ORLANDO, Fla. -- Jerome Hayes didn't look like he wanted to leave.
The redshirt senior defensive end was all smiles after Penn State's 19-17 win against LSU in the Capital One Bowl Friday, hugging teammates as he celebrated what may have been his final game as a Nittany Lion.
Hayes suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee in 2007 and his left knee in 2008. He redshirted as a freshman in 2005 but has given thought to petitioning the NCAA for a sixth season of eligibility because he suffered his second injury in the second game of last season, costing him the final 11 games of 2008.
"There's still a possibility of me trying my hand at the next level," Hayes said. "It's been a lifelong dream to play at the next level, and it's really been a lifelong dream to play in the NFL, and I feel like I can do it, so I'm gonna talk with Coach [Joe] Paterno and my family and we'll see what happens."
Should Hayes decide against seeking an extra year of eligibility, or if the NCAA doesn't grant him it, he has no regrets about his time at Penn State.
"If this is it, man, it was a heck of a way to go out," Hayes said. "I wouldn't change it for anything. This group of guys, these seniors that I came in with in '05, we really left our mark on the program, and that's what the ultimate goal was: to leave your mark. And I hope everybody really appreciates all the hard work and effort we put into it. I'm happy."
Day to Remember
Offense: Andrew Quarless
The senior tight end went out with a bang, recording a career-high eight catches for 88 yards. Quarless' eight-catch day set a Penn State bowl record, eclipsing the previous record of seven held by David Daniels (1990 Blockbuster), Bobby Engram (1994 Citrus) and Tony Stewart (1999 Outback).
Defense: Navorro Bowman
The redshirt junior had a game-high nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in what was in all likelihood his final game at Penn State.
Besides his heads up play to draw a penalty on guard Lyle Hitt on LSU's last drive, Bowman also possibly saved a touchdown when he caught up to Brandon LaFell after a 36-yard catch and run early in the second quarter. The Tigers ended up kicking a field goal on the drive.
Day to Forget
Offense: Graham Zug
The redshirt sophomore had four catches for 51 yards, but several drops stood out on a day where the ball was slippery and hard to grasp.
Defense: D'Anton Lynn
The defense kept Penn State in the game all day, so this is a bit of nitpicking, but the sophomore cornerback spent most of the day on LaFell, who accounted for most of LSU's offense with five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.
Did you Notice?
True freshman wide receiver Justin Brown returning punts instead of Graham Zug next to Drew Astorino. ... Johnnie Troutman seeing time at left guard despite DeOn'tae Pannell getting the start. ... "Wisconsin" starting to show under "LSU" in the Tigers' painted end zone as the field wore down.
Extra Point
Defensive tackle Devon Still started over Ollie Ogbu, who was late to a team meeting during the trip.
Ogbu started every regular season game for Penn State. On Friday, he recorded two tackles and forced a fumble.
"To be honest with you, it was disciplinary reasons," Ogbu said. "I was late to a meeting, and that's Joe's rule: If you're late to anything or if you're penalized in any way and you're a starter, you're not starting. That's something I've gotta take into next year because I'm trying to be more of a leader. He's looking for me to be a leader next year. So that's all on me."
Quotable
LaFell on the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium's field:
"For them to say this is the next best bowl outside of the BCS, I feel like this should be the next best field outside of the BCS. I feel like this field that we played on today it was not up to par to be on the BCS bowl level."
