Tag Archives: Ohio University

Sep 1 2012

We ARE–One Team, Devoted to PSU and Honor


UNIVERSITY PARK — Though there were only a fraction of the number of fans at Beaver Stadium on Friday night that will be there at noon today, they were no less enthusiastic.

Under the theme of “One Team,” Penn State students, alumni and fans filled the south end zone bleachers for Football Eve 2012.

The pep rally featured 11 Penn State varsity coaches and teams all rallying around the football team and head coach Bill O’Brien.

Men’s basketball coach Pat Chambers was the first coach to speak and got the crowd to get on their feet with his usual fervor and energy, urging the crowd to support the football team in its season opener today against Ohio University.

“We all are one voice and that voice needs to be heard with great passion great pride and great enthusiasm,” Chambers said.

But the crowd was never louder than when the football team and O’Brien took the field toward the end of the event.

After the new pump-up video was unveiled, O’Brien took the microphone to address several thousand attendees.

“This is fantastic,” O’Brien said. “We need to hear this tomorrow.”

O’Brien said the players are anxious to get back on the field because they are tired of hitting each other in practice and are looking forward to get the chance to hit someone else.

“You’re cheering for this team right here because this team can’t wait to play,” O’Brien said during his short speech to the fans, stressing the team’s readiness for the game.

Other coaches to speak to speak included Lady Lions coach Coquese Washington; men’s soccer coach Bob Warming; men’s lacrosse coach Jeff Tambroni; men’s volleyball coach Mark Pavlik; softball coach Robin Petrini; women’s lacrosse coach Missy Doherty; women’s gymnastics coaches Rachelle and Jeff Thompson; women’s ice hockey coach Josh Brandwene; men’s gymnastics coach Randy Jepson; and men’s ice hockey coach Guy Gadowsky.

Brandwene said that, in his 25 years as a Penn Stater, this is one of the coolest things he’s ever seen.

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.”

Aug 12 2012

NCAA appeal a losing battle? Experts: PSU has little recourse, risks reviving negative message


By Anne Danahy adanahy@centredaily.com — State College – Centre Daily Times

 When it comes to the NCAA, due process and other standards of a court of law don’t apply.

That’s according to one expert in NCAA regulations and enforcement. David Ridpath, associate professor of sports management at Ohio University, said Penn State doesn’t have to be a member of the NCAA if it doesn’t like the sanctions the organization imposed on the university for its role in the Jerry Sandusky scandal. But, in this case, Penn State President Rodney Erickson already signed off on the penalties.

Ridpath said the 1988 case of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, basketball coach versus the NCAA gave the NCAA a huge amount of latitude. That case, involving a basketball coach who fought his suspension, made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled the NCAA isn’t a state agency.

“That court case gave them license to say, ‘If you want to be in our club, you have to follow our club rules,’ ” Ridpath said.

Ridpath, who had his own run-in with the NCAA as an athletic administrator at Marshall University, said he doesn’t like the way the NCAA handled the Penn State situation, but he thinks those fighting it need to take their complaints to the university.

“Their beef is with Penn State,” he said. “Penn State didn’t need to accept those sanctions.”

Several entities — at least one trustee, the family of Joe Paterno and a group of former players — have filed notices of appeal with the NCAA for the sanctions it imposed on Penn State for its role in the Sandusky scandal.

Although on Friday, that trustee said in an email to the board that he was refraining from further legal action while the matter is under consideration.

They argue, in part, that the NCAA was wrong relying on the findings of the Louis Freeh report. Penn State commissioned the former FBI director to complete that report on the university’s response to the former football coach who has been convicted of sexually abusing boys on campus.

Gene Grabowski, senior vice president at Levick Strategic Communications, said if Penn State wants to get past the crisis it will have to find a way to get those appealing the decisions to stop. Otherwise, Grabowski said, from a communications perspective, the continuing story will be disastrous for the university.

“It keeps everyone thinking and talking about the past and old wounds, rather than moving forward,” he said.

He compared it to Republicans wanting to talk about Watergate. He said while there may be more nuances and precise facts than have come out, the big truth is wrongdoing took place.

“The university needs to make a public call for moving forward, taking the penalties and asking everyone to come together,” Grabowski said.

That may be what happens at 5 p.m. today, when trustees vote via teleconference on supporting accepting the NCAA sanctions.

Gary Roberts, dean and professor at the Indiana University Robert McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, said he thinks the only entity that would have a legal standing to challenge the decision with the NCAA or in court would be the university itself.

“Having said that, who is the university? That gets kind of tricky,” Roberts said.

He said that would depend on factors such as the university’s governing documents, structure and tradition. In any case, a challenge would have to come from a majority of the board — not just a single member.

“Certainly I think a strong argument could be made that the NCAA did not have the legal authority to do to one of its members what it did because its own rules don’t provide for it,” Roberts said.

Roberts, a sports law expert, said he thinks the NCAA knew the legal risks, but was hoping Penn State wouldn’t challenge them. The association assumed and appears to have been proven correct that the president and most trustees wouldn’t want to put the university through a lengthy legal battle.