Noah Cain, upon earning diploma, thanks Penn State for experience
Noah Cain isn’t finished playing college football, but his career at Penn State has come to a close. Announcing his intent to transfer to LSU following the 2021 season, though, the running back wasn’t ready to leave before taking with him a very important document.
This week, he showed why.
Posting a series of photos and an open letter to Penn State fans on his Instagram, Cain sported a cap and gown as a proud Penn State alumnus. From the We Are statue just outside the Intramural Building to the Nittany Lion Shrine, Cain revealed the depth of his gratitude for the place that shaped his undergraduate college experience.
Noah Cain’s open letter to Penn State
Dear Penn State,
The past 3 1/2 years have turned me in to the Man I’m proud to be today. I’m appreciative of all the connections I’ve made since being in Happy Valley.
When I enrolled in January 2019, I set goals for myself, some I reached and others I came up short. However, everything I went through molded me and held a lesson behind it. God showed me no matter the environment or situation I’m in, that as long as I stay grounded and stay true to myself, I’m always going to be a champion.
I gave my greatest self each and every day, both on and off the field. I’ve been through a rollercoaster of emotions both highs and lows. Going into this next chapter of my life, I will be expecting the unexpected and will have full confidence that nothing I go through can break me.
Sometimes we wonder why certain things happen and we question why? But the truth is when you are on your path there are lessons to be learned and people to be weeded out, these things have helped build me and better influence my character.
I’m proud to call myself a Penn State Alumnus. I am excited about where God is taking me in my life. This next chapter will be a special and unforgettable one. #PSUgrad22
Next steps
Cain might have been passed in production in the Penn State running back room by the end of the 2021 season. Clearly still hampered by the foot injury that derailed his 2020 campaign, the flashes of the back that broke out as a true freshman were nearly nonexistent.
The expectation at LSU is considerably more optimistic about Cain’s potential for 2022, though.
Sophomore Armoni Goodwin and juniors Kevontre Bradford and Josh Williams all played well in the LSU spring game, creating an air of competition ahead of the summer months. And John Emery returns following a year missed to academic ineligibility.
Still, Cain’s experience is expected to help him compete for a significant role in the deep room this year. He finished his career at Penn State with eight starts over three seasons. And, as a junior in 2021, he notched 106 carries for 350 yards and four touchdowns. The mark left him behind Keyvone Lee on the rushing chart for the season. He added 19 receptions for 114 yards to his stat page.
