Are the “Fritz” and “Hero” positions a thing of the past?

A couple weeks ago during the depth chart predictions, I briefly explained that the  Penn State weak-side linebacker and strong safety have been called “Fritz” and “Hero” since before Joe Paterno was the head coach. A few people asked me whether or not those monikers would remain synonymous with the PSU defense. At the time I was unsure, but I have finally found the answer. Simply put, no they will not. A source close to the team has confirmed that Drew Astorino was the last Hero that Penn State will see.

"“New scheme with new terminology. Names will all be coordinated with travel, positions and pressures.”"

Not a huge deal, in my opinion. We are likely to see different defensive schemes and alignments than we’re used to, and what the positions are called will have zero effect on the performance of the team. However, many people have voiced their concerns over some of the other changes of tradition and I know this will raise some eyebrows. The beards, long hair, hats in the building, etc. are all parts of the new regime. Will they have an adverse effect on the team, perception or performance-wise? Doubtful, but people are always resistant to change.

From the indications we’ve gotten so far, it appears that maybe we should get used to change, or at least keep an open-mind toward it. Because it’s coming.

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