Bowers’ perseverance pays off in Senior Day soiree
Nick Bowers will run out of the Beaver Stadium tunnel for the final time Saturday, appreciative he was able to overcome multiple injuries to play a role in Penn State’s success.
“I am pretty excited that my last year I’ve helped to contribute to the team any way I could,” Bowers said. “It’s been hard the last couple years, but it’s finally paid off. I just know that this year is my first time being completely healthy and I wanted to make the most of it.”
Bowers and 15 other Penn State players will be recognized on Senior Day before the 10th-ranked Nittany Lions (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten) play Rutgers
(2-9, 0-8) at 3:30 p.m. (TV-BTN). With Penn State using sets with two tight ends more frequently, Bowers has emerged as a weapon, both as a blocker and a receiver. He’s caught
10 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns, including receptions for
55, 48 and 38 yards.
“You’re talking about a guy who couldn’t play for two whole years,” Lions coach James Franklin said, “so to see this thing end the way it is for him is awesome.”
Bowers, from Kittanning in western Pennsylvania, was redshirted in
2015 and missed all but three games in the next two seasons with undisclosed injuries. He made his first career catch and scored his first touchdown on a 15-yard pass against Nebraska in 2017.
“My favorite moment was probably scoring my first touchdown in Beaver Stadium,” Bowers said. “It was always my dream to play here. I scored and turned around and the whole sideline was going crazy. I can still picture that in my head looking over there, everybody high-fiving me and hugging me.”
After regaining his health, Bowers played a larger role last season behind then-freshman Pat Freiermuth and caught 1-yard touchdown pass against Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl.
“I was raised to work hard no matter what the situation is,” Bowers said. “Having a great family, friends and teammates has made it a lot easier to get through those situations. They do a good job of having your back.
“It’s been a long five years, but they’ve stuck with me no matter what.”
Bowers is one of nine senior starters, along with guard Steven Gonzalez, wide receiver Dan Chisena, linebackers Jan Johnson and Cam Brown, defensive tackle Robert Windsor, cornerback John Reid, safety Garrett Taylor and punter Blake Gillikin.
Most enrolled at Penn State in
2015, Franklin’s second season, and have helped the Lions emerge from the NCAA sanctions stemming from the Jerry Sandusky scandal to go 4011 in the last four seasons, including a Big Ten championship and trips to the Rose and Fiesta bowls.
“Where the program was compared to where it is now is dramatically different,” Franklin said. “And the reality is those guys are owed most of the credit. They committed to Penn State at a time when it maybe wasn’t easy to commit to Penn State. They’ve battled through adversity. They’ve been phenomenal.”
With an expected win over Rutgers, Penn State would reach at least 10 wins for the third time in four years, the first time that’s happened since 1993-96. The Lions also would stay in contention for a New Year’s Six bowl, either the Rose, Orange or Cotton.
Penn State is a 40-point favorite against the Scarlet Knights, who have been shut out four times and who are looking for a new head coach after Chris Ash was fired midseason.
“I don’t think anyone is going to take this game lightly,” Taylor said. “It’s another opportunity to go out and play against a Big Ten opponent and prove ourselves.”
It’ll be a day of conflicting emotions for the Penn State seniors.
“I’m excited and sad at the same time,” Bowers said. “You never want to leave this program. I know what I have here and how special it is. But I am looking forward to running out of the tunnel for the last time. It’s the best environment in college football. I think I’m going to miss it.”