Why Terry Smith was so ‘proud’ despite heartbreaking loss

Penn State football he looked different from the sidelines, but heartbreakingly familiar at the scoreboard. In his first game below interim head coach Terry Smith, The Nittany Lions fell 25-24 by Iowa, their fourth straight loss in a season that unraveled faster than anyone in Happy Valley could have imagined.

Smith, a longtime assistant elevated after Penn State fired James Franklinwatched his team slip away in the fourth quarter as Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard burst that set up the score. Despite another painful finish, Smith left the field proud of his team’s fight.

“I don’t think anyone in that stadium would say they didn’t see the toughness and grit that I was looking for,” Smith said. “Our guys played hard. They gave it their all. There wasn’t anybody that didn’t give a big effort. We just have to do better. It’s my job to fix that.”

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Penn State’s effort was undeniable. Running back Keitron Allen rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns, while redshirt freshman running back Ethan Grunkemeier thrived in a noisy environment in his first collegiate start. The Nittany Lions also had a first-half highlight when Xavier Gilliam blocked a 66-yard punt attempt that led to a punt return touchdown that gave them the lead at halftime.

But Smith was straightforward about what went wrong. “It’s very disappointing the way we lost,” he said. “All three areas need improvement. We’re still having trouble shooting and hitting, we’re struggling to throw down the field, and we can’t get the stops when we need them.”

Smith’s challenge now is to keep a program that was once ranked No. 2 in the country and 0-4 in Big Ten play alive for the fourth time since joining the conference.

Still, the former Penn State wide receiver said the pride he felt in the locker room outweighed the sting of the loss. “We showed courage and unity,” Smith said. “If we lose, it will be because the other team was better. Every Penn Stater should be proud of how we fought.”