Penn State safety training for NFL
The 2011 season had plenty of negative story lines pollute the college football world, starting with realignment debates and tension in the south west and along the east coast and ending with one of the most unique twists in college athletics history. The Jerry Sandusky scandal rocked Penn State’s campus in a way nobody could ever imagine, just as Penn State was feeling confident about their chances at a Big Ten championship title.
A week after an Illinois field goal attempt clanked off the goal post, handing Joe Paterno his 409th career victory and moving him past Eddie Robinson for most all-time division one victories, the world cam crashing down on the program off the field. Sandusky’s malicious acts resulted in the firing of Penn State president, and BCS Presidential oversight committee chairman, Graham Spanier and Paterno, which sparked a raucous reaction from the student body. Tom Bradley was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season, which saw Penn State drop two of their final three regular season games and end with another loss in the TicketCity Bowl against Houston. Despite losing game son the field as the university and community find ways to heal and move forward, Drew Astorino was right in the middle of it all.
Astorino, a team captain, saw the players on his team come together in a way that not many teams may have. From the moment Penn State walked out of the tunnel at Beaver Stadium prior to taking on Nebraska in the first game following the Sandusky revelations and the firing of Paterno through the bitter end against Wisconsin and Houston, the 2011 Nittany Lions formed a bond that was as strong as could be. It was through these tough times that allowed Penn State’s student-athletes to rally together and grow in more ways than one.
Now Astorino is working hard to try and get a crack in the NFL, and he took some time to reflect on the past year, and his path to Penn State, and to discuss what he is doing to try and get an opportunity to play on Sundays this fall.
Astorino joined the No 2-Minute Warning podcast for today to reflect on his time at Penn State, the 2011 season and how the scandal impacted it down the stretch, Joe Paterno and Tom Bradley. He also discussed his training for a crack at the NFL and who he tries to model himself after at the position.
You can listen to the podcast here.
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