The Fiesta in 1981 wasn't considered a major bowl game. It wasn't till the 1987 Fiesta Bowl when #1 vs #2 met that it became a major bowl game. Penn State vs Miami.
Is it fair to say that Daryll Clark was the most underappreciated QB in PSU History
- Thread starter Mr. Potter
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We consider a major. Beat usc and the awesome marcus allen in that one.
Clark was underappreciated. He was still out of it after getting hit at ohio state. They reeled him in against iowa because when he could also run He really made that offense go. that 2008 team was something else. Joe made a similar mistake in 2005 when he let the other team hang around and then the last drive they beat us. Otherwise that team is undefeated in 2008 just like 2005. Man that would have been something!
Clark was underappreciated. He was still out of it after getting hit at ohio state. They reeled him in against iowa because when he could also run He really made that offense go. that 2008 team was something else. Joe made a similar mistake in 2005 when he let the other team hang around and then the last drive they beat us. Otherwise that team is undefeated in 2008 just like 2005. Man that would have been something!
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Hit the crucial 4th down pass to the TE, I forget his name, from Cincinnati. Kept the winning drive alive. Used to see him at Mass once in a while at Our Lady of Victory. He was an OK player, nothing great, but he earned his scholarship on that play.
Daryll Clark will never be underappreciated by moi. Kerry Collins was the best ever. DC is my all-time favorite and will always remain so, with apologies to tremendous guys like MRob, McS, McG and a host of others.
Another guy who is always under appreciated is Tony Sacca. He was just a little before his time. Big guy who ran like a deer and a cannon arm. Put him in today's offense and he's All-American.
@leinbacker mentioned Evan 'Rolls' Royster. Combined a little speed and a little power, nothing really spectacular, but THREE 1,000 yard seasons and IIRC when he graduated, he was our all-time leading rusher, More yards than Franco, Cappy, Lydell, Enis, Warner, Carter, any of those cats who were undeniably great. More rushing than any of them. Also a really good pass-catching back.
They don't call it Generations of Greatness for nothing.
Another guy who is always under appreciated is Tony Sacca. He was just a little before his time. Big guy who ran like a deer and a cannon arm. Put him in today's offense and he's All-American.
@leinbacker mentioned Evan 'Rolls' Royster. Combined a little speed and a little power, nothing really spectacular, but THREE 1,000 yard seasons and IIRC when he graduated, he was our all-time leading rusher, More yards than Franco, Cappy, Lydell, Enis, Warner, Carter, any of those cats who were undeniably great. More rushing than any of them. Also a really good pass-catching back.
They don't call it Generations of Greatness for nothing.
Was it Smolko?
Exactly right - good memory. Isaac Smolko. He was one of the few players who was married while he was in college.
From what I recall, when they moved to January 1 (1977 game that PSU was in was played on Christmas Day), either for the 1980 or 81 season, they billed themselves - with NBC's help - as the 5th major bowl. PSU was in the Fiesta vs. Ohio State 1980 season and vs. USC as mentioned above for the 1981 season. But PSU playing in the 1977 was a big part of getting it over the hump and moving toward 'major' status.
An aside - as discussed on here a few times, that 1977 PSU team would have been a handful and a half for anyone in the country, including ND and Texas, in a playoff system.
If royster doesnt go down on first touchdown drive that Rose Bowl would have been different.
Interesting that you mention Tony Sacca. Good call on him being underappreciated.
Imo, for his last season and a half, he was absolutely outstanding. There were times when he was the best player on the field. He took a lot of criticism early in this career, some of it very justified, but persevered and became a very good college QB. The '91 team was excellent, again getting better as the season wore on and would have been trouble in a playoff system for any opponent. Their huge comeback in the Fiesta vs. Tennessee that season was a thing of beauty.
Yea the game against Arizona State was on Christmas day...That ASU team had some talent...Mark Malone, John Jefferson and Windbers very own Frank Kush
We could have controlled the ball a little more in the first half and kept us close. I don't know that we or anyone was going to beat USC that day.
That USC team was great. Fran Ganter once said at an NLC dinner that as he scouted that team to help prep for the bowl, they were one of the best teams he had ever seen on film.
I think because no one or very few people mention him when talking about some of our really good QB's.
Also some of the members and former members on this board put him through hell over the Pat Devlin crap.
You are right though. Losing bell all the sudden changed our defense in that game in 2016.Yea I realized that after I typed it.
I’ll disagree.
PSUs participation in the fiesta raised it by 1980
Remember that play well, and I still have no idea how that didn't get flagged for 15.
In 1986, the Fiesta Bowl experienced its breakthrough game. Both Miami and Penn State agreed to play in the Fiesta Bowl for the de-facto National Championship. Both teams were independents at the time, and were able to select a bowl game outside the “big four” bowl games.
Yes that was a monster game, I did copy and paste that from bowls games that year by the way. I will put it in quotes.
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