A little over a decade ago, I published an anthology of three times Penn State’s head football coach addressed the crowd at THON – Joe Paterno near the end of his career; Bill O’Brien during his short, but memorable stint in the role; and James Franklin, at the very beginning of his time in Happy Valley. With Matt Campbell, the 17th full-time coach of the Nittany Lions, making his debut at the Spring semester’s signature event this year, I thought it an appropriate time to revisit and update that compilation.
“I wish the whole world could see and feel what’s in this room right now. Love and commitment… in 58 years at Penn State, I’ve never been more proud than right now.” —Joe Paterno
In 2009, one of his final seasons on the sidelines, Joe Paterno famously spoke to an enthusiastic audience at the BJC, as seen in the video above. As the years pass, the name, image, and memory of Paterno seem increasingly remote, more and more like icons or totems, further separating us from the simpler reality of the flesh-and-blood creature. I still love this clip for the ways in which it distills and captures Joe the person, earnest and disarmed. Brief, but from the heart. It recalls a happier time and reminds us of the actual human being who undeniably gave copiously of himself to better the institution and his community.
“Just having arrived at Penn State, you don’t know anything about THON until you’re in the arena. It’s awesome… I have all the respect in the world for everything that you guys do.” —Bill O’Brien
THON 2012 was probably one of the most emotional weekends of a uniquely tumultuous year. Under siege from outside and bitterly divided within, the community rallied around THON and its irrefutable statement about who and what “We Are” and clung tightly to it, comforted by the reminder that no amount of venom could dilute all that good done each year in Penn State’s name. It was with this backdrop that new head football coach Bill O’Brien took the stage. Only two weeks into his tenure, O’Brien was tasked with establishing credibility with a hopeful, but unsteady and unsure (in some quarters, quite skeptical) Nittany Nation, beginning the process of injecting enthusiasm and drumming up support for his football program, comforting a reeling and grieving community, and paying proper respect to the event and its purpose. His success here was a sign of things to come.
O’Brien stayed for only a short time, but probably two of the most critical years in the history of the town and school. He is seen here passing one of his first (of many) tests, standing in the same spot as his legendary predecessor and praising the special qualities of Penn State in that direct and honest way that endeared him to so many of us so quickly.
“What makes us special is the people, the people that understand we are part of something greater than just ourselves. We can make a difference in people’s lives. We can make a difference in the community.” —James Franklin
If Bill O’Brien’s tenure represented the time of painful transition, the energy and optimism of James Franklin captured our hopes for a gradual return to normalcy, the true arrival of a new era. Few who stood in the Bryce Jordan Center back then, before even the steady rollback of NCAA sanctions had begun, could have imagined that Franklin’s team was less than two years away from a magical run to the Big Ten title. Names like Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley were barely spoken, to say nothing of future icons like Sean Clifford, Micah Parsons, Tyler Warren, or Kaytron Allen. In over a decade at the helm of Penn State football, Franklin reinvigorated the program and helped lead the Nittany Lions back to national prominence. The mutual belief shared by coach and fandom that energized his inaugural THON appearance captures the very best of a stretch in Penn State football history that I hope will ultimately be remembered favorably.
“Everybody keeps talking about ‘the power of Penn State.’ And quite honestly, being here tonight, this is the power of Penn State. What I would tell each and every one of you, along your journey, the most powerful thing you can do is make a difference in the lives of others.”—Matt Campbell
Video Credit: Lyle Alenstein (@LAlenstein) on X
Matt Campbell represents, in many respects, Penn State’s first “normal” head football coach hiring since 1966. He may not be the orator that his predecessor was, but in his straightforward delivery, there is an earnest authenticity that, early on, is resonating with Penn Staters. It has been fun to see him encountering the culture and spirit of the place as he and his staff acclimate to their new home. And yes, Coach, that “We Are” still needs some more work, but the longer you stay, the deeper the personal meaning – it will keep getting easier and more natural as you go.
As I said following Franklin’s debut back in 2014 and reiterate now, these moments with Campbell are just the latest in a long line that carry us ever further away from the living memory of Joe Paterno and that night in February 2009. Almost undeniably, time slows down in Happy Valley, but most assuredly, it never stops. The story continues. New pages are added and new chapters written. In looking back, we are reminded of our own resilience in the face of adversity and strengthened by that knowledge as we return our gazes forward, ready “for the future that we wait.”