UCLA’s visit to Penn State today (noon, Fox) is a homecoming of sorts for Brian Norwood.

The Bruins’ defensive backs coach spent seven years (2001-07) on the Nittany Lions’ staff before leaving to become defensive coordinator at Baylor.

“Penn State and State College is a special place,” Norwood said in an interview earlier this week. “(This game) is a blessing.”

As much as he savored his time under Joe Paterno, Norwood has equally good memories of all the relationships he made here.

He said Friday night football at Memorial Field in State College “was amazing – it was like everybody knew everybody, and everybody surrounded the field.”

Certainly a highlight was State College Area High School winning the 2003 PIAA boys basketball championship with Norwood’s sons Gabe and Jordan playing prominent roles.

“We had a storybook life, like a movie,” he said. “Coach (Drew) Frank had a unique relationship with the team and the way State College as a community followed that team … the state championship game at Hershey. And with Altoona – what great games at that time. It was packed every time.”

Gabe Norwood was a leader on the 2006 George Mason team that stunningly advanced to the Final Four and has played in the Philippine Professional League for nearly two decades.

Jordan, a former Nittany Lion wide receiver, spent eight seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with Denver in 2016.

There were seven players from that team that advanced to the Division I level. Names like Morse, Stupar, Meister, Hart and Hardin joined the Norwoods in making school history with a win over Chester in the state final.

Some of them will gather this weekend to join the Norwood family at Beaver Stadium.

“We have great memories, and that was a pivotal time in the lives of my kids,” Norwood, 59, said. “A lot of the people who worked at Penn State are still there, and a lot of my kids’ friends and teachers and coaches are there.”

Norwood said his wife, Tiffiney, is handling the ticket requests so “I can stay locked in.” He knows the Bruins (1-3) face a significant challenge with the No. 7 Nittany Lions.

“Penn State is a talented team in all areas,” Norwood said. “They’re Penn State. Coach (James) Franklin and his staff have done a great job.”

UCLA led the Pac-12 in defense last year and finished No. 10 in the nation in total defense, but they’ve struggled on both sides of the ball this year.

Head coach Chip Kelly, not enamored with the transfer portal and NIL, left to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, and former Bruin star DeShaun Foster was hired.

“Each year is a new year and presents new challenges and opportunities for growth, and our guys are growing in that manner,” Norwood said. “We’ve had some victories within the losses, and it’s a process. The guys are competing and working. Last year was last year, but this is exciting as well.”

Since leaving Penn State, Norwood has had stops at Baylor, Tulsa, Kansas State and Navy before landing at UCLA in 2020.

But part of him never left PSU.

“I considered myself blessed to work there, and to be at a place where academics were vitally important,” he said. “There are a lot of same things we strive for here at UCLA. The guys we coached were held to a standard that was developed there throughout the years, with Coach Paterno, and the guys achieving at a high level, academically and athletically, has stuck with me.”

Nitpicking

• Nick Singleton’s absence from practice on Wednesday, during an open period for media, caused a bit of a stir when James Franklin did not confirm an illness or clarification on the star back’s status for today. Part of that is his inflexible policy for not disclosing injuries publicly unless they are long term or season ending.

• If Singleton isn’t available, look for true freshmen Quinton Martin and/or Corey Smith to back up Kaytron Allen.

• Also on the injury front, linebacker Dom DeLuca (wrist) is expected to return today.

• UCLA starting quarterback Ethan Garbers missed practice time this week, which may open the door for Justyn Martin to make his first start.

• I still cannot believe Penn State did not individually introduce members of the 1994 team that was honored at the end of the first quarter last week. Almost all the big names were there. Penn State needs to re-evaluate how it recognizes its past great teams, since it did the same thing – a group shoutout — last year with the unbeaten 1973 team. It can’t be that difficult to find an appropriate window to better dignify the school’s all-time legends.