STATE COLLEGE, Pa.; June 4, 2002 - Fran Rogel, a former All-American for the Penn State football team, passed away Monday at the age of 74 at the St. Barnabas Nursing home in Gibsonia, Pa. He had recently moved there from his farm near Bakerstown, Pa.

Rogel was a two-way player at Penn State, lettering in 1947, '48 and '49. A fine linebacker, Rogel earned second team All-America status as a fullback during his junior campaign and was, at the time of his departure from Penn State, considered the school's best all-time fullback.

The bruising runner led Penn State in rushing during each of the three seasons he played and ended his career with 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns on 372 carries. He averaged 4.0 yards per attempt.

His top year was his junior season, when he set a school record (at the time) for fullbacks with 602 yards and five touchdowns on 152 careers. As a sophomore in 1947, he had seven touchdowns on Penn State's 9-0-1 team, which tied SMU, 13-13, in the1948 Cotton Bowl. Rogel out-gained future Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker 95 yards to 66 yards in that game.

"He was a great football player," said Ed Czekaj, former Penn State Director of Athletics, who played with Rogel in '47. "Fran was one heck of a fullback, a real gentleman and very pleasant to be around."

"Fran was an outstanding individual, who made you raise the level of your game just by his being out on the field," said Joe Drazenovich, who played with Rogel throughout his collegiate career. "When he was on the field, you blocked harder and played harder because you knew he was not going to go down. He was a pleasure to be around."

Rogel also played on a defense that is widely considered one of the top Penn State defenses of all time. The '47 Lions allowed a mere 3.8 points per game, which remains a school record. The squad also had six shutouts that year, including three straight, and still holds the NCAA record for fewest yards allowed in a game, as Syracuse totaled minus-47 yards (minus-107 rushing, 60 passing) in the Lions' 40-0 win on October 18, 1947.

Rogel graduated from Penn State in 1950.

In 1997, he returned to Penn State, along with approximately 40 teammates, for the 50-year reunion of the '48 Cotton Bowl team.

Rogel was drafted in the eighth round by the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. While with Pittsburgh, Rogel rushed for 3,271 yards from 1950-57 and was selected for the Pro Bowl in his final season.

The Ronald V. Lucas Funeral Home in North Braddock, Pa.is handling the arrangements. Visitation will be held Wednesday and Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Ronald V. Lucas Funeral Home. A funeral mass will be held Friday, June 7 at 10 a.m. in Sacred Heart Church and interment will follow in Braddock Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Fran Rogel Charities, c/o Bernard Rogel. Please call the Ronald V. Lucas Funeral Home for further details (412-271-1361).