Kyle Brady was a member of Penn State’s first Big Ten championship team back in 1994, when the Nittany Lions went undefeated and won the Rose Bowl en route to a No. 2 ranking in the national polls. With Penn State in position to win another conference title Saturday in the Big Ten championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the former All-American tight end sat down with the Post-Gazette sports podcast to talk about the the season and where he thinks Penn State can go from here. Below is a partial transcript of the conversation. To hear the full discussion, press play on the SoundCloud file embedded above or hit the download button to take the podcast on the go with your smartphone.
On where Penn State can improve in the postseason and in 2017...
“I’m a little discouraged sometimes about their lack of creativity in the running game. It seems that the read-option can be very effective, but I think you need to have a little more creativity. Put a lead blocker out there in front of the running back. ... The offensive line has just not really developed an attitude. I know they’ve been decimated by injuries, but right now anyway, they don’t have a real slobberknocker kind of attitude where they come off the ball and get after people and establish that line of scrimmage.”
On the performance of tight end Mike Gesicki this season, playing at Brady’s old position...
It’s pretty impressive. He’s a tall, rangy guy. That’s actually what Joe Paterno used to say about me. I was about the same size at Penn State — 6-foot-6, 250 pounds or so. You can tell he’s still maturing physically. He’s growing into himself, and he’s a long strider, so I think he covers some ground and you don’t even realize that he is. He’s got some deceptive speed. And he uses his ranginess well. They just threw him a corner route this past game [against Michigan State] and I saw him pluck it out of the air with those long arms, and he really does a nice job using his body well and creating separation.”
On what the return of linebackers Jason Cabinda and Brandon Bell from injuries did for the defense at midseason...
“I think that’s made a tremendous difference. Not only in what those guys bring when they’re there physically, the tackles they make, the plays they make, interceptions, whatever it may be. But also, it seems to have breathed a new spirit into the defense. They seem like they’re playing faster, with more confidence — even the defensive line — knowing those guys are behind them. I noticed it right away.”
On which team should represent the Big Ten in the College Football playoff...
“If anybody goes from the Big Ten, I think it’s only right that the conference champion goes. It seems like that’s one of the major credentials that the committee is looking for, and I think rightfully so. What’s the point of playing conference championship games, what’s the point of playing the whole regular season if that’s not meaningful or if that doesn’t have an impact on their decision?”
First Published: December 1, 2016, 5:00 a.m.