Name the most underrated/forgotten Penn State football starter you can think of.
- Thread starter Taycro
- Start date
@bbrown already mentioned Josh Hull who was one of the first to come to mind. He was a walk-on LBer who started and was a favorite of Joe. Man he was a whipping boy for PSU fans.
Then you have Mike Hull who nobody ever mentions when they talk about LBers. 5-star recruit who was undersized but very good.
Matt Seneca. He was the starter when Zach Mills was a freshman. He was not very good and was benched and left the team after getting death threats from fans.
Chris Bell anyone? He threatened to stab a teammate in the cafeteria and was kicked off the team. He was a 5-star receiver.
LaVon Chisley. Kicked off the team and killed a guy. He is doing a life sentence currently.
AJ Price. WR who was built like a twig. Never gained weight but had hype out of high school.
Then you have Mike Hull who nobody ever mentions when they talk about LBers. 5-star recruit who was undersized but very good.
Matt Seneca. He was the starter when Zach Mills was a freshman. He was not very good and was benched and left the team after getting death threats from fans.
Chris Bell anyone? He threatened to stab a teammate in the cafeteria and was kicked off the team. He was a 5-star receiver.
LaVon Chisley. Kicked off the team and killed a guy. He is doing a life sentence currently.
AJ Price. WR who was built like a twig. Never gained weight but had hype out of high school.
Steve Smear key part of the great 68 and 69 defenses,
My favorite all time player. Thank you for bringing him to our attention.
Here is one for you
Sam Crenshaw, WR/DB
From Youngstown, who never did much, although I am pretty sure he started a few games
He also played on the b ball team for a few games
How about Tim Manoa? Devastating blocker. And always seemed to play well against those guys from Oakland PA.
Loved Aaron Harris and Brad Scioli. Excellent athletes and both tough as nails.
I've been hesitant to inject my oldtimer's view, but I have lousy self control. For you young guys, here are some players who receive little attention in modern tiimes:
1. LB Charlie Zapiec, who started his career as an OG
2. LB Gary Gray, another key player in stuffing the "vaunted" Longhorn Wishbone in the '72 Cotton Bowl
3. LB John Skorupan, who flashed the skills of a Shane Conlan
4. Safety Neal Smith, who all by himself snared 12 interceptions in the 1969 season (counting the Orange Bowl)
5. LB Ed O'Neil, who even returned a punt and an interception for touchdowns ala Dennis Onkotz
1. LB Charlie Zapiec, who started his career as an OG
2. LB Gary Gray, another key player in stuffing the "vaunted" Longhorn Wishbone in the '72 Cotton Bowl
3. LB John Skorupan, who flashed the skills of a Shane Conlan
4. Safety Neal Smith, who all by himself snared 12 interceptions in the 1969 season (counting the Orange Bowl)
5. LB Ed O'Neil, who even returned a punt and an interception for touchdowns ala Dennis Onkotz
Maybe this name was brought up but I always thought Ray Isom was a huge part of those 85 and 86 teams.
Keith Dorney. Not really underrated, but seldom discussed. All-American, College Football HOF and played a decade in the NFL. One of my favorite Joe stories concerned Dorney's recruitment. Joe said something like he thought if he could get Dorney to Penn State he'd get free tix to Dorney Park for his kids.
John Ebersole. A Big 33 player and Altoona High's first concensus All-American. He was a 3 year starter with the Nittany Lions and played 8 years in the NFL as a starter for the New York Jets. He was part of the PSU defensive line that included Mike Reid and Steve Smear.
Trey set the angry tone we needed to beat the bums from Miami on January 2, 1987. Our epically glorious Lions require dudes like this from time to time and he, like D Butler, are on the Mt Rushmore of this category of epic Lions
He was on my list of under appreciated Lions, nice choice
it is time to start talking about Seider. Could one of you legends start a thread among our best minds to debate his value?
I just watched the Orange Bowls (KU and Mizzoo). The dude was a leader
AZ, #42, and blond fullback who BOB promoted to RB carried me in the dismal years
Mark Robinson will always be on this list for me. I view every Safety through the lense of his badassery. PSU has had a rich history of angry and smart safeties. THAT list rivals the LB list in so many aspects
With the success of Micah in the NFL and now Abdul, they bring up the great LBs that wore number 11 and often neglect to mention Navarro Bowman. Dude was a stud.
Navarro Bowman is borderline HOF, even with his injuries. He was excellent.
Chafie Fields was my guy, even to this day.
Honorable Mentions go to: Tim Shaw, AQ Shipley, Gerald Hodges, and Bhawoh Jue.
Honorable Mentions go to: Tim Shaw, AQ Shipley, Gerald Hodges, and Bhawoh Jue.
Vyto Kab and Mickey Shuler, PSU been sending TE's to the NFL for a while .
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