On this episode of Podward State, host Samuel Brungo is joined by associate producer and Onward State sports editor William Hutchinson Pegler, III to chat with former Penn State, UMass Tight End, Adam Breneman.
Adam starts off the show by talking about his recruiting process. After being a four star, the second highest ranked tight end in his class, he was highly touted and sought out by top programs such as Notre Dame and Alabama. After receiving an offer from Joe Paterno's staff, Breneman knew he wanted to play for his hometown team.
Following the breaking of the scandal, Breneman talks about the wild turn of events that occurred during his recruiting process, leading him to commit to Bill O'Brien. He chats about why he chose to stay and be a part of the program despite the sanctions and what it means for him to be a part of that group of players who stayed.
Adam then dives into his college career, noting the ups and downs. He talks about his breakout freshman year, his injury issues, the coaching change, all leading up to his retirement and transfer to UMass years later. Breneman tells us some great stories about his teammates, specifically about his good friend and roommate Mike Gesicki and his wild eating habits.
After his second and final retirement from football following two All American seasons at UMass, Adam took a shot in the media world. He discusses what that experience was like, hosting his own podcast and some of the guests that he had on that show.
Finally, Breneman talks about the journey that led him to Arizona State University, making him the youngest position coach in the country. He talks about what it is like to coach alongside some popular football minds in former NFL Head Coaches Herm Edwards and Marvin Lewis as well as former Pro Bowl linebacker and Super Bowl Champion Antonio Pierce.
Podward State is an Onward State-produced podcast. Onward State is an independent, student-run Penn State news site that works to generate honest conversation in the hopes of enriching the Penn State community.
The show was founded by Matthew Ogden, Matthew Paolizzi, and Mitchell Stewart in 2019. They have covered a plethora of topics and hosted numerous guests including Tom Verducci, Don Roy King, Ezra Nanes, Jordan Hill, Journey Brown, Bill Belton, Adam Breneman, DJ Newbill, and many more.
Podward State releases episodes weekly and features discussions about all things Penn State, including sports, news, student life, and entertainment which will be available on Spotify and YouTube.