While the eyes of 105,514 fans in Beaver Stadium last Saturday were fixated on the field, there were only two things Dr. Doug Aukerman could focus on.
Water bottles and towels.
"We told the equipment guys to really monitor the towels," the team's physician said. "After a player used a towel, we would make sure to put it aside. We also used paper cups, and disposed of them after one use. We wanted to make sure there were no germs spreading from guy to guy."
Dr. Aukerman's concerns were heightened by the realities on campus. Just one month into the semester, more than 400 students have been diagnosed by University Health Services with influenza-like illnesses.
One of those students is Evan Royster. Penn State's explosive running back had flu-like symptoms last week, yet recuperated enough to pummel Temple for 134 yards, including 119 by halftime.
It wasn't a miracle recovery. Coach Joe Paterno credits it to something more practical: the initiatives taken on by Penn State's training staff.
"I think the doctors every once in a while need to get a pat on the back," he said in his weekly press conference Tuesday. "They work like dogs out there."
To prevent their athletes from getting sick amidst the H1N1 scare nationwide, Penn State's athletic trainers have taken some extra precautions. Yet men's soccer trainer Andra Thomas insists it's nothing terribly drastic.
"We understand that there's more of a risk this year for the virus to spread," she said. "But what we are stressing to our athletes is just the basic common sense things. That's what will help keep them healthy. Wash your hands, lots of sleep, proper diet, the basic things your mother told you when you came to school."
The men's rugby team has a similar approach.
Freshman Ryan Goulding said about a half of the team lives in a house together, yet the swine scare hasn't changed much of their daily routine.
"When we work out in the gym, we use sanitizers," he said, "We'd probably do that anyway, though. We're just focusing on playing."
Such is the sentiment of the women's volleyball team, which chose to ignore an NCAA recommendation of discouraging teams from the traditional handshakes with their opponent to protect athletes from contracting H1N1. Though it is based on a team-to-team basis, the defending national champions believe bypassing the traditional symbol of sportsmanship is a fairly ineffective measure in the grand scheme of staying healthy.
"We received the memo right before our Duke tournament," said assistant coach Kaleena Davidson. "But, like many other schools, we thought that not shaking hands wouldn't be very effective. If you think about it, the girls are slapping the ball back and forth hundreds of times during the match. To not shake hands seems a little ridiculous."
Things are more serious for wrestling, a sport notorious for battling outbreaks. Just last year, three former York College wrestlers sued their alma matter, claiming they contracted herpes from a teammate due to unsanitary conditions at the school's facility.
"We are taking every precaution to make sure our team doesn't get affected," said Penn State assistant coach Troy Letters. "But mainly, it's just being careful. That's all we can really do. If a guy is feeling bad we make sure he goes to the doctor right away. Just the same as any other sport or any other athlete, we just want them to stay healthy."
