This Saturday, Penn State will salute the 20th anniversary of the 2005 Big Ten Championship team that won 11 games and defeated Florida State 26-23 in triple overtime at the Orange Bowl.
Current linebacker coach Dan Connor met with media via Zoom Thursday and was asked about his reflections of that special team.
“Yeah. I mean, the captains, you know, with Mike Rob (Michael Robinson) on that team too. I mean, there was, there was unbelievable leadership. They just handled themselves, you know, like grown men,” Connor said.
That year, Penn State had seven seniors start on the defense. Connor felt their experience and how they conducted themselves influenced the entire team, himself included.
“I was a sophomore, you know, they were all older,” he said. “I looked at them as if they were almost like part of the coaching staff, which is how mature they were and and how well they were able to lead, you know, lead in a in like an assertive manner, but not yelling and screaming and no corniness or inauthenticity. I mean, it was the purest form of leadership.”
Connor had the opportunity to be a member of a linebacker unit that possessed talent and great leadership.
That year, Connor looked up to Paul Posluszny, who was entering his junior season as a budding superstar who would win consecutive Chuck Bednarik Awards and named a consensus All-American in 2005 and 2006.
“So being able to be in the same room as Paul and watch Paul work, you know, how he approached the game, how he took care of his body, his preparation,” Connor said of Posluszny. “I don’t think I would have been able to develop because I’m watching a guy who has it figured out. I’m watching him, prepare himself mentally and physically for games, and I’m just trying to compete. I’m trying to compete with him and keep up with him, which pushed the standard of the entire room.”
Connor felt the impetus of the 2005 team success came from the team’s struggles through 2004, where the defense was the clear strength of the team, not allowing a single opponent to score more than 21 points.
Despite Penn State struggling to win four games that season, Connor points to the goal line stand against Indiana as the unofficial start of the 2005 season.
“The interesting thing about the 2005 season that sticks out in my mind was the end of the 2004 season, where it wasn’t a good year.” He said. “You know, we might have had four wins, but we ended well… I remember a goal line stand to Indiana, and it felt like that goal line stand was the start of the 2005 season. But I think the struggles we had in 2004 you know, taught us the resilience to be able to be successful in 2005 you know, because it’s never going to go smooth.”
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Connor felt the foundations of 2004 helped him understand processes in 2005 that aided in his development.
He learned not to get too high or too low.
Case in point, having struggled to win in 2004, when Penn State was stunned against Michigan when Chad Henne connected with Mario Manningham as time expired, the team didn’t get too low, it went back to work to achieve their goals.
Connor’s biggest reflection was that strong leadership was the key ingredient for 2005’s success.
“So when we had leaders like that, you know, on that 2005 team, and of course, you know a ton of talent all around,” he said. “You know all the pieces, all the stars aligned, the pieces were in place to have a successful season.”
