MADISON, Wis. -- After a trying night in which one of his players was removed from the field in an ambulance, Penn State football coach Joe Paterno received even worse news: his son-in-law was being treated in intensive care for a severe head injury sustained in a bike accident.
Chris Hort, who is married to Paterno's daughter, Mary Kay, was riding his bike along Park Avenue in State College shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday when the accident occurred. No cars were involved, and Hort was wearing a helmet.
"It's a tough situation," Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said after the game. "It doesn't sound good right now."
Hort was taken to Mt. Nittany Medical Center for treatment before being life-flighted to Altoona General Hospital. As of yesterday afternoon, Hort was still in the intensive care unit.
Paterno was not informed of the accident until after the game, at which point he flew directly to Altoona. His wife, Sue, and Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley were informed of the accident during the first half and flew back to Pennsylvania.
"Coach was leaving, and I said, 'Coach, we'll get everybody home, go ahead,' " Bradley said, "He's a family guy from top to bottom; that's No. 1 with him. If you saw the tears in his eyes, you'd know that's a sad occurrence."
Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley and assistant coach Bill Kenney briefed the team of the accident after the game.
I'll take a Rubin
After the game against the University of Central Florida, cornerback Alan Zemaitis informed the media that true freshman Mark Rubin would break a lot of records in tandem with true freshman quarterback Anthony Morelli.
"I'm already predicting -- you guys can quote me when it happens -- I think they're gonna end up breaking a lot of records here," Zemaitis said.
While the Rubin-Morelli connection wasn't exhibited Saturday, Rubin played in his first career game for Penn State. Rubin caught two passes for 21 yards to lead the team in receptions.
"He's gonna be probably one of the better receivers we've ever had around here," fullback Paul Jefferson said. "He seemed a bit nervous, but I think for his first major collegiate action, he did all right."
Three's company
To anyone's knowledge, he hasn't missed any more team meetings lately, but Austin Scott still didn't figure much into the Lions offense against Wisconsin. Scott lined up at tailback for just one drive in the second half, carrying the ball once for a total of 1 yard.
Scott did get to return his first kick of the season, taking it for 30 yards, but Scott is still clearly the odd man out behind fellow sophomore Tony Hunt, who had 72 yards on 16 carries.
On Saturday, Scott was even less of a factor than redshirt freshman Rodney Kinlaw, who took a well-executed reverse 14 yards on the second drive for his lone carry of the game.
I came to get down...
...and the Wisconsin student section certainly did. In the break between the third and fourth quarters, the House of Pain hit "Jump Around" was blared into Camp Randall stadium, while the student section screamed the lyrics and did, indeed, jump around. The jumping was so intense that the entire stadium shook up and down, as if a minor earthquake was striking the Madison area.
