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Lions' Royster eager for one final season
By Joe Juliano
Inquirer Staff Writer
Evan Royster stood on the field at Beaver Stadium recently and looked around at the empty seats, imagining the time when they would be filled with more than 100,000 fans sending out waves of noise crashing down to the lush green grass.
It's exciting for Penn State players to experience that atmosphere, dubbed "The Great Show" by the locals. And when Royster thought about taking in the show for a fifth season, he embraced it while delaying the start of his NFL career.
"Just being in the stadium right now makes you think about it," the Nittany Lions' star running back said earlier this month at the team's media day in State College.
Many observers say there is a good reason why Royster came back. The Fairfax, Va., native is just 481 yards away from breaking the Penn State record for career rushing yards held by Curt Warner, who amassed 3,398 from 1979 through 1982.
There's more, however. To hear Royster tell it, it's "the stadium, the atmosphere, everything that comes with college."
"There wasn't one specific reason that was the deciding factor," he said. "It was a lot of things. I wanted to have my senior year here. I wanted to come back and be able to improve my draft stock. I wanted to have another shot at a Big Ten championship. It's a lot of things.
"I don't think the money was worth it. College is an experience. It's been fun so far, and I'm hoping to get another year like" the previous ones.
Royster, who redshirted as a freshman, announced he would return for his senior season less than one week after the Nittany Lions ended their 2009 campaign with a Capital One Bowl win over LSU. NFL draft observers had projected Royster as a mid-round pick.
Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/spor...eager_for_one_final_season.html#ixzz0yHwl2ain
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By Joe Juliano
Inquirer Staff Writer
Evan Royster stood on the field at Beaver Stadium recently and looked around at the empty seats, imagining the time when they would be filled with more than 100,000 fans sending out waves of noise crashing down to the lush green grass.
It's exciting for Penn State players to experience that atmosphere, dubbed "The Great Show" by the locals. And when Royster thought about taking in the show for a fifth season, he embraced it while delaying the start of his NFL career.
"Just being in the stadium right now makes you think about it," the Nittany Lions' star running back said earlier this month at the team's media day in State College.
Many observers say there is a good reason why Royster came back. The Fairfax, Va., native is just 481 yards away from breaking the Penn State record for career rushing yards held by Curt Warner, who amassed 3,398 from 1979 through 1982.
There's more, however. To hear Royster tell it, it's "the stadium, the atmosphere, everything that comes with college."
"There wasn't one specific reason that was the deciding factor," he said. "It was a lot of things. I wanted to have my senior year here. I wanted to come back and be able to improve my draft stock. I wanted to have another shot at a Big Ten championship. It's a lot of things.
"I don't think the money was worth it. College is an experience. It's been fun so far, and I'm hoping to get another year like" the previous ones.
Royster, who redshirted as a freshman, announced he would return for his senior season less than one week after the Nittany Lions ended their 2009 campaign with a Capital One Bowl win over LSU. NFL draft observers had projected Royster as a mid-round pick.
Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/spor...eager_for_one_final_season.html#ixzz0yHwl2ain
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else
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