These Lions clawed their way to redemption

INDIANAPOLIS — He pulled in one of the most remarkable receptions of this stunning Penn State season, leaping and twisting and contorting his body against a defender as they both went for the ball.

It was yet another moment of redemption for this nearly forgotten receiver and his under-appreciated team.

Penn State still trailed late in the third quarter, despite its furious rally, when DaeSean Hamilton somehow caught another long, lofting pass that inspired everyone yet again.

This guy making that catch at this time?

READ MORE: Snubbed by playoffs, Penn State goes to Rose Bowl

"Just shows everybody not to worry about it, that I haven't gone anywhere," Hamilton, a junior, said quietly and humbly amid Saturday's raucous Big Ten Championship celebration.

"A lot of people doubted me, obviously my production was down a little bit. I never worried too much about that. I just had to focus on myself and wait for my time to come."

He then credited his parents and his teammates for "keeping my head up so much and for them constantly being on me to make sure I'm doing all the things I need to do. To make make sure I'm ready for when my time comes again because everybody knows your time is going to happen again."

He worked and waited and took advantage.

Much like his ever-growing teammate Mike Gesicki, another pass-catching star from Saturday night's victory over Wisconsin who helped lead the Lions to the Rose Bowl against streaking USC.

These two were much like this entire Penn State team that fought back from the toughest five years on and off the field — even from the most bleak situation at the beginning of this season with a litany of injuries and two quick defeats.

Their entire recovery process since 2011 was on display, in a sense, during those four hours in Lucas Oil Stadium.

While there were so many heroes, from quarterback Trace McSorley to receiver Saeed Blacknall, from linebacker Brandon Bell to cornerback Grant Haley, pay particular notice to Hamilton and Gesicki and their redemption.

READ MORE: A Penn State comeback for the ages wins title

They did even more than make the biggest catches on the biggest night to help produce one of the biggest comebacks in school history.

They symbolized everything about these most unlikely Lions, maybe finally proving themselves as one of the hottest teams in America.

A team that only figures to improve next season.

The thing is, they may be better for all of the uphills they've climbed in the past five years, from injuries to bad bounces, to losses in all possible styles.

Would Penn State be in the Rose Bowl if it didn't have to pick itself from a heap of problems in September? Would Gesicki and Hamilton have turned in the kind of performances they did Saturday night without their own personal struggles?

"Without that you can't grow and you can't improve," said Gesicki, who transformed from not being able to catch a big pass last season to not dropping one this fall.

"So I wouldn't change anything that's happened in the past. I think that it's made our team and myself better because of it. And this Big Ten Championship kind of speaks volumes to all that adversity and how we've handled it and how we've grown from it."

Gesicki's football improvements have been well-documented. He chose Penn State over Ohio State in the recruiting process but was asked to play tight end and block in college after he never really had to in high school.

For all of his potential, he wasn't a good blocker or a trusted receiver last fall. But he kept working on both in the offseason, started September with some success and steadily got stronger as this season went.

His rise was so significant that he set Penn State records for receptions and receiving yards in a season by a tight end.

But the past two weeks?

He's elevated to one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the nation when it's mattered most. He pulled down a touchdown rainbow amid two Michigan State defenders.

Against Wisconsin he held onto another end zone bomb with a defensive back draped over him.

Meanwhile, Hamilton's recovery was just as crucial overall, probably even more so in the Big Ten title game.

He was the former No. 1 receiver who dropped the long, perfect pass at Pitt that could have won the game or at least put Penn State near the goal line. He shed plenty of tears afterward for letting his team down, and held that experience close.

He even seemed to fade away in the offense as the season progressed and others emerged.

The last time the Lions tried to rally from a three-touchdown deficit? That was at Pitt. And they came up short at the end.

Hamilton made sure that wouldn't happen again. Actually, he helped will Penn State to its victory with a game-high eight receptions for 118 yards.

"To see how he played tonight, I mean it was awesome, it was special," said linebacker Jason Cabinda. "He's really one of the hardest-working guys I've ever seen."

On a team with yet one more chance to show how special it truly is.