Chapter 13

Monday after school we started practicing for Cornwall. We had a score to settle with them. They beat us last year, beat us to a pulp. We lost that game 38-24. It wasn't really as close as the score indicated either. Cornwall was also 2-0. They won their first game with Eastern 24-13. They won their second game with LS 17-9. They played tough physical football. That was OK this year. We were ready for smash mouth football now with our big offensive and defensive lines.

Coach Baer had Andy and me practice the reverse option play together. We planned to try it out on Cornwall. They hadn't seen it before.

We practiced a lot of three and five step drops. We needed plays that got the ball out of Ed's hands quickly so he didn't get beat up like last year. We also added some roll-out plays in the game plan to move Ed away from the pass pushers.

On Tuesday Ed arrived at my house a few minutes before seven o'clock for our interview with the reporter from the New Era. Mr. Barnett talked with Ed and me for almost an hour. We told him about how we started in football. We talked about our first two games. We discussed our upcoming game with Cornwall. We took Coach Caffrey's advice and said lots of nice things about Cornwall. We didn't need to have them mad at us when we played them on Friday night. Mr. Barnett said he was sending a photographer over to our practice on Wednesday to get our pictures in uniform.

Penny came over to study pre-calc when Mr. Barnett left. We worked on it until 9:30. I was up until 11 pm finishing my homework. When had my life gotten so busy?

Coach Caffrey worked us hard every day at practice. We knew this was our first real test of the season. We needed to beat Cornwall if we expected to excel the way we wanted.

The article about Ed and me appeared in Thursday night's New Era. It had a nice picture of us. Mr. Barnett called us the best quarterback-wide receiver combination in the past decade. The sports writers at the paper predicted that our team would dominate the league, possibly even go undefeated.

I got a call from Trent Wilson while Penny and I were studying our pre-calc.

I grabbed the phone from the hall and brought it into my bedroom.

Trent asked, "Who did you pay off to get that article in the paper?"

"No, the reporter just recognized real talent," I teased.

"What is this nonsense about you guys saying your team will go undefeated this year?" Trent asked.

"Ed and I didn't say that. The reporter predicted that. I don't expect us to go undefeated. I expect to make the playoffs, but we're going to lose at least a game, maybe two."

"Yes you will. Like the game against us in two weeks."

"No. We're definitely going to win that game," I insisted.

"I couldn't resist yanking your chain. Congratulations on the start your team got this year."

I said, "I read that your team is doing well too."

"We had some trouble with the Braves in our first game, but we beat them in the end. We creamed the Tigers last Friday night. I'm looking forward to playing you in two weeks."

"I am too. Hopefully we are still undefeated when our teams meet. We play Cornwall tomorrow," I said.

"Good luck. You guys are going to have a hard game. We play Eastern," Trent chuckled. "I think we can beat them."

"Yeah, you probably can."

"I interested in a double date with Ashley and me? You got anyone to invite?" Trent asked.

"I got a girlfriend in Nebraska. You mind a long drive to pick her up?"

"You're still dating Julie?" Trent asked.

"Yes. She's special, Trent. I love her."

Trent said, "More power to you, Kyle. I don't know how you manage to go with a girl in Nebraska. Good luck."

"Thanks for calling. See you in two weeks." I said.

"Good luck tomorrow, Kyle. Bye." Trent said. I hung the phone up. Penny and I went back to studying.

Friday during classes Ed and I got teased constantly about the article. We also got a lot of encouragement to go out and beat Cornwall. Our school's spirit was on display. Our team met when school was over to review the game plan for the evening's game. Coach Caffrey reminded us that we had to play hard all four quarters and play smart. We couldn't afford any dumb penalties if we wanted to beat these guys.

The temperature was in the mid-seventies that day. The skies were clear. It was perfect weather for a football game. Our team took the field after the JV game to sustained cheers. The stands were packed to the limit. The crowd cheered for us. They wanted to erase the stain on our record caused by Cornwall last year as much as we players wanted.

It was George Reynolds' turn to call the coin flip. He called heads. The flip was a tails. Cornwall chose to receive the ball. Hal kicked it deep into the end zone, so there wasn't a return.

Our defense played with most of our guys up close to the line of scrimmage. We knew from the tapes and from the fact that their quarterback had only started seven or eight games that they weren't going to throw deep on us. They pounded the runner into the middle of our line, grinding out yardage. They made two first downs before Nathan Yuninger managed to blast into the backfield and drop the running back for a loss on first down. Cornwall managed three yards on second down. They were forced to pass on third and nine. Nick Zeimer batted the ball out of the receiver's hands. Cornwall punted back to us.

Andy managed an eight yard punt return, a good effort. We got the ball on our forty-three yard line. Coach Caffrey wanted to test Cornwall deep, so the first play was with three wide receivers; I was to run a deep post pattern. The cornerback kept up with my sprint step for step. I turned back when I heard the whistle blow. Ed had been blitzed and dumped the ball off to Drew in the backfield. Drew managed to get five yards on the play. On the next play our offensive line managed to open a small crack for Drew. He gained two yards.

We went with three wide receivers again, but stayed with quick pass patterns. Andy ran deep to draw off the free safety. I ran 10 yard hitch pattern. The cornerback missed the hitch. Ed fired the ball to me when I got separation from the cornerback. He tackled me immediately, but I had gained nine yards and made the first down.

I saw Ed getting up off the ground. When I got back to the huddle I asked, "Are you OK, Ed?"

"I'm fine. Their right tackle was the one that I had a problem with last year," Ed answered. "Jamaal's got my back now. I can manage to keep out of the way of the rest of the line. I can see them. Good job, Jamaal."

Our first drive continued that way. We had to fight for every yard. We managed to move down to Cornwall's fifteen yard line when Dustin Roberts' holding penalty stalled our drive. We managed to get back to the sixteen yard line, but couldn't make a first down. Hal came in and kicked a 33 yard field goal. Score: 3-0 Wolverines.

Cornwall answered back with a long drive of their own. They didn't do anything tricky. They just stuffed the ball up our gut. Coach Wyndham and Coach Fisher substituted defensive lineman liberally, to keep our guys from getting tired. We waited for Cornwall to make a mistake or penalty. They didn't. They managed to score a touchdown on the drive. Score: 7-3 Cornwall.

We sustained a drive of our own in answer to Cornwall's score. We used Drew, Ian Meyers, our fullback, and Marcus Shaeffer, Drew's backup, to pound on Cornwall's defensive line. We mixed in short passes and screens to keep them off balance. We moved the ball down to their five yard line. We tried to blast into the end zone on two straight running plays. When it didn't work, on third down Ed lobbed the ball to the corner of the end zone. I leaped and grabbed the ball but had it knocked out of my hands before I could land and establish possession of the ball. We settled for another field goal by Hal Long. Score: 7-6 Cornwall.

The two offenses alternated smashing their way up the field. Our drive would stall when we got a penalty. Their drive would stall when they couldn't complete a pass on a long third down.

We had the ball at the two minute warning. We switched to our hurry-up offense. We used our three receiver formations to spread Cornwall's defense out. Drew and Ian pounded the ball up field three or four yards a carry. We mixed in quick passes to keep the linebackers off balance. We ran our flanker reverse play at them. We fooled most of the team, except for the cornerback on Karl's side. He managed to slip off Karl's block and tackled me after only a twelve yard gain. On the next play Coach Caffrey called for Andy to line up in the slot between Greg and me. He was to run a post route and draw the strong safety away from the center while I ran a slant across the middle.

At the snap Andy sprinted downfield. I ran across the middle separating from the cornerback who was covering me. I glanced for the free safety. He wasn't there. I looked back towards Ed. The free safety was blitzing. Ed spotted me and fired a perfect pass to me that I caught in stride. I accelerated and turned down field and sprinted for the end zone. No one caught me. I held the ball aloft in the end zone to sustained cheers of our fans. Hal kicked the PAT through the uprights to bring the score to 13-7 Wolverines.

There was 91 seconds left in the half. Cornwall answered with a drive of there own. They moved the ball down the field to our twenty-five yard line. Their drive stalled there. Joey Keller stuffed the runner on first down. Jeremy plugged a hole in our line on second down. Jeremy run-blitzed on third down and caught the quarterback in the backfield before he could hand off. Cornwall settled for a long field goal try. Their kicker was good. He barely managed to clear the bar on a forty-two yard field goal. Score: 13-10 Wolverines.

Cornwall kicked off to us to start the second half. Tim managed 28 yards on the kickoff return before he was tackled. Time had run out in the half. We headed back to the locker room.

We reviewed the plays that had worked during half time. The coaches talked about the adjustments we needed to make on offense and defense to win the game. Coach Caffrey gave a pep talk to get us fired up for the second half. We took the field confident that we could extend our slim lead over Cornwall.

Tim Showalter did a good job on the kick off return to start the second half. He got the ball out to our 33 yard line. Coach Caffrey sent us onto the field in our three receiver formation. We decided to continue to in our hurry-up offense.

We started off with an off-tackle run. Jerry and Dustin opened a crack in the line that Drew squirted through for a six yard gain. The next play as a pitch out wide right. Drew found the corner and picked up another six yards before he was pushed out of bounds. Coach Caffrey called for our Flanker Option play. Karl lined up in the slot between Greg and me. Andy lined up on the opposite side of the field from me.

Ed yelled "Blue 37 ... Blue 37 ... Hut! Hut!" I sprinted for the backfield. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Greg slide over to block the cornerback who was trying to follow me. Drew took the handoff from Ed and ran by me. He handed the ball off to me and I tucked it away. Drew sprinted for the far sideline while I sprinted for the near one. Ed blocked the outside linebacker for me. I watched as the cornerback covering Andy turned and ran to tackle me before I gained too many yards. As soon as he started for me, I threw the ball over his head to Andy. Andy pulled the ball into his chest and ran for the end zone. The free safety tried to catch him, but wasn't fast enough. Andy ran into the end zone for a touchdown. Hal punched the PAT through to make the score 20-10 Wolverines.

Cornwall took the ensuing kickoff and started their first drive of the second half. They used mostly runs and some short passes to move down the field. Our adjustments helped. We put eight guys close to the line to help with the run. We got them in third and long twice and they managed to squeeze out a first down each time. A twelve yard pass put them on our 24 yard line. Coach Wyndham started blitzing. Jeremy nailed their quarterback for a seven yard sack on the next play. Luke Stauffer stuffed their draw play after that. They had third down and sixteen. They tried a pass play. Jeremy blitzed. He met Austin Herr at the quarterback as he threw the ball away. Cornwall took a try at a 47 yard field goal. They missed. The score remained 20-10 Wolverines.

Cornwall's defense was starting to tire. Drew picked up five to eight yards a play on every play. After five running plays we went for the end zone. Ed faked a hand off to Drew who attracted most of the defender's attention. I ran by the cornerback. The free safety took the bait and stepped forward to try to stop Drew. Ed lofted the ball to me and I ran for the end zone, untouched. Hal kicked the PAT. Score: 27-10 Wolverines

Cornwall tried passing more on their next drive. We didn't respect their ability to throw deep, so we stacked up our defense close to the line of scrimmage. They managed two first downs before they punted the ball back to us. Andy almost broke the return, but was knocked out of bounds by the punter. We got the ball at Cornwall's 43 yard line.

Our offensive line dominated their line. Drew and Marcus were able to get six to ten yards a run. We mixed in enough passes to keep Cornwall honest on defense. We moved steadily down the field, taking time off the clock. At first and goal from the five yard line we tried to pass for a touchdown. I attracted three defenders to me in the corner of the end zone. This left Greg with only one defender. Ed fired the ball to him for our next score. Hal knocked the PAT in to bring the score to 34-10 Wolverines.

Cornwall answered with a drive of their own. They moved the ball down the field but stalled at our eighteen yard line. They kicked in a field goal to bring the score to 34-13 Wolverines.

Our offense took the ball back and marched down the field quickly. The Cornwall defensive linemen were gasping for air between plays. Drew and Marcus took turns pounding the ball straight at them. They gave up increasingly large chucks of ground. Our team put the game away when Ed hit Greg for one more touchdown from twenty-five yards out. Hal brought the score to 41-13 Wolverines with the point after.

Cornwall went three plays and punted to start the fourth quarter. Drew and Marcus ground out yardage and took minutes off the clock with our next drive. Cornwall did stop us from scoring, but we used up 5 ½ minutes of the fourth quarter. We punted the ball to them. It went out of bounds at their four yard line.

Cornwall desperately needed to score. They were 28 points behind. They weren't built for quick strikes on offense and they had six ½ minutes left to score four touchdowns. They managed to move downfield and kick a field goal.

We took the ball back. Drew and Marcus alternated carries. They drove us down the field, destroying Cornwall's hopes and the minutes on the clock at the same time. The clock ran out before we could score again. The final score was 41-16 Wolverine's favor.

Our team, the cheerleaders and the crowd celebrated our sweet revenge over Cornwall. Our family met Andy and me to celebrate our achievements this night. I had scored three touchdowns and thrown for a fourth. Andy had run one punt in for a touchdown and caught a second. This was a very big night for our family. Hopefully we had a lot more like it coming in the future.

Coach Caffrey was calling for quiet when Andy and I finally got into the locker room. He awarded game balls to Jeremy, Ed, Andy, Luke Stauffer and me.

Ed, Andy, Jeremy, Hal and I were changing together after the game. I asked, "Do you guys know what I'm doing this weekend?" No one, except Andy, did. I continued, "I'm going on an unofficial visit to Penn State with my dad. We're meeting one of the coaches and a couple players. They are going to give us a tour of the campus and tell us about Penn State football."

"How did you manage that?" Ed asked.

"It's easy. Zack Hayes suggested I check the NCAA recruiting rules. We are allowed to make unofficial visits to colleges when we're juniors if we pay our own way on the visit. Dad called Penn State and set it up with them." I explained.

Jeremy said, "That sounds pretty cool."

I suggested, "You guys need to do what I'm doing. Download the recruiting rules and learn them. Are you guys getting letters from colleges telling you about their football teams?"

Ed said, "Yeah. I wasn't sure why I was getting them, but I got about a dozen of them this month."

Jeremy added, "Yeah, I got a bunch too."

I grinned. "They're watching us guys. We have an opportunity if we play well."

The three of us discussed college possibilities for a few minutes before we headed for home. I went to bed that night feeling pretty good about myself.

Dad woke me up at 6:30 on Saturday morning. We had a long drive ahead of us. We were scheduled to meet one of the coaches and a football player/guide at 11 am at Lasch Football Center. I filled my overnight bag with clothes and toiletries. I added my MP3 player and a book I was reading on Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. Dad and I grabbed a bagel and some orange juice before we left. Dad and I hopped in his Jeep and headed west for Lancaster and Harrisburg.

As Dad pulled onto I-283, I asked, "If traffic isn't bad, could I drive for awhile?"

"Hmmm ... I hadn't thought about that. We'll see how traffic is after we pass Harrisburg. You aren't ready for the Eisenhower interchange and I-81."

"OK Dad. Thanks for considering it."

I listened to music and read for the next 45 minutes. We went through two spaghetti like interchanges around Harrisburg. The road signs said "West 322". The traffic was light. Dad pulled over to the side of the road and asked, "You want to drive the rest of the way Kyle?"

"Sure thing. Thanks Dad." I said. The two of us switched seats. I checked my mirrors and pulled onto the highway.

Dad instructed, "Keep the speed at 55 and stay in the right lane. OK Kyle?"

"You got it Dad."

Driving on Route 322 wasn't too hard. There were only a few cars on the road. It's a four lane divided highway. I drove for an hour and a half when the four lane highway ended as we went downhill off the mountain. I followed 322 at the Y in the road. Dad said, "This is Porter's Mill. We have a few more miles until we get there. Are you doing OK Kyle?"

"I'm fine. Can I drive the rest of the way?"

"Go for it Kyle. You've been doing fine. I'll keep an eye on the map and let you know when to turn."

At Boalsburg I followed the Rt. 322 signs onto the Mount Nittany Expressway. We were on the expressway for a few minutes when Dad said, "The next exit is ours. We want Park Avenue West."

"OK" I answered. I followed the ramp off the expressway and merged into Park Avenue.

"Look for University Drive," Dad said. "We turn left on it after we pass the stadium."

I drove west for a minute, passed the stadium and stopped at the light. The street sign said this was University Drive. Dorms were across the street from us. Dad said, "That is East Halls in front of us. That is where I stayed when I attended Penn State. I was on the third floor of Sproul Hall."

"Can we see your old dorm, Dad?"

"No. It is on the other side of East Halls." The light turned green. I made the left and headed south. Dad said, "Pass Curtin Road." I followed Dad's directions. "Now you'll turn right on Hastings Road. Then you pull into the parking lot on the right. The building in front of us should be Lasch Football Building." I pulled into a parking space in front of the building. The sign in front confirmed that we were in the right place.

I looked at Dad and asked, "You ready for this?"

Dad shook his head. "It doesn't matter if I am ready or not. Let's do it, Kyle."

We got out of the car and walked into the lobby of the Lasch Building. Dad and I walked up to the receptionist. He said, "I'm Dan Martin and this is my son, Kyle. We have an appointment for a visit at 11:00 this morning. I'm not sure which coach we are supposed to meet."

The receptionist said, "Please have a seat. I will check to see who you are meeting."

Dad and I sat down and waited. She called someone. The receptionist said, "Coach Paterno will be with you in a few minutes."

Dad and I stared at each other. We tried to play it cool, but ... WE'RE MEETING JOE PATERNO!

Dad and I waited nervously for about ten minutes. The receptionist said, "Coach Paterno will see you now. Please follow me." We followed her down the hall. She opened a door and motioned for us to go in.

It was a large, well furnished office. Joe Paterno sat at a desk at the opposite end of the room. He smiled, stood up and walked around the desk to meet us. He extended his hand to Dad. Coach Paterno said, "You must be Dan Martin. It's nice to meet you."

"It's an honor, sir. I've been a fan of yours since I was a freshman here twenty-one years ago," Dad said as he shook the coach's hand.

Coach Paterno said, "Please call me Joe, Dan," Coach Paterno turned to me. "You must be Kyle Martin. I've heard good things about you."

"Thank you, sir. It's good to talk with you again," I said.

"Have we met before?"

"Yes. We shook hands two years ago at the press conference you did when Zack Hayes agreed to attend this university. My voice cracked when I greeted you. You told me that we might meet again in a few years. Here I am."

Coach Paterno chuckled. "I do remember meeting a couple kids after the press conference. You were one of them?"

"I was."

"Let me get started. Dan, Kyle, thank you for expressing this interest in the Penn State Football. Our university is proud of the things our program has accomplished. We have had five undefeated seasons, two national championships and winning seasons 37 of the last 42 years. We play in the Big 10, one of the top conferences in college football. The Big 10 consistently places five or six teams in bowl games every year. We are one of the top colleges for placing athletes in the NFL.

"Penn State is noted for our graduation rate among athletes. 87% of our players earn their baccalaureate degrees, one of the highest rates in the country. What do you think so far?" Coach Paterno said.

I answered, "I knew a lot of that, Coach Paterno."

"Kyle, can I ask you what you expect to get if you attend The Pennsylvania State University?"

"I know some things about your team. I love football and I would like to see if I can compete at your level. If things work out I'd like to play in the NFL too."

"Whoa, son. We have a hundred or so players on this team. Possibly three to six a year make it to an NFL training camp. A couple might actually make a team. If you are coming here expecting to move on to the NFL, you probably are going to be disappointed. The point of going to college is to get an education."

"I understand," I said. "Playing football is a means to what I want to do in life. I think I'd like to become a teacher and football coach when I am done playing. I have grown to love football in the two years I have played the game. I worked at a scout camp the last two summers and learned that I am good at teaching. If I can make it to the NFL, that is good, but it's isn't essential to my future. Does that make sense, Coach?"

"That's a good goal, Kyle," Coach Paterno answered. "I don't want boys coming in planning on going to the NFL. An athletic scholarship is an opportunity to get a first class education. That is something you can build a future around."

"Yes, Coach. I understand."

Coach Paterno continued, "Let me tell you what we have in mind for you and your father today. When the three of us finish talking this morning I want to introduce you to one of our assistant coaches and two players who will be your guides today. They'll take you to lunch. We'll show you around the Lasch Building. We want to show you and your father what it means to be a student athlete at Penn State. After that the guides will show you around campus. Dan, my wife and I want to invite you to have dinner with us this evening. Kyle, the guides will take you to dinner and show you State College in the evening. Does that sound good?"

Dad and I both agreed. Coach Paterno continued, "This is embarrassing, but I have to remind you that you and your father need to pay your way for meals this weekend. The NCAA doesn't allow us to pay for anything on an unofficial visit like this one."

I asked, "Will we talk about a scholarship today?"

Coach Paterno answered, "No. You're only a junior. It is too soon to discuss scholarships today. Normally we don't discuss them until the end of your junior year. I can tell you, Kyle, that we have you in our tracking system. We watch high school athletes carefully. You are rated as one of the best wide receivers in Pennsylvania. Believe me, we know who you are. I know you have 18 receptions and 7 touchdowns in your first two games this season."

I said, "It's 27 receptions and 10 touchdowns after last night's game."

"That is very good, Kyle. Those are impressive numbers. I can't offer a scholarship now, but if you continue like the past two years, you will have an excellent chance at a scholarship. Have you visited any other colleges, Kyle?"

"No, not yet," I answered.

"Now is the time for you to explore your options. Check our team out. Visit some other schools. I think you will find that we compare favorably with other college programs."

"Thank you, Coach Paterno," I said. "I appreciate this talk."

"I'll have your guides meet you now," Coach Paterno said. He pressed the intercom button on his phone. "Mary, could you have Coach Burton bring Zack Hayes and Aaron Morano in please?" Coach Paterno looked back at me. "I think you know one of your guides already."

I grinned. "Actually I know both of my guides. Aaron covered me in the play-offs two years ago. Thank you for asking them to show me around."

Coach Paterno laughed, "I didn't have a choice. Zack Hayes is your biggest booster around here. He makes a point of telling me every time you have a good game. He has the chance to brag about you a lot."

Coach Burton walked into Coach Paterno's office followed by Zack and Aaron. Coach Burton looked to be about the same age as my dad, maybe 38 or 40 years old. He was six foot tall, had a fair complexion and bright red hair and a bushy red mustache. Coach Paterno proceeded with introductions. Everyone sat down.

Coach Paterno concluded, "I'd like to thank you, Dan and Kyle, for taking time to come and visit our university. Bob will fill you in on the details for dinner tonight, Dan. Please call me if either of you have any questions this year. I would be happy to talk with you. I will call you next May when I am allowed to discuss scholarships. I hope you enjoy your visit and I hope you decide to attend Penn State when the time comes."

Dad and I shook Coach Paterno's hand and followed Coach Burton, Zack and Aaron outside.

Coach Burton said, "Would you like to get some lunch now?"

We agreed. The five of us walked through campus to one of the restaurants on College Avenue, across the street from campus. Dad and I caught up with Zack's and Aaron's lives over lunch. We learned about Coach Burton's background too. He had been a student at Penn State the same time as Dad. He was John Shaeffer's back-up at quarterback on the 1986 national championship team.

He worked as a grad assistant to Coach Paterno for a couple years after that. He coached wide recieveres for a few years before getting a job as the offensive coordinator at Lehigh University. He ended up as head coach at that Division IA college until Coach Paterno called and asked him to be the quarterbacks coach at Penn State last year. Zack really loved Coach Burton's philosophy and coaching.

We headed back to the Lasch Building after lunch and got the grand tour. The facilities were amazing. I was stunned when I saw the two story, 13,000 square foot weight room. I'd never seen facilities like these. This would sure beat lifting with Ed and my brother in our basement. They showed Dad and me the medical center with taping and treatment rooms. They had three hydro-pools for the athletes. They have a 180 seat auditorium for film sessions and team meetings. The building has lots of meeting rooms for smaller groups too. They showed Dad and me the locker rooms. It has its own sauna!

Zack bragged about the student lounge area that was just for team members. Academic help, including tutoring, was available to the team members. Coach Burton re-emphasized the importance that Penn State places on academics for its football team. The university and Coach Paterno want every single team member to get a good education and a degree before they leave the university.

Coach Burton, Zack and Aaron showed us the outdoor practice fields and Holuba Hall. Holuba had an 80 by 120 yard astro-turf field under roof so the team could practice during bad weather.