With the Big 33 Classic in the rearview mirror, there is little too lookv forward to on the football front until fall practice begins for the Nittany
Lions in August.
Until then, we will watch the calendar for notable events, such as the annual Lift For Life, which will be held on July 10 at Holuba Hall.
The Nittany Lions did make the news a couple of weeks ago for an addition to their 2011 schedule. In today’s edition of Morelli OnLion, we’ll take a look at the latest school to appear on the schedule, we’ll also have our No. 9 moment of the year in Penn State athletics and feature another member of the Class of 2009.
Let’s start with the schedule.
Indiana Who?
In case you missed it, Penn State added Division I-AA Indiana State to its 2011 schedule. In case you’ve never heard of Indiana State, you are not alone. The school is hardly a football powerhouse.
In fact, it’s hard to call ISU a team.
Indiana State is 1-50 in its past 51 games. That’s not a typo. One win and 50 losses.
So how, exactly, does a team like Indiana State find its way on to Penn State’s schedule? The answer is easy. It’s money.
ISU will come to Happy Valley on Sept. 3, 2011 for one of the worst beatdowns it will ever take on the gridiron. By the time the dust settles
that afternoon, we could be looking at an 81-0 fiasco. Cincinnati, anyone?
In any event, ISU is making the trek because they get what they want — money. The school will get in the ballpark of $450,000 that afternoon. Penn State will get what it wants — a win and full stadium.
So what’s wrong with this? Well, um, everything.
It’s wrong for Penn State to schedule this game. It’s wrong for Indiana State to accept the invitation. Most of all, it’s wrong for the fans to get
charged full price to watch this debacle. But the fans will come because they can’t purchase season tickets without the ISU game as part of the
package.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind PSU scheduling some cupcakes. Everyone does it in this day and age and the Nittany Lions don’t have to be any different from the rest of college football. However, why not schedule a team like St. Francis? Those kids are right down the road and would love to play on the Beaver Stadium turf — even if they’re getting their heads kicked in.
Have no fear, though, fans have to suffer through ISU and then are rewarded the very next week when Alabama comes to town.
Penn State AD Tim Curley will bring Indiana State to town in 2011.
(Photo courtesy of Blue White Illustrated).
No. 9 Moment: Women’s Track and Field Team Takes Big Ten Title
Our No. 9 moment of the year involves a dramatic finish.
Penn State trailed first-place Michigan by a single point heading into the final event of the 2009 Big Ten Track and Field Championships, but the
Nittany Lions women’s 4×400 relay team finished third and ahead of the Wolverines to hurtle the Lions to the overall championship in Columbus,
Ohio.
Sophomore Shavon Greaves ran second in the relay and left the championships with a pair of Big Ten titles, first claiming the 100 meters with a regional qualifying time of 11.49 and then sprinting to a 23.35 in the 200 meters, just ahead of teammate Gayle Hunter, who finished second with a time of 23.81. Greaves also anchored the 4×400 team.
Hunter, meanwhile, scored points in four individual events, the most of any Penn Stater, including the heptathlon, where she posted a school record of 5,730 points to finish third.
It was Penn State’s second consecutive track and field title.
Christian Kuntz figures to be a big-time player for Penn State.
(Photo courtesy of Blue White Illustrated).
Class of 2009: Christian Kuntz
Trinity athlete Christian Kuntz came to Happy Valley last summer as just one of hundreds of hopefuls looking to catch the Nittany Lions’ coaches eyes at their annual summer camps.
Luckily for Kuntz, wide receivers coach Mike McQueary was on hand to see him work out during the camp’s first session. A few days later, Kuntz went home with a verbal offer from the Nittany Lions.
Just two weeks later, he had pared his list down to Penn State and Connecticut, and was ready to make a final decision. On July 4, he informed
his family that they would only have to travel the short hour-and-a-half drive to State College to watch him play his college ball.
“The location always helps; it’s only about an hour and a half away from my house,” he said shortly after his decision. “Also, my chances of going in and playing are better since they are losing all the starting wideouts they have this year and didn’t take any receivers in 2008. I have a chance to go in and play as a true freshman.”
Despite growing up in the shadows of Beaver Stadium, Kuntz admitted that he didn’t grow up a fan of Penn State.
“I actually rooted against Penn State,” he said. “I always rooted for the underdog. My dad went to Maryland and my dad’s side of the family all loves Notre Dame. They all said they are going to have to like Penn State too for the next four or five years. I’m going to wear blue and white everywhere. It’s definitely going to be different and something I’m very happy about.”
As a junior, Kuntz gained notoriety as a running back in the Shamrocks’ Wing-T offensive attack. He rushed for 633 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught two touchdowns, and had three interceptions on defense.
He got off to another great start in 2008, but his season ended in October, as he injured his MCL after being tackled from behind against Middletown. He was forced to miss the remainder of the season.
Before the injury, Kuntz had piled up 727 rushing yards and scored 13 touchdowns, and caught 13 passes for 135 yards.
He was named to the Patriot-News’ Platinum 33 squad, and checked in at the No. 32 spot in the Rivals.com Pennsylvania postseason rankings.
Chris Morelli is the award-winning editor of Blue White Illustrated, a weekly publication devoted to Penn State athletics. He is also a regular on
“Sports Central,” which airs on ESPN Radio in Altoona and State College. E-mail him at morellionlion@gmail.com. This column does not necessarily
reflect the views or opinions of BWI’s writers or publisher.
