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Get used to it: Change comes with change

As today’s game marks the home debut of James Franklin, Joe Paterno’s second successor in three seasons, the thoughts turn back a few years – 29 to be exact.

Never mind that I was 29 then (we all were). The year was 1985, and a preseason magazine devoted to Penn State football was in its third year of existence.

It was published by what was then known as Happy Valley Promotions and orchestrated by Mike Poorman, who is still on the beat (minus the aviators), advertising man Greg Woodman and gifted artist Tom Mosser.

Now, preseason PSU magazines are in vogue.

The lead story was written by Dan Donovan, a respected writer from the Pittsburgh Press and a PSU graduate. He was, of course, listing some candidates to succeed Paterno, an exercise that pretty much covered the last 25 years of Paterno’s career.

What stuck with me was Donovan’s suggestion that the next coach be his own man. His opening paragraph encouraged Paterno’s successor to change the uniforms.

Penn State fans cling to tradition and do not easily adjust to change – and obviously the way the change of the guard ultimately took place made it that much worse.

But back to Donovan’s point: The new regimes have not shied away from change.

Names, previously unthinkable, now adorn the uniforms.

Fans seem to like it and, more importantly, the players appreciate the recognition. As Gerald Hodges said in 2012, “I’m proud of my family name.”

Other changes are more subtle. For example, beginning today at 9:30, the team will be dropped off by the blue buses – I’ve been assured the buses are still blue – at the corner of Porter and Curtin Road, outside Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

From there, the team will walk through an aisle of cheerleaders, band and well-wishers and into the south end zone tunnel. Not a big change, and a bit of a longer walk, but a change nonetheless. The new process triggered another change, the elimination of “Tailgreat” at the Jordan Center.

During the week, there have been changes as well. The Thursday night radio show, which used to be a good, informative listen when fans from around the state would call with unscreened questions, has given way to a live audience at a local restaurant.

The Quarterback Club’s Wednesday luncheon has been wonderfully supported by the several hundred in attendance who appreciated hearing from JoePa or Bill O’Brien, who also made it a priority.

Franklin, though, has indicated he may not make it a weekly commitment. After appearing at the first luncheon Wednesday – and getting a standing ovation – he said Thursday night he appreciates the invitation, but he also sees the window as an opportunity to showcase his assistants.

While the QB Club certainly has members, probably a majority of them, who are not on Twitter or social media, vehicles Franklin champions and at which he’s extremely effective, the club represents a longstanding PSU tradition that dates back to Bob Higgins.

Paterno, at least until his illnesses, almost never missed.

But these are some of the changes that come with change. Some will work, and some will have to be re-evaluated.

Franklin has been beating the drums for a sellout (#107Kstrong), and it will be interesting to see how close Penn State comes, particularly when you factor in the change – there’s that word again – that took place concerning ticket realignment several years ago.

The Lions, now led by an administration that had nothing to do with the STEP program, are still climbing their way out of that.

All changes, of course, are received better when accompanied by a steady diet of winning.

As the beneficiary of unprecedented stability for so many years, Penn State was spoiled in that it never had to change and it won way more than it lost.

Franklin, like O’Brien, deserves leeway and time, and he’ll get both.

One thing that won’t change is the tradition of bringing back championship teams. The unbeaten 1994 squad, the greatest offense in school history and kings of the Rose Bowl, will be introduced today at halftime – a move we surely all can agree upon.

Rudel can be reached at 946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com. You can also follow him on Twitter@neilrudel.

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