A large, dark cloud has been hovering over the Penn State football program for the last three years, but it appears the sun may finally be shining in Happy Valley.
The actions of former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, and those who helped cover up his crimes, resulted in a distressing period that included the firing of the immortal Joe Paterno, vacated wins, a fine of $60 million, scholarships taken away and a four-year postseason ban for one of the most storied programs in college football.
Now the NCAA has decided to lift the postseason ban beginning immediately and Penn State will have full scholarship availability ?beginning next season.
Growing up in southern New Jersey, college football fans attached themselves to Penn State.
Children were raised to root for the Lions and a good portion of my high school attended Penn State.
I saw each Saturday the passion that was connected to Penn State football — the expectations, the pride and the adoration.
Joe Paterno was one of the most respected and beloved coaches in the whole nation, but in that part of the country he was truly revered.
The 2011 season was off to a great 8-1 start coming off a disappointing 7-6 campaign the year before.
Then, all the chaos and tragedy materialized and Penn State had to swallow their pride and accept the fact that the football program would have a lot of rebuilding to do.
The truth is Penn State is one of the few institutions where I genuinely consider the students, alumni and fans as one giant community that all feel this insatiable pride about their school together.
The impact of the sanctions diminished that pride greatly and the aforementioned cloud over that program felt real and tangible in that community.
A friend of mine who goes to school at Penn State told me, “You’re always proud of your school and want your team to win, but the bowl ban definitely put a damper on things around here.”
Bill O’Brien deserves credit for the way he kept the football team relevant during his two-year tenure and maintaining a pride even when there was no end goal to play for except that pride itself.
Most of the admiration belongs to the student athletes who decided to stay true to the program.
It belongs to the veterans who had the option to leave and play anywhere else, but believed in the concept of Penn State.
It belongs to the recruits who could have changed their commitment but decided to still be Nittany Lions even though they may never see a bowl game.
The poster boy is Christian Hackenberg, a former five-star quarterback prospect who kept his commitment despite knowing that the postseason ban would cover his entire career in Happy Valley.
He even stayed when his coach left for the NFL and many speculated he would transfer.
Those are the guys who deserve this ban lifted because those are the guys that had nothing to do with the unspeakable crimes committed.
They are just young men who love Penn State football and that is the type of person that should be rewarded.
For IU, this means that they will be playing a team with a sense of purpose come Nov. 8.
I have considered the Penn State game as the most important for IU this season and the put-up-or-shut-up moment for the Hoosiers.
The scholarship sanctions of the past two years have certainly hurt Penn State’s depth but the top-heavy talent they have now will be looking at a bowl berth or even a Big Ten title.
Obviously, Penn State has still played every game with heart and effort but, now that they are postseason eligible, they will be playing with an extra fire that only a team playing for something come season’s end can have.
I still don’t see this team winning more than eight games or winning the Big Ten East, but each opponent has a little more to worry about now.
I had previously given IU a slight edge at home against Penn State but now ... IU may be the underdog.
Hackenberg, maybe the best future pro quarterback prospect in the nation, who has already thrown for 773 yards in two games, might lead the Lions over an IU squad coming off a bye week.
There is a lot of football between now and then, so one team may separate themselves from the other, but my outlook on this game has certainly changed despite no roster changes or scheme shakeups.
All that matters, though, is that a prideful program can now start visualizing a future again, a luxury they have not had in a few years.
Fans that did nothing to deserve this anguish can now back James Franklin’s Nittany Lions with hope in their hearts.
Now a football-loving community as large as any has purpose again and that makes college football all the better.
brodmill@indiana.edu
