Why Penn State football coach Terry Smith broke down in emotional press conference
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Terry Smith, overcome with emotion, struggled to get through his weekly Penn State football press conference Monday, Nov. 17.
About halfway through his 30-minute media availability in State College ― the event the interim head coach has handled ever since James Franklin was fired in mid-October ― he was asked about supporters reaching out to him following the Nittany Lions‘ streak-busting victory at Michigan State.
After the Lions won, 28-10, for their first victory in two months, players dumped a celebratory jug of Gatorade over Smith and lifted him up on their shoulders and carried him around the field.
They presented him with a game ball after it was over to signify his first victory as their leader. The Lions can end their regular season with Senior Day Saturday vs. Nebraska, Thanksgiving weekend at Rutgers and a possible bowl game, if they win both.
On Monday, he said that he received more than 1,000 text messages from supporters after the Michigan State game.
“I’ve been reached out to by basically every person I’ve known in my entire life,” Smith said. “People are super proud of me and … it’s very humbling.”
At that point, Smith stopped talking and lowered his head for several seconds. He was choked up when he tried to continue. He wiped away tears with his hand.
“I apologize … It’s just humbling to sit in this seat.”
A Penn State football history for Terry Smith
Smith, of course, has a long Penn State history. He’s repeatedly honored his father, a 1968 Penn State graduate, with using his college education to better his family, if not save them. “It taught our entire family about possibilities in life, and you can be whatever you want to be,” he said.
Smith went on to star at receiver for Penn State under coach Joe Paterno in the late-1980s and early 1990s.
He’s coached at Penn State for the past dozen seasons, joining the staff after Franklin took over in 2014.
When Smith was able to continue speaking Monday, he said, “there’s so many people who speak life into me, and they all reached out, and I’m just so blessed. God has been so good to me, through everything in my life.
“I have the opportunity to be the head coach at Penn State. I don’t think anything has made me and my family happier than this opportunity. I’m thankful for all my friends, my family, all my supporters. Saturday, I can’t even tell you how I felt. I’ve never been lifted off the field in my career.”
Earlier in the press conference, Smith confirmed that he has not received an official interview for the permanent Penn State head coaching job. Rather, he said his daily work as the interim leader should serve as that.
“This place is special, it’s amazing. I just want to give back to it,” Smith said. “I want to make sure I uphold my end of the bargain in putting out a team everyone can be proud of.”
When another reporter followed with a question about team unity and getting that game ball in Michigan, Smith cut him off with a good-natured quip:
“You want me to cry again?”
This time, Smith smiled and those in the media room laughed.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football coach Terry Smith broke down in press conference
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