Here is Penn State Football’s all-time best QB/RB duo

Penn State Football has a storied history of running backs, and some great quarterbacks have made their way through Happy Valley

I feel like no matter which two guys I put together for my hypothetical all-time Penn State Football QB/RB duo, I’m going to be wrong.

Why do you ask?

Well, between Tony Sacca, Lydell Mitchell, Trace McSorely, Curt Warner, Kerry Collins, Blair Thomas, John Hufnagel, Ki-Jana Carter, Chuck Fusina, and John Cappelletti, it’s an incredibly tough ask to pick only one at each position.

And this is before even including the likes of Evan Royster, Zack Mills, Curtis Enis, Daryll Clark, D.J. Dozier, John Shaffer, Larry Johnson, Michael Robinson, and Tony Hunt.

But, you all know me, no matter how difficult the question or task, I’m going to plow ahead and attempt to do my best. So feel free to let the criticism flow!

For this little excursion I’m going to pick a player at each position based on a specific year and not just based on their entire career.

Let’s take a look at the all-time greatest Penn State Football QB/RB duo

QB – Todd Blackledge (1982 season)

Stats
Completions: 161
Attempts: 292
Yards: 2218
TDs: 22
Record: 11-1

Now, I was a little too young to remember the magical 1982 Penn State Football season, but I know it was special.

Not only was it Joe Paterno’s first official College Football National Title and the first for the state of Pennsylvania, it was also the year Todd Blackledge put everything together coming off back-to-back erratic years in the pocket.

Between the 1980 and 1981 seasons, Blackledge completed only 49% of his passes and had 19 tds to go along with 27 ints. Even for the early 80’s those numbers weren’t exactly “great”.

But, as I mentioned, something clicked for Blackledge in the 1982 campaign and he managed to minimize his mistakes as well as put up impressive passing numbers. O

h, and did I mention Penn State won the national title that year?

Blackledge was instrumental in leading the team along with all-time Penn State great Curt Warner in the backfield. Penn State faced the 3rd most difficult schedule in the nation and they were tested early and often. However Blackledge was up to the challenges.

One of the first challenges is the now famous (or “infamous” if you’re a Nebraska fan) home game against then No. 2 Nebraska. Big Red took its first lead of the afternoon late in the fourth quarter after intercepting a Todd Blackledge pass in the end zone and then marching 80 yards to own a 24-21 lead.

Penn State Football received the ensuing kickoff and started on their own 35 yard line following a personal foul on Nebraska. Blackledge engineered a steady drive deep into Nebraska territory where it appeared to stall out on the 28 yard line. Faced with a difficult fourth down and 11 to go, Blackledge hooked up with Kenny Jackson for a first down. Two plays later, Mike McCloskey hauled in one of the most controversial catches in college football history as he appeared to be out of bounds. The officials ruled him in and with four seconds left in the game, Blackledge again came up huge in hitting Kirk Bowman in the end zone to give Penn State the lead for good 27-24.

The next challenge to highlight in the 1982 Penn State Football season was the Sugar Bowl against undefeated and then No. 1 ranked Georgia.

Penn State Football was barely holding on to a 20-17 lead late in the third quarter and things were going sideways for the Nittany Lion offense as they couldn’t find any open receivers and allowed five sacks just in that quarter alone.

Early in the fourth quarter Penn State Football was driving and had just crossed midfield when Blackledge dialed up the “six-43” play (play action four receiver streaks). Blackledge faked the handoff, dropped back, and floated a beautiful ball to a diving Greg Garrity in the end zone to build on their 27-17 lead.

Penn State Football went on to win the game 27-23, Blackledge was named the Miller-Digby Award recipient for the Sugar Bowl as well as the 1982 Davey O’Brien award winner, and the Nittany Lions were named the National Champions of the college football world.

There might be guys on the all-time Penn State QB list which were more athletic, had better arms, and had better numbers, but give me a guy who had ice in his veins when it counted most and I’ll take him every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Let’s see who I have Blackledge paired up with …