WE ARE! 2013 | Page 7

52 44 Eastern Michigan Of all the direction Michigan schools, this one is one of the most improved. As in, they’re not horrible anymore. By Devon Edwards 78 58 Purdue The biggest news out of Purdue’s latest head coach is that he doesn’t sport a moustache. Think about that for a minute. Anyway, the Boilermakers should be decent. By Ben Scaff 94 78 Things You Can Do with a Tight End. Just how many “A.K.A’s” can one college football team have? Bill O’Brien’s Tight End U. aims to find out. By Ben Scaff 45 Central Florida Faugh an Beallach! O’Brien meets O’Leary in a precursor to next year’s game in Dublin. By Cari Greene 60 Nebraska Matt Lehman crossed the plane before he fumbled. Aside from that, Nebraska could come into Beaver Stadium vying for a conference title. By Ace Anbender SECTION 4: DEAR OLD WHITE AND BLUE Enough with the Xs and Os. Now it’s about the heart and soul of Penn State, this year’s team, and the culture and future of college football. 46 Kent State Isn’t the non-conference schedule supposed to be somewhat easy? KSU won’t be a pushover. By Dan Vecellio 86 There is Only One Linebacker U. When the world ends, two things will remain: cockroaches, and Penn State’s reputation as the only true “Linebacker U.” By Adam Collyer 62 Wisconsin What will we do with ourselves now that Bert ran off to the SEC? By Devon Edwards 47 Indiana The Hoosiers’ defense is just so bad, even when it’s improved. The offense should provide some fireworks, especially against teams with less-than-stellar defenses. By Ace Anbender SECTION 3: TECHNICAL DOSSIER Features highlighting Penn State’s new-look offense, what needs to be done with the roster during the sanctions, and how “Linebacker U.” will have some company as a Penn State nickname. 90 ‘LOL’ in the Time of Triplett Sixty years after retiring from football, Wally Triplett looks back on what made it all special, and why he can keep smiling through good times and bad. By Ben Jones 48 Michigan The Wolverines haven’t faced the Nittany Lions since Matt McGloin’s coming out party in 2010. But Rich Rod is gone, and Michigan is better— much better—for it. By Seth Fisher 66 The Numbers Game. Even the stats agree, Bill O’Brien is not your typical former New England Patriots offensive coordinator. By Chase Stuart 94 To Hell and Back Sam Ficken went from the Goat of September to the Hero of November. By Ben Jones 52 Ohio State And we all thought Jim Tressel was bad? Urban Meyer has brought everything we hate about the SEC to the Big Ten. By Ace Anbender 98 We Were. We Are. College football is at a crossroads, and a path forward might be found in the lessons learned form Penn State’s recent troubles. By Tim Hyland 70 Go for it, BO’B!. Bill O’Brien’s acquired aggressiveness on 4th down may have excited fans, but it meant a whole lot more to the 2012 team than just emotion—it meant more points on the board. By Ben Scaff 104 Twenty B1G Ones As Penn State enters its 20th season of Big Ten football, a look back at the season that started it all. By Ben Jones 56 Illinois Remember that time Tim Beckman thought he could come to Penn State, camp out in the parking lot, and poach a bunch of players? By Dan Vecellio 74 Roster Management and the Class of ‘14. Penn State’s scholarship restrictions mean one big miss could send an entire recruiting class crashing down. It also means “Swiss Army Knife” recruits will be a priority. By Tim Tolley 108 Rounding the Table The editors of We Are! 2013 field random questions about the season on tap. By Mike Pettigano, Cari Greene, and Jared Slanina 57 Minnesota Still regret firing Glen Mason? You should. By Ace Anbender 112 Hail to the Sponsors This magazine would never have been possible without contributions and flat-out donations from the mighty masses of Nittany Lions fans. Some of those who backed us got this magazine. Others got a mag and a t-shirt. And a bunch of them got that and a lousy mention in the back of this thing. Plus our undying gratitude! TABLE OF CONTENTS WE ARE! 2013 5