Alamo Bowl Notes | Texas becoming Norwood's home

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - For

Jordan Norwood,

the Alamo Bowl was a homecoming of sorts. It's not that the Penn State junior wide receiver is from Texas. Norwood has called State College, Pa., home for the last seven years, his family following father,

Brian,

to Happy Valley when the elder Norwood joined

Joe Paterno's

coaching staff as an assistant in 2001.

But three weeks ago, Brian Norwood left the Nittany Lions to become the defensive coordinator at Baylor in Waco, Texas. Last week - before last night's game between Penn State and Texas A&M - was the first time Jordan, his mother,

Tiffiney,

and his three younger siblings spent time with dad since he headed south.

As soon as the Norwoods sell their home in State College, the entire family - save for Jordan, who will complete his final year and half of school - will follow Brian.

When family friend

Art Briles

was named the coach at Baylor, Brian Norwood was instantly considered a possible assistant. Norwood, Penn State's safeties coach, had previously been an assistant at Arizona, Richmond, Navy and Texas Tech, where he spent a season coaching with Briles.

The mild-mannered Jordan Norwood, meanwhile, has quietly had another productive year. For the third straight season, he has caught more than 32 passes for over 400 yards. This season, he's third on the team in receptions (40) and yards (484) with five touchdowns.

Sean Lee

wants to be the big fish next season. On Wednesday, the Penn State junior linebacker rode atop one of the kings of the sea.

Lee was just one of many Lions players who visited SeaWorld on Wednesday. Quarterback

Anthony Morelli

skipped a news conference to attend the San Antonio attraction, but it was Lee who got to hang on the dorsal fin of a beluga whale.

Morelli said he passed on an invitation to play in the Hula Bowl, opting instead to participate in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 19.