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year will be announced on Dec. 13.

The FWAA has selected a national Coach of the Year every year since 1957, with the award being re-named in 1997 for former Grambling coach Eddie Robinson. Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno earned the honor in 1978, 1982 and 1986.

Named Penn State’s 15th head football coach on January 6, 2012, O’Brien became the seventh first-year head coach to earn the Big Ten-Dave McClain Coach of the Year in the 41 years it has been awarded.

Also on the Watch List for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year, O’Brien led the Nittany Lions to victories in eight of their final 10 games, earning an 8-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Big Ten, with the only losses coming to division winners Ohio State and Nebraska. O’Brien’s eight wins are the most by a first-year Penn State coach in the 126 years of the program.

Penn State reeled off five consecutive victories after an 0-2 start, as O’Brien tied George Hoskins (1892) and Dick Harlow (1915) for the most consecutive wins by a first-year Nittany Lion coach. Penn State also won its initial three Big Ten road games, making O’Brien just the fifth Big ten coach since 1950 to win his first three conference away contests.

O’Brien engineered a dynamic, fast-paced offense that featured the Big Ten’s passing leader (Matt McGloin), top receiver (Allen Robinson) and a running back (Zach Zwinak) who gained 100 yards six times in eight Big Ten games and 1,000 yards for the season. Penn State led the Big Ten in total offense (437.0 ypg) in conference games and was second in scoring offense (32.6 ppg) and second in pass offense (283.1 ypg) against Big Ten foes this season.

Penn State gained more than 500 yards of total offense three times in conference play, topped by 546 yards vs. Indiana, its highest total against a Big Ten foe since gaining 557 yards against Michigan State in 2008.

O’Brien helped Penn State earn six first-team All-Big Ten selections and three individual conference award winners: - Michael Mauti (Mandeville, La.) was the Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year; -    Allen Robinson (Southfield, Mich.) was named the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year; - Deion Barnes (Philadelphia) was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year

O’Brien came to Penn State after five years on the New England Patriots‘ coaching staff, serving as the quarterbacks coach from 2009-11 and as offensive coordinator last year in helping the Patriots to the AFC Championship and a berth Super Bowl XLVI. O’Brien began his coaching career at his alma mater, Brown University, in 1993-94. He then coached at Georgia Tech (1995-2002), Maryland (2003-04) and Duke (2005-06) before joining Bill Belichick’s New England staff.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,200 men and women who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.

Nov 28 2012

McGloin a Finalist for Burlsworth Trophy!


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 27, 2012 – Penn State record-setting quarterback Matt McGloin (Scranton) has been named one of three finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, presented to the nation’s outstanding college football player who began his career as a walk-on.

The Burlsworth Trophy was first presented in 2010 in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, a former All-American and walk-on offensive lineman at the University of Arkansas. Burlsworth died in an automobile accident 11 days after being selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the 63rd overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.

The three finalists will be honored and the winner of the 2012 Burlsworth Trophy will be announced Monday, Dec. 3 at a banquet in Springdale, Ark., sponsored by the Springdale Rotary Club. Fans can vote for McGloin daily via the AT&T Fan Vote at http://www.burlsworthtrophy.com.

A fifth-year senior, McGloin is joined as a Burlsworth Trophy finalist by safety Jordan Kovacs (Michigan) and tackle David Quessenberry (San Jose State). Fifty players were nominated for the 2012 Burlsworth Trophy.

Oct 12 2012

The Making Of A Diehard Penn State Football Fan


Written by Zach Berger for onwardstate.com

(As a follower and alum of Penn State during the “glory days” of the 70′s and 80′s, I have never been prouder of Penn State students than I have been this year.  I remember the students thinking it was “cool” to sing “I don’t know the g-d words” instead of the words–now I hear the words being sung with conviction and meaning, and it chokes me with emotion as I proudly sing along!) - Myke Triebold

If you haven’t experienced it–go to you tube and watch the video–it is most impressive as an example of what Penn State truly is!

Just six weeks ago, I was one of the biggest National Football League fans that you could ever meet. There was nothing that excited me more than the prospect of a new football season. I bled green and white as a die-hard New York Jets fan. Penn State football, though something that excited me, was simply an afterthought in my realm of football fandom.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the Beaver Stadium experience — the chants, the feeling of standing with thousands of fellow State fans in the student section, the pre-game tailgates, and the official or unofficial whiteouts. I liked it. But I never loved it. In just six short weeks, Bill O’Brien’s new-look Nittany Lions football team has forced me to completely re-evaluate my disinterest towards college football.

I used to consider Saturday to be something that stood in the way of my NFL Sunday. Now Sunday just means that there are six days left until I make the walk to Beaver Stadium again. Based on conversations that I’ve had with fellow students, it seems that I’m not alone in this newfound love of college football. Thanks to a scandal that rocked the foundation of this university last November, the solidarity among the student body has grown and the vibe at football games appears to be stronger than ever as a result.

With a target on this team’s — and in extension, this school’s — back, the student body has recognized that the stakes are high during the few hours we spend each week in “The House That Joe Built”. This is very clearly the most important season in school history, and students are more excited now than ever about Penn State football. But “excited” isn’t the right word, because it’s so much more than that. Saturday is no longer just an excuse to get drunk and scream until you have no voice left. Saturday is serious.

On Saturday, the perseverance of our football team and our student body (and yes, our alumni too) is put on trial for the world to see. Six weeks ago, the projections for this team were dull. We were expected to win our first two games and lose our next four, not the other way around. Six weeks later, there’s a feeling that something really special is happening in that monstrosity that we call Beaver Stadium. The student section is exercising their power as the “12th man” more than ever before. The players feed off of the crowd and the crowd feeds off of the players. But none of this would be possible without the man that we affectionately call B.O.B.

Bill O’Brien has reenergized a football program and a fan base in the nine short months that he has been here. Joe Paterno’s Nittany Lions had me convinced that college football could never even touch the excitement and electricity of a National Football League game. The pace was slower. The plays were conservative. The passes were short. Nothing that I saw in Beaver Stadium during the last two years of the Paterno era — my first two years at Penn State — made me want to jump off of my couch in joy or scream “We are…” at the top of my lungs. And now I can’t stop doing either of those things when watching the exciting Bill O’Brien offensive scheme.

Trick plays. Long passes. Rugged, downhill running backs.

Cover corners. Run-stoppers. Tough, hard-hitting linebackers.

The list of electric players on this team goes on and on — Michael Mauti, Gerald Hodges, Michael Zordich, Zach Zwinak, Derek Day, Matt McGloin, Allen Robinson, Matt Lehman, and Kyle Carter. With Bill O’Brien at the helm, this Penn State football team has a powerful and explosive offense that looks to be light years ahead of the scheme that we were running just one year ago.

They operate at a faster pace. They use more complex looks and seem to be somewhat unpredictable for the first time in years. They go for fourth downs in field goal range. Every. Single. Time. They have a (fairly) accurate quarterback that’s found great chemistry with wideout Allen Robinson, who has been doing his best Derek Moye impression for the last six weeks. They average almost 400 yards of offense per game.

On the other side of the ball, the defense has dominated through the first half of the season. Their average of 16 points allowed per game is the 20th best in the nation. They have the ability to both run-stop successfully and play lockdown pass coverage. Their front seven features Michael Mauti, the defense’s fearless leader and just an all-around intimidating guy thanks to 232 pounds of destructive, havoc-wreaking body mass.

This is a well-rounded football team that has undergone a transformation, bringing just about every disinterested fan like me along with them.

Six weeks ago, I was an NFL fanatic who happened to go to college football games on the weekends for fun.

Six weeks later, I bleed blue and white and have been cursing the football gods for scheduling a bye one week after the best football game that I’ve seen Penn State play in my time as a student.

Sanctions be damned. I’m all in.

Oct 10 2012

Where is Penn State Football? An Update


COLUMN By STEVE HEISER 854-1575 x455 / @ydsports

We’ve come to the halfway point in the most unusual season in Penn State football history.

It seems like an appropriate time to take stock of the Nittany Lion program.

Here are three things that we’ve learned so far:

—1. Bill O’Brien seems like the right man for the job.

Since Day 1, he’s said and done all the right things under tremendously trying circumstances. All of that great public relations work would mean little, however, if the Lions were performing poorly on the field.

After a stumbling 0-2 start, however, Penn State seems to be steadily improving — as evidenced by four straight wins, including a rousing 39-28 fourth-quarter comeback victory on Saturday over previously unbeaten Northwestern. The Wildcats came in ranked No. 24.

O’Brien has also shown no fear, especially when it comes to play-calling. Fourth-down gambles don’t seem to scare him at all, and the fans are eating it up.

In the wake of unprecedented NCAA sanctions in the offseason, O’Brien also managed to hold the program together when it could have spun wildly into the college football gutter. He did lose a few standout players to immediate transfers (Silas Redd, Justin Brown, Anthony Fera), but for the most part, the Nittany Lions stood by their school and their new coach. That’s a testament to O’Brien and those players.

Some experts are already boosting O’Brien for Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. That seems like a stretch after just two conference games. But there’s no denying that O’Brien’s work to date has been impressive.

—2. These Nittany Lions are genuinely fun to watch.

They may not be the most talented bunch in Penn State history. Precious few of them will likely earn a living in the NFL.

But man, they play with fire and they play the game the right way.

That can be attributed directly to the team’s senior leaders — especially linebacker Michael Mauti, fullback Michael Zordich and quarterback Matt McGloin.

O’Brien takes every opportunity to heap praise on his senior class. O’Brien and his PSU seniors seem to have developed a special bond. That’s amazing considering they didn’t even know each other eight months ago.

Some of the Lions’ passion likely comes from an “Us-Against-the-World” mentality in the wake of the Sandusky Scandal. Some of it also comes from the fact that there will be no postseason games this season, or for the next few years. Therefore, the Lions can pour all of their heart and soul into the regular-season contests.

One has to wonder if the Lions can maintain that passion for six more games. That can be a hard thing to do. Most teams, sooner or later, come up empty. But so far, the Lions have consistently come ready to play.

—3. Recruiting, as expected, will be exceedingly difficult.

Since the NCAA sanctions came down, the Lions lost a few of their top recruits from their 2013 class.

And the new recruits they’ve attracted since then have generally been low-level prospects.

Penn State may also find it difficult to hold onto to some of the top verbal commitments they landed before the NCAA penalties came down, especially four-star Virginia quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who has been sending some mixed signals about his PSU commitment. He has said he remains committed to Penn State, but he has also said he wants to see how this PSU season plays out before signing on the dotted line in February. Those ambiguous statements have the Blue-and-White faithful on edge.

Losing Hackenberg would be a major blow — and not just because he’s a highly-rated player at a vital position. Losing the high-profile Hackenberg would also send a negative message to other potential recruits. It could have a domino effect. Penn State will have to play well and work hard to keep Hackenberg on board, because you can be sure that many other national powers will be calling, texting and visiting him.

O’Brien has done his best to publicize Penn State’s positives — its great facilities, its tremendous tradition and its national television exposure. O’Brien’s NFL-style offense and NFL contacts are also selling points. But given the severe sanctions, it’s still a very tough recruiting job.

In the final analysis, the Penn State football program under O’Brien is a work in progress — for this season and far beyond. In fact, this will likely be a long, hard slog for the next decade or so.

But after six games in this most unusual of Penn State seasons, there are reasons for hope. And at this point, that’s all Nittany Nation could have hoped for.

Oct 8 2012

Penn State Football–I’m “Bill-liever!!!!


by Doug Robb, on Facebook, and all I can say is “ditto”

A team that was written off at the beginning of the season by “the experts” in college football had now won 4 straight games and is tied for 1st place atop the Leaders division of the Big Ten with Ohio State! NCAA sanctions be damned, Bill O’Brien has decided WE will decide our own destiny, and WE will do so on the field of play, where it counts the most.

In my 50 plus years of watching, loving and supporting Penn State football, I have NEVER been prouder of a Penn State team than this 2012 Bill O’Brien inaugural squad. They have guts, determination, pride, skill, tenacity and a dedication to themselves and the Penn State program that is unprecedented in Penn State’s history. That kind of unity and sense of purpose CANNOT be accomplished without a strong, committed and capable leader at the helm of the Penn State football ship.

 Clearly, Bill O’Brien has proven he absolutely was “the right man for the job.” I “Billieve” we MUST support Penn state and the Nittany Lion football team like never before. We MUST cheer louder and longer. We MUST NOT get down when the other team gets ahead. We MUST make so much noise when the other team is on offense they can’t hear themselves think! We MUST “Billieve” in our team through thick and thin.

Bill O’Brien and Penn State, you have my unequivocal support now and forever. I “BILLIEVE!” It’s time to take our support for Penn State to a new level! FIGHT ON, STATE! FOR THE GLORY!

Sep 26 2012

Paul Jones Leaves Penn State Team


By Guy Cipriano gciprian@centredaily.com — State College – Centre Daily Times

                                    Penn State football coach Bill O’Brien confirmed at practice Wednesday that sophomore Paul Jones has left the team for personal reasons.

Jones, a high-profile recruit from Sto-Rox High School, never threw an official pass for Penn State. He did not play last season because of academic trouble. This season, he fell to third on the depth chart behind true freshman Steven Bench.

Jones was recently moved to tight  end and appeared in his first college game two weeks ago against Navy.  He also played the “F” tight end position last weekend against Temple. He caught one pass for seven yards against Navy and lost seven yards on a carry against the Owls.

Jones was not avialble for comment, but tweeted, “Just want to say thank you to everyone that has reached out to me offering their suport. I really appreciate it.”

Quarterback Matt McGloin said in a conference call with reporters earlier today that Jones didn’t attend Tuesday’s practice. McGloin said he was uncertain about Jones’ future with the team.

“I honestly have no idea,” McGloin said. “I know what you guys know. That he wasn’t at practice (Tuesday). I don’t know where he stands with the coaches or anything like that.

“He’s the type of kid that wants to contribute any way he can, whether it’s as a tight end or quarterback,” McGloin said. “It was really upsetting to see him make the decision. At the same time, he has to do what’s best for him. Whether he comes back or decides to leave, I wish him the best of luck.”

Aug 28 2012

McGloin, PSU Quarterback Refined


CDT, Guy Cipriano

McGloin said coach Bill O’Brien and position coach Charlie Fisher are transforming the quarterbacks into refined players.

“I’m definitely light years ahead of where I was, not only in terms of a quarterback, but in terms of a leader as well,” McGloin said. “Coach O’Brien and Coach Fisher are doing a tremendous job with the quarterbacks. They are teaching us the right way how to play the game of football and the right way how to play quarterback. We have never had anything like that before here, so we are really happy with the progress that we have made.”

After 17 days of camp, quarterback might be one of the roster’s most stable positions.

O’Brien named McGloin the starter on June 1, giving the outspoken fifth-year senior three months to prepare for next Saturday’s opener against Ohio University at Beaver Stadium. McGloin spent the past two years competing with Rob Bolden, who transferred to LSU last month.

Sophomore Paul Jones’ methodical development and the inexperience of true freshman Steven Bench has allowed McGloin to embrace his role without fretting about job security. Teammates seem relieved to conduct training camp without looming quarterback questions.

“You definitely see a lot more confidence in not just him – he’s always been a confident guy — but when you watch him,” Zordich said of McGloin. “He’s more poised, he knows what he’s doing. He’s confident in his throws and decisions, and it shows on the field. It helps when you are not in the middle of a quarterback controversy where if you make a throw you’re thinking, ‘If I miss this throw, am I going to get pulled.’ You can kind of let it out there and throw it. It’s working for him.”

McGloin has started 10 games over the past two seasons. But McGloin watched the younger Bolden open the past two season openers.

McGloin’s experience might help him navigate this year’s opener. Ohio, which went 10-3 last year, presents a tricky on-field test. The off-the-field challenges are also immense, as McGloin must steady an emotional team playing in the aftermath of last month’s severe NCAA sanctions levied against the school. The game also marks the program’s first since former coach Joe Paterno’s death.

“Anytime being the starting quarterback at Penn State you are going to have a lot of pressure on you,” McGloin said. “Now more than ever people are looking at what type of person you are and what type of leadership you have. People that know me know that I’m loyal guy. I want to be loyal to the program. All we want to do is go out there and play football.”

Center Matt Stankiewitch, a close friend who has known McGloin since high school, said he’s noticed a different player this preseason. Stankiewitch’s career at District 11 Blue Mountain High School ended with a 39-16 district playoff loss to West Scranton in 2007.

The Warriors’ starting quarterback? A senior named Matt McGloin.

“I think the confidence level is the big thing for Matt McGloin,” Stankiewitch said. “He has really taken that leadership role of being the quarterback and embracing that. He really has that confidence. I remember facing him back in high school, and he has that confidence when he takes that huddle and during the play.”

Jul 26 2012

Wisconsin Coach–Kudos to you for being FAIR!!


By Rick Gano, AP

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said Thursday that he has no plans to recruit the players at Penn State, suggesting it would violate what he calls a Big Ten coaching brotherhood.

Other Big Ten coaches were not as quick to rule it out.

“We’re going to follow the rules and the rules allow you to recruit,” said Purdue coach Danny Hope, who acknowledged contact between his staff and some PSU players. “For us not to compete would be a disadvantage for our football program. Whether anything materializes out of it, I don’t know. If they’re available, we’re interested.”

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said he had a “problem” with recruiting at Penn State, but didn’t rule it out.

“I don’t know enough about the rules,” he said as the Big Ten’s football media days began. “If a player reaches out, says, `I want to leave here, I’m out of here, I’m gone,’ and reaches out to someone, the player has a right to choose, especially by the rules, to go where he wants. To actively go get a player on a team, I’m not sure. … I don’t really understand the rule, I’m going to look into it.”

Bielema has already decided..

“I made the decision as a head coach we would not reach out to any Penn State players,” he said. “I think one of the things that I’ve loved and appreciated about being in this conference is there is a genuine respect for everybody in our league that you are a Big Ten brother and … we’re a group of coaches that have a network that’s beyond anybody’s expectations and helping us in recruiting.”

He added: “And it wasn’t anything more than I have a group of 105 players that are reporting on Aug. 5 that I want them to understand and believe that I think they can help us win another championship. And to bring someone in at this point so close to the season, I just wasn’t comfortable with it.”

Illinois coaches were in State College, Pa., on Wednesday and other coaches have said they’ve been in contact with players.  Preseason practice starts at Penn State on Aug. 6.

The NCAA sanctions will keep the Nittany Lions out of a bowl game for four years and the players are being allowed to transfer to another school and get on the field right away.  At least 13 top players and as many as 30 affirmed their commitment to Penn State on Wednesday, including senior quarterback Matt McGloin.

Many are awaiting the decision of running back Silas Redd, who rushed for 1,241 yards as a sophomore last season.

New Illinois coach Tim Beckman said coaches seeking Penn State players have nothing to apologize for. He said the Illini sent a list of names to Penn State before doing anything else.

“We’re just following the rules of the NCAA,” he said.  “We were in State College but we did not go on campus. We went to establishments outside campus and called some individuals. If they wanted to come by, it was their opportunity to come by.”

Bielema said he was impressed by the Penn State players who gathered to announce their decision to stay.

“I’m going to be their biggest fan for every week of the year for the guys that stay there and stick it through,” he said. “My hat’s off to the coach and all the players staying strong.”