Shuler, Boone bid Beaver Stadium adieu

It’s one thing to watch the players emerge from beneath the student section amidst applauds and cheers from over 100,000 fans. It’s a totally different experience to be one of those players.

But even in his fifth season with the Penn State Nittany Lions, the redshirt senior tight end still gets those goosebumps and that adrenaline rush from a roaring Beaver Stadium crowd.

“Just seeing them come through the tunnel as a fan, then being a part of it,” Shuler said. “When you’re young, you have all these legends coming ahead of you and you just want to be like them. The first time coming out at this stadium, you don’t really know what to expect — when you hear 110,000 screaming fans, it’s kind of neat. You run through the cheerleaders and the band, the band is playing. It’s a rush of adrenaline that you might not be able to get any other place. Maybe skydiving or something like that.

“Redshirt freshman year, you still get it but you’re playing as a redshirt freshman so it’s a little different. When you go out there (as a player), you’re playing and trying to help your team win, you get that adrenaline rush every time.”

Saturday will be the last time Shuler will ever experience that unique rush.

After five seasons of blue-collar blocking and dependable depth to the traditionally-strong PSU tight end corps, the East Pennsboro High School graduate will exit the tunnel as a player at Beaver Stadium for the last time at this weekend’s Senior Day.

He will be joined by another local product — redshirt senior punter Jeremy Boone, born and raised in Mechanicsburg.

In his own way, Boone has provided an workmanlike effort for the Nittany Lions. In a senior season where he experienced an unwelcome personal first — Boone had never in his life had a punt blocked but two of his attempts were stopped by opposing special teams this year — the former Wildcat has proven just how valuable he can be.

Just last weekend, when Ohio State punt returner Ray Small broke through the Penn State special teams and streaked toward the end zone, Boone made an open-field tackle to prevent the score.

And he didn’t simply make a shoe-string, last-ditch-effort tackle. The punter lowered his head and put a stick on the 5-foot-11, 180-pound returnman.

“Jeremy’s a tough kid and he’s going to do everything he needs to do to keep it from going into the end zone,” PSU senior linebacker Josh Hull said. “It’s a tough play to make for anyone, let alone a punter who doesn’t work on that every day.

“To make an open-field tackle is just a spectacular play on Jeremy’s part, to keep him out of the end zone.”

Boone admitted the hit shook him up a little because “it’s something I’m not used to doing.”

But even memories like that one will be a thing of the past after Saturday, when the former walk-on will bid his home field goodbye.

“It’s going to be special,” Boone said. “Since Day 1, since walking in through that tunnel, even if I wasn’t playing, it’s been a dream come true. To try to put words to the experiences I’ve had here, it’s tough. I’m looking forward to it, my family’s looking forward to it.

“It’s something I’m ready for.”

Both Boone and Shuler agreed their time had come to put Beaver Stadium behind them. They agreed that, given the chance, they wouldn’t change how their time at Penn State went.

They’ll each set their sights on the NFL after their final season ends, keeping in mind a fall-back career should the pro leagues not pan out.

For Boone, he’ll continue to pursue his teaching career. Though he didn’t have time to work as a student-teacher this fall, the punter has been putting in community service hours to work with children and stay in touch with the profession.

Shuler will graduate this year with a degree in Kinesthesiology, which he will use to either become a physical therapist or a personal trainer — or, in his words, to “help people reach their maximum potential.”

It’ll be quite the turnout for each this Saturday. Boone expects 10 or 12 family members and friends to travel to University Park to see him play his last home game. Shuler said he anticipates the usual 15 to 20 family members.

And who knows? Maybe Shuler will grab one last touchdown as a parting gift? He has two touchdown receptions this season — both at home — and nearly had one last week against Ohio State on a pass from redshirt senior quarterback Daryll Clark that sailed just over his outstretch fingers. Clark and Shuler have been on the same page in the red zone this season, despite Shuler seeing limited reps as a route runner.

“We went to play action and stuff down there (in the red zone),” Shuler said. “(Clark) has seen me open a few times down there and we got a couple touchdowns out of it. Down in the red zone, there’s not a lot of room to work with, defenses man up a lot of times.”

When defenses underestimate Shuler, he finds open space. But these days, the backup tight end isn’t being underestimated by many.

Despite playing behind senior Andrew Quarless, Shuler is still listed as the No. 10 tight end prospect of the 2010 NFL draft by ESPN.com and the No. 17 prospect by CBSsports.com. He could potentially be drafted in the latter rounds or signed as an undrafted free agent.

A similar projection is being made for Boone, who both sources rate as the third-best punting prospect in the nation but, due to the low demand at his position, is projected as a late-round or undrafted signee as well.

At any rate, whether the local pair goes pro or settles into a more pedestrian profession, they’ll never forget what it was like to run out in front of a packed Beaver Stadium on Senior Day.

“It’s going to be sad,” Shuler said. “It’s going to be exciting and fun at the same time.”