Chris Harrell was ready to take charge.

Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny, who usually calls the defensive huddle, was watching the FedEx Orange Bowl overtime periods transpire with ice around his knee. Filling in were freshman linebacker Sean Lee and nickelbacks Paul Cronin and Donnie Johnson. Backup lineman Jim Shaw was in, too.

This was the Nittany Lions defense of last resort. Lions defensive coach Tom Bradley surveyed the situation.

"Oh, boy. I've got a safety calling the huddle now," Bradley said to himself.

Harrell was not alone, though. His senior brethren -- cornerbacks Anwar Phillips, Alan Zemaitis and fellow safety Calvin Lowry -- were with him.

For the past four years, this senior secondary has personified Penn State's fortunes. In 2001, a lifetime ago, Zemaitis, Harrell and Phillips arrived on campus -- together.

Lowry arrived in Jan. 2002 after three-and-a-half years of high school.

"At first [Bradley and I] used to bump heads a lot because that's how he breaks you," Zemaitis said. "When you're a freshman, he's just going to ride you until you ain't got nothing left.

Lowry went down with a broken leg after only four games in 2002 -- the start of a tragic sequence of events.

In November, a female student accused Phillips of sexual assault. He was later acquitted.

A horrific car accident on Route 15 in Jan. 2003 nearly ended Zemaitis' football playing career and his life.

In 2004, Harrell fell victim to a neck injury that could have ended his career but only cost him the season.

Before the Orange Bowl, Zemaitis waxed philosophical on how this team, this secondary, will fit into history.

"If you don't finish the story, it's not going to be a story that anyone remembers," he said.

Zemaitis, as he had done five other times this season, snagged a pick rightwhen his team needed momentum.

Phillips turned in, arguably, his most impressive performance. Twice he came between the height-advantaged Seminoles receivers and touchdowns.

Harrell was the first player on the victory stand beside Joe Paterno, distributing oranges to his teammates.

A few minutes later, in the Miami Dolphins locker room, Zemaitis put the finishing touches on this season's epilogue.

"History is only made once," he said.