Penn State vs. Maryland football: How McSorley, seniors, set up national title run to come

STATE COLLEGE — They wanted to soak in Beaver Stadium by themselves, every bit of these last five years.

So five Penn State seniors walked together to every corner of it after the runaway sendoff over Maryland. The fans who stayed migrated to the first rows and cheered and yelled their names in celebration.

Nittany Lions such as Trace McSorley and Koa Farmer needed it to feel it and think about it a little longer, they said afterward.

These were the members of James Franklin's last-minute recruiting class in January of 2014, his first at Penn State. Some had given their word before Franklin even arrived and still bought in and signed on.

They weren't the ones who saved Penn State after the Jerry Sandusky scandal and NCAA sanctions.

They were different. They were the next step. 

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Here's what there legacy will be: For all of the stunning victories and close, bitter defeats they have made it possible for Penn State to win a national title again.

They lifted the team to that most difficult level.

They believed in a program many predicted would take a decade to recover.

Now they're on a 31-8 run.

As Farmer put it, "We were the guys who set the foundation of (Franklin's) message, his blueprint to be successful at this university. We were the foundation of what Penn State is."

Consider where they came from ...

Farmer is the Southern California kid with Hawaiian roots who arrived in a snowstorm. He switched from receiver to kick returner, from safety to linebacker. He would never become the kind of linebacker like rookie Micah Parsons. But he willingly tutored him anyway.

Cornerback Amani Oruwariye was convinced to come from Florida and held together after his father died suddenly. He made the most dramatic interceptions and gave up some big touchdowns and never wavered.

Nick Scott wanted to be the next great Penn State running back. Then he was a promising returner. Then he got stuck behind Saquon Barkley. He switched to defense and became a first-time starter at safety and team emotional leader.

Johnathan Thomas, a running back, was buried on the depth chart. He switched to linebacker and back again. Then he delivered one of the season's most critical plays, that jump-start 95-yard kickoff return at Indiana.

McSorley, of course, led them all, like always, before, during and after Saturday's game.

He somehow looked like a rejuvenated runner despite his right leg injury. Once again, he fought through a tough start throwing the football to steady his team and win it going away.

He got a curtain-call with about nine minutes left. He walked off the field to a standing ovation.

"I got chills as it was happening," he said. "One of those times where you know you’re never going to get it again ..."

He goes down as the winningest quarterback in Penn State history. The one who helped turn everything around here against Minnesota in overtime two years ago ... then led the stunning comeback in the Big Ten Championship Game ... then kept everything driving ahead the past two seasons despite curves and detours.

"You love Trace ... because he's the same guy every day," Franklin said. "The guy hasn’t had a bad day in five years.  

"You know what you’re getting from him. He's going to be a great teammate, he’s going to be a class guy. ... He's going to compete like hell on Saturdays and he’s going to prepare like nobody else."

When this game was finished, the five seniors made their walk around the entire stadium to think about it together. They waved at their fans and talked among themselves.

Franklin watched it all.

"It's kind of surreal in a lot of ways, to be honest with you. It literally feels like just the other day that Trace was in my office saying, 'Yeah, I'm coming to Penn State ...' 

"They're tremendous leaders. They're going to leave a legacy here that's going to go on for a very long time."

They talked about their first training camp at Penn State, their first scrimmage in Beaver Stadium. "The endless nights talking where we want to take this program," Farmer said. "We kind of remembered all of those thoughts."

They won big long before most thought they could. They made Penn State fun to watch again. They nearly made the College Football Playoff two years ago, then probably came within a fourth-quarter stop of making it last year.

They're aren't there yet but are closing in. Recruiting is better than ever. Depth is filling in the empty spots. Their defense could be one of the nation's best in 2019.

"We're the guys who worked hard that made sure it went up to the top," Scott said. 

That's true, no matter how frustrating this season appeared at times. Maybe they should get credit for growing stronger through it all at 9-3 with a shot at the Top 10 again.

They haven't done that since 1980-82.

So McSorley was asked if he will leave satisfied.

He thought for a moment Saturday before answering.

"I think so, yeah. Obviously there's things I want back and moments and opportunities we missed on. But ... to leave Beaver Stadium with a win? Yeah, I'm satisfied."

Most importantly, their biggest impact is yet to come.