2002 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

Penn State beat the Bulldogs 49-17, despite Tech's quarterback Luke McCown throwing for more than 400 yards but also threw three interceptions and had a fumble lost. Larry Johnson ran for 147 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns and also had a touchdown reception. Michael Robinson also had three rushing touchdowns.

Iowa

Penn State scored on four of its first five possessions as the Lions beat the Badgers 34-31. Penn State scored on touchdowns from Zack Mills, Larry Johnson, and Sean McHugh and got four Robbie Gould field goals. Defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy and defensive end Michael Haynes each had three sacks, as the Lions sacked Wisconsin quarterback Brooks Bollinger seven times. Wisconsin scored to close it to three points with 1:17 remaining, but Bryan Scott covered up the onside kick to seal the game.

Michigan

The Buckeyes defense held Zack Mills to only 98 yards passing and intercepted three passes, including one by Chris Gamble returned for a touchdown, to beat the Nittany Lions 13-7. Penn State was held to only 179 yards of offense and eight first downs, fewest under Joe Paterno.

Illinois

Larry Johnson broke two school records as Penn State beat the Hoosiers 58-25. For the third time in five weeks, Johnson set the school's single-game rushing record with 327 yards on 28 carries. Johnson also broke Penn State's single-season rushing record with a total of 1,736 yards with two games left to play.

Michigan State

]

Tailback Larry Johnson would finish the season as the first Nittany Lion to lead the nation in rushing and all-purpose yardage. Johnson become the ninth player in Division I-A history to gain 2,000 yards rushing in the regular season, finishing third in Heisman Trophy balloting.cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3783|title=Larry Johnson Is First Nittany Lion to Lead Nation in Rushing & All-Purpose Yardage; Haynes Among NCAA Defensive Leaders|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2003-01-16|accessdate=2007-01-23]

Penn State claimed second place in football attendance for the second consecutive season, averaging 107,239 through eight home games, ranking in the top four for the 12th consecutive year. The Nittany Lions also broke the NCAA record for total season attendance with 1,247,707 during the 13-game schedule, including a Beaver Stadium record of 110,753 for the Nebraska game.cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3935|title=Penn State Claims Second In NCAA Football Attendance; Breaks NCAA Record For Total Attendance with 1.2 Million Fans|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2003-02-10|accessdate=2007-01-23]

NFL draft

A school record six seniors would be drafted in the first two rounds of the 2003 NFL Draft, including another school record four players in the first round.cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=4440|title=Nittany Lions Lead All Schools With Six Selections in First Two Rounds of NFL Draft|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2003-04-28|accessdate=2007-01-23]

Awards

* Gino Capone::Second-team All-Big Ten (conference media selection)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3601|title=Six Nittany Lions Named To All-Big Ten Football Squad; Haynes & Kennedy Earn Player of the Year Honors|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-11-26|accessdate=2007-01-23]

* Rich Gardner::Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Sep. 14)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3119|title=Gardner Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-09-16|accessdate=2007-01-23]

* Robbie Gould::Big Ten Specialist of the Week (Oct. 5)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3268|title=Penn State's Kennedy and Gould Named Big Ten Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-10-07|accessdate=2007-01-23]

* Michael Haynes::Second-team Associated Press All-Americancite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3699|title=Johnson, Haynes & Kennedy Named To Associated Press All-America Teams|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-17|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::CNNSI.com All-Americancite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3670|title=Michael Haynes & Larry Johnson Named To CNNSI.com All-America Team|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-09|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::FWAA All-Americancite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3618|title=Michael Haynes & Larry Johnson Named To Football Writers All-America Team|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-02|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year::First-team All-Big Ten::Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Sep. 21)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3162|title=Haynes Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-09-23|accessdate=2007-01-23]

* Joe Iorio::First-team CoSIDA Academic All-Americancite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3620|title=Iorio Named To Verizon Academic All-America Football Team|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-02|accessdate=2007-01-23]

* Bryant Johnson::First-team All-Big Ten (conference coaches selection)

* Larry Johnson::2002 Doak Walker Award winnercite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3688|title=Larry Johnson Wins Maxwell And Doak Walker Awards|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-12|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::2002 Maxwell Award winner::AFCA All-Americancite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3643|title=Larry Johnson Named To AFCA All-America Team|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-05|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::First-team Associated Press All-American::Chevrolet Offensive Player of the Yearcite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3659|title=Larry Johnson Named Chevrolet Offensive Player of the Year|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-07|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::FWAA All-American::CNNSI.com All-American::Walter Camp Player of the Yearcite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3684|title=Nittany Lion Senior Tailback Larry Johnson Named Walter Camp Player of The Year|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-12|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::First-team Walter Camp All-Americancite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3687|title=Larry Johnson and Jimmy Kennedy Named To Walter Camp All-America Team|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-12-12|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::First-team All-Big Ten::Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 19)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3352|title=Larry Johnson Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-10-22|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 2)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3439|title=Larry Johnson Named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-11-04|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 16)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3548|title=Larry Johnson Earns Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week For Third Time This Season|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-11-16|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 23)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3596|title=Larry Johnson Earns Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week For Fourth Time This Season|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-11-25|accessdate=2007-01-23] ::Most Valuable Player, 2003 Senior Bowlcite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3804|title=Nittany Lions Shine in Senior Bowl; Johnson & Haynes Earn MVP Honors in North Win|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2003-01-20|accessdate=2007-01-27]

* Jimmy Kennedy::Third-team Associated Press All-American::First-team Walter Camp All-American::Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year::First-team All-Big Ten::Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 5)

* Shawn Mayer::Second-team All-Big Ten::Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 26)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3393|title=Shawn Mayer Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-10-28|accessdate=2007-01-23]

* Zack Mills::Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Sep. 28)cite web|url=http://www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=3214|title=Zack Mills Named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2002-09-30|accessdate=2007-01-23]

All-star games

Instant replay

A few other conference coaches had lobbied for instant replay before, but they had fallen on deaf ears until Joe Paterno, who had been against instant replay citing the length of games as a factor, changed his opinion after a number of questionable officiating calls in the Iowa and Michigan games. Paterno and Penn State athletic director Tim Curley called for a comprehensive review of Big Ten officiating. At the news conference after the Michigan game, Paterno went further and said that the conference should change the way that officials are assigned, referring to the assignment of the officiating crew that worked the Michigan game, three of whom live in the state of Michigan.cite web|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/college_football/20021015-1555-fbc-pennst-paterno.html|title=Paterno wants further review of Big Ten officiating practices|last=Lewerenz|first=Dan|publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune|date=2002-10-15|accessdate=2007-01-23]

After the Big Ten concluded its comprehensive review of its officiating, the conference implemented a pilot program during the 2003 season to evaluate the use of instant replay. The pilot was used to gather data and did not interfere with games or overturn any missed calls.cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/notebooks/20030815bigten0815p1.asp|title=Big Ten to experiment with program for instant replay|last=Fittipaldo|first=Ray|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=2003-08-15|accessdate=2007-01-23]

For the 2004 season, the Big Ten introduced college football's first instant replay system. A technical advisor in the press box with access to the television feeds will be able to stop a game for a replay review and potentially overturn a play, with no limit on the number of plays that can be reviewed.cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04218/356960.stm|title=Instant replay comes to Big Ten for a one-year look|last=Fittipaldo|first=Ray|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=2004-08-04|accessdate=2007-01-23]

External links

* [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/ Official Penn State Athletics website]
* [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/psu-m-footbl-body.html Official Penn State Athletics football subsite]
* [http://www.gopsf.com/ Penn State Football website]
* [http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2002-2003/teamstat.html Season statistics]

References