With everything that has transpired during the last week, Tom Bradley insisted this Penn State team was still his seniors’ team. Saturday was a day to honor them, in fact. It was senior day.

And one of those seniors, on the field and from a leadership standpoint, made his biggest impact of the season. Senior Stephfon Green ran for 71 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries in Penn State’s 17-14 loss to Nebraska Saturday.

Sophomore Silas Redd found himself dealing with a shoulder injury for most of the afternoon, giving Green a chance to step up.

“My number was called and I just made sure I didn’t disappoint. A lot of people say they’re proud of me, and for the first time, I’m gonna say I’m proud of myself,” Green said. “I overcame a lot, and I’m here sitting in this seat today.”

Green was suspended earlier in the season for an undisclosed reason then cited for furnishing alcohol to minors in late September.

Green said it was difficult for him to watch the first month of the season from the sidelines, but he’s thankful he got the opportunity to come back and make an impact for at least part of his senior season.

“It went from one screen pass to a carry to a touchdown to here, there to two touchdowns,” Green said. “It’s all because of this senior class, who went to coach Paterno’s house and vouched for me. And Coach Paterno for making the final decision, the offensive line for doing what they did today. I would be nothing without that senior class, Coach P and the offensive line.”

Green and Paterno had their differences during the last five years. But still, there’s a mutual respect between the two.

Green said he credits Paterno for helping him get back on the field and helping him change for the better.

“I wouldn’t be here without that man,” Green said.

Green has been described as a leader by his teammates all season. And even when he wasn’t practicing or playing, Green was around. And he was still a leader.

“He’s a very vocal, very energetic guy,” tackle Quinn Barham said. “He’ll get in your face, and he’ll call you out. And he did that. He said he was going to take this team on his back and do whatever he can to help us win.”

Defensive tackle Jordan Hill said Green’s presence around the team has been a positive all year.

And in the most difficult of games, Green’s leadership was needed Saturday more than ever.

“He was still around us all the time encouraging us,” Hill said. “He was never to the point where he was just like, ‘I’m done with everything,’ he just stayed through it. And going through all that adversity paid off for him today.”

With the injury to Redd — the sophomore got just 15 carries for 54 yards Saturday after eclipsing 100 yards in each of the Lions’ first five Big Ten games — Green became the featured back for a large part of the second half.

Tackle Chima Okoli said Green just kept pushing no matter what the circumstances were or how much adversity he faced.

“He’s a fighter, and that’s what fighters do when their back’s against the wall,” Okoli said. “He came up calling and everybody’s real proud of him.”

So in his final game at Beaver Stadium, Green, a senior and a leader, showed why he’s looked up to by his teammates.

“Stephfon’s always been a leader since he’s been here and now was a great time to step up with what’s going on,” Still said. “I think he did a great job doing it.”