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Penn State Football: Top 10 players in program history

By Zac Voynow

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions walks on the field during the first half of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against the Washington Huskies at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions walks on the field during the first half of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against the Washington Huskies at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 12: A fan looks on as Penn State players make their way into the stadium before playing Nebraska in a college football game at Beaver Stadium on November 12, 2011 in State College, Pennsylvania. Head football coach Joe Paterno was fired amid allegations that former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was involved with child sex abuse. Penn State is playing their final home football game against Nebraska. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 12: A fan looks on as Penn State players make their way into the stadium before playing Nebraska in a college football game at Beaver Stadium on November 12, 2011 in State College, Pennsylvania. Head football coach Joe Paterno was fired amid allegations that former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was involved with child sex abuse. Penn State is playing their final home football game against Nebraska. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

4. John Cappelletti, Running Back

John Cappalletti played for Penn State from 1971-73 and won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award in 1973 when he led Penn State to a perfect 12-0 season — he’s the only player in school history to win the Heisman Trophy. Cappelletti rushed for 1,522 yards and scored 17 rushing touchdowns that season.

Joe Paterno had even said that Cappelletti was the best player he had ever coached. The Philadelphia-native was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993. His No. 22 jersey remains the only number to ever be retired by Penn State.

The story of Cappelletti’s four-touchdown game for his brother, Joey, remains one of the greatest heartfelt moments in sports history. Joey was dying of Leukemia, and asked his older brother to score four touchdowns for him in a 1973 game versus West Virginia. Cappelletti scored three first-half touchdowns, but was taken out of the game along with the rest of the starters because Joe Paterno didn’t believe in running up the score.

Late in the third quarter, one of Capelletti’s teammates told Paterno about his brother’s wish. After hearing about Joey’s wish, Paterno shouted “22!” and Cappelletti scored his fourth touchdown of the game on the ensuing Penn State possession.

Cappelletti was later drafted 11th overall by the Los Angeles Rams. He rushed for 2,951 yards and scored 24 touchdowns in his NFL career. He suffered a nagging groin injury that forced him to miss the entire 1979 season, and he was never the same player after coming back.

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