CFI: THIS DATE IN HISTORY

Nov. 27, 1982: Penn State advances to a national championship showdown with Georgia in the Sugar Bowl by topping Pittsburgh 19-10 to advance to 10-1. The Nittany Lions utilize the home field advantage and the passing of standout QB (and now ESPN broadcaster) Todd Blackledge (149 yards in frigid conditions) to topple the Panthers and QB Dan Marino for the second year in succession.

CFI: THIS DATE IN HISTORY

Nov. 19, 1966: Penn State keeps its streak alive of 28 seasons with a record of .500 or better with a 48-24 triumph at Pittsburgh. The Nittany Lions use the rushing of wingback Bobby Campbell (14 carries for 137 yards and two TDs) as well as one touchdown reception to finish the year at 5-5.

CFI: PSU TRAVELS EAST TO PHILLY

BY PAUL ASPAN
PENN ST. INSIDER

Penn State travels to Philadelphia this weekend to play Temple in a game it should win easily. The Lions are a big favorite against an Owls team coached by Al Golden, who played under Joe Paterno.

Nothing is out of the question – just ask Appalachian State – and Temple was a blown call away from beating #16 Connecticut. But Saturday’s noon matchup at Lincoln Financial Field will be a tall order for the Owls to say the least. Penn State’s defense got back on track last week, holding Purdue to just four field goals. The Owls average less than 100 yards per game and have given up 25 sacks on the year. Despite struggles against Ohio State and Indiana, the Nittany Lions still boast a top 15 defense and lead the nation in sacks, averaging four per game. Furthermore, Penn State will line up against Temple’s back-up quarterback, Vaughn Charlton, the less mobile alternative to injured starter Adam DiMichele.

On the other side of the ball, the Lions go against an Owls defense that gives up almost 30 points per game. Look for redshirt freshman Evan Royster to build on to last week’s 126-yard performance as Temple gives up almost 175 yards per game on the ground.

This is an “away” game in name only for the Lions. Philadelphia is home to an abundance of PSU fans and the fan turnout is likely to be something like three to one in Penn State’s favor. As long as the Lions don’t completely look past the Owls, Penn State won’t have much trouble with Temple.

Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

CFI: 'CATS BOUNCIN’ BACK

BY PAUL ASPAN
PENN ST. INSIDER

Penn State (6-3, 3-3) looks for its defense to reassert itself this weekend when it hosts Big Ten opponent Purdue (7-2, 3-2). The Lions showcased a top ten defense for the first seven games of the season, but the last two weeks have been a different story. PSU’s defense has given up 63 points and 839 yards in its last two games. They’ve been a bit banged up – losing defensive end Jerome Hayes (knee), defensive tackle Jared Odrick (ankle) and safety Tony Davis (appendectomy) - but they didn’t even force a punt against Ohio State last week.

The Lions were equally bad against the run and the pass against the Buckeyes, but the secondary has been a real question mark lately. They’ve given up 571 yards in the air the last two weeks. Losing Davis hurt, and defensive backs Justin King and Lydell Sargeant have struggled. Indiana’s Jeff Hardy (142 yd, 2 TD) had a monster day against the Penn State secondary. And after the Lions went up 7-3 against OSU, they allowed a 60-yard pass from Todd Boeckman to Ray Small, which led to Ohio State retaking the lead. It’s not going to get any easier for the secondary this week as they’ll go up against the Big Ten’s leading receiver Dorien Bryant.

Bryant is part of a Boilermaker offense that passes the ball almost 45 times and averages 285 yards per game through the air. King and company could use some help from the Penn State pass rush to throw off Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter. Led by Maurice Evans, the Lions are second in the nation with four sacks per game, but got to Boeckman only once last week.

These two teams are similar in that they have decent records, but neither one has a marquee win. The Lions have a chance to close out the home portion of its schedule strong after a poor showing against top ranked Ohio State a week ago. Senior Linebacker Dan Connor will headline the senior day atmosphere as he enters the game just four tackles short of the school record of 372 set last year by Paul Posluszny.

No. 1 Buckeyes roll over No. 24 Penn St., 37-17

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Maybe now No. 1 Ohio State will get the respect it's looking for.

Todd Boeckman threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns and Chris Wells ran for 133 yards, leading the Buckeyes to another easy victory, 37-17 over No. 24 Penn State on Saturday night.

The Buckeyes' vaunted defense didn't play up to its typical stingy standards, but it didn't need to be at its best with Boeckman on a roll and Ohio State's massive offensive line dominating.

``We couldn't stop them,'' Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. ``That was a good football team and they played really well.''

Several Buckeyes (9-0, 5-0, Big Ten) earlier this week complained they weren't getting enough respect despite their No. 1 ranking in the polls and Bowl Championship Series standings. Penn State (6-3, 3-3) was only the second ranked team Ohio State has faced. While the competition has been so-so, the Buckeyes have been blowing out their opponents.

This was Ohio State's toughest test yet, a night game one of the loudest venues in the country. A crowd of 110,134, the second-largest in Beaver Stadium history, started out loud but was quieted quickly and the Buckeyes went on to their seventh double-digit victory.

Ohio State has won 19 straight Big Ten games, tying the mark set by Michigan in 1990-92. The Buckeyes' last Big Ten loss came Oct. 8, 2005, 17-10 at Penn State.

This time, they left Happy Valley in a very good mood.

``They were one step ahead of us all night,'' Paterno said.

Boeckman, a first-year starter, silenced the Nittany Lions' rowdy white-clad student section early with two long first-half touchdown drives. He finished 19-of-26 passing with one interception.

Wells softened the defense by getting Ohio State into short-yardage situations on second or third downs.

Penn State's experienced secondary got burned for long gains by Boeckman.

The Nittany Lions, seventh in the nation in total defense coming in, had breakdowns on numerous third-down plays. Ohio State was 7-of-8 alone in the first half on third-down conversions and gained 453 yards in total offense.

The Buckeyes scored on five of their first seven possessions, each of their scoring drives starting at no better than their own 22.

A 15-play, 91-yard drive that ate up 6:26 of clock in the first half exemplified the Buckeyes' success.

After three straight runs by Wells of at least 6 yards, Boeckman rolled right from the Penn State 31 and threw a perfect pass through coverage to Brian Robiskie for a 19-yard gain.

Three plays later, a holding call negated Wells' touchdown from the 4 and pushed the Buckeyes back to a third-and-14 from the 16.

No matter.

With Penn State playing back in a zone, Boeckman hit Brian Hartline for a short pass left. Left tackle Alex Boone threw an open-field block on cornerback Lydell Sargeant, and Hartline eluded safety Anthony Scirrotto's tackle to get into the end zone for a 17-7 lead.

A 13-play, 87-yard drive in the third quarter proved to be decisive.

Penn State stopped Wells for a 1-yard gain on third-and-2, ending a streak of seven consecutive third-down conversions. Boeckman converted on a quarterback sneak to give Ohio State a first-and-10 from the Penn State 23.

Three plays later, Boeckman hit tight end Jake Ballard in the end zone - on third down, of course - for a 21-yard touchdown to put the Buckeyes ahead 24-7.

Buckeyes cornerback Malcolm Jenkins intercepted a wobbly pass by quarterback Anthony Morelli and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 34-10 with 9:36 left in the game, sending sad Nittany Lions fans to the exits early.

SOURCE: NCAAFOOTBALL.COM; PHOTO CREDIT: COLLEGIATE IMAGES

Linebacker class in session when No. 1 Ohio State visits No. 24 Penn State

By GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - High school linebackers aspiring to play at the next level might want to watch top-ranked Ohio State and No. 24 Penn State play Saturday night.

Two of college football's best middle linebackers, the Buckeyes' James Laurinaitis and the Nittany Lions' Dan Connor, figure to put on a clinic in leading two of the nation's best defenses.

Even Penn State coach Joe Paterno is getting caught up in the hype.

``You will probably see four or five of the best linebackers in the country at the same time,'' Paterno said. ``I don't mean at the same time ... They will be there at one time or another.''

High praise from a man who has coached the likes of Paul Posluszny, Shane Conlan and Jack Ham at Penn State (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten).

Both Laurinaitis and Connor have stellar supporting casts.

Standout junior Sean Lee is waiting in the wings to become Happy Valley's next linebacking headliner. With a team-leading 79 tackles, Lee has played just as well as Connor, while Tyrell Sales, Josh Hull and redshirt freshman Navarro Bowman have been solid in sharing time at the other outside position.

For Ohio State (8-0, 4-0), Marcus Freeman and Larry Grant have been pretty good starting outside for a defense that has allowed just four touchdowns all year. Freeman, a senior, is second on the squad with 6 1/2 tackles for a loss.

They may all be overshadowed by the mighty matchup of middle linebackers. Laurinaitis and Connor are both semifinalists for the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's top linebacker.

Watching Connor on film reminds Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel of his own star.

``In their defense, philosophically, that's the guy that can go sideline to sideline,'' Tressel said. ``Connor's a great linebacker, like Laurinaitis.''

They've followed somewhat similar paths into the spotlight.

Both saw extensive action as freshmen and spent part of their careers playing next to All-Americans: Connor learned from Posluszny, and Laurinaitis overlapped for a season with standout A.J. Hawk.

Laurinaitis took over at middle linebacker as a sophomore and won the Nagurski Award as the nation's best defensive player. Connor moved to the middle this season after spending most of his collegiate career outside, where last season he was named a second-team All-American.

Both are team captains, considered ``lead-by-example'' guys rather than vocal leaders.

Their resumes include interesting morsels of off-the-field information that stand out to those unfamiliar with their careers.

Laurinaitis grew up in a household that featured a professional wrestler idolized by many of his grade-school buddies. His father, Joe, donned tights and face paint in assuming the persona of Animal as part of the tag team called the Road Warriors, or Legion of Doom.

Connor's tidbit traces back to a stint in Paterno's infamous doghouse in 2005, after the linebacker allegedly made prank phone calls to an unsuspecting retired assistant coach close to JoePa. Connor sat out the first three games before starting the last seven games that season, and Paterno has said Connor has been a model citizen ever since.

Connor is a big reason why the Nittany Lions are second-best in the Big Ten in scoring defense (15 points per game) and rush defense (79.8 yards). Only the Laurinaitis-led Buckeyes are better in conference, leading the nation in scoring (7.9 points) and second against the rush (62.4 yards).

``You'd better get Connor blocked if you want to move the chains,'' Tressel said.

It sounds a lot like how Paterno feels about Laurinaitis and his ability to range sideline-to-sideline to make plays.

``He is a fine football player,'' Paterno said. ``He is very smart, very alert, a very aggressive football player and loves to play and can change directions and do all the things that you like to see in a linebacker.''

If Laurinaitis keeps this up, NFL scouts may be eager to see the junior leave school a year early to join Connor, a senior, in next year's draft.

Connor doesn't view this weekend's game as a competition with his Ohio State counterpart to be the best linebacker or the higher draft pick.

``It's more neat to see a guy like him play,'' he said. ``It's more of a neat experience, of watching good linebacker play.''

SOURCE: NCAAFOOTBALL; PHOTO CREDIT: COLLEGIATE IMAGES

Big-game hype descends on Happy Valley as PSU preps for No. 1 OSU

By GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Justin King has had a little extra spring in his step this week in practice.

Top-ranked Ohio State is coming to Happy Valley.

``Obviously, everyone says you have to remain the same, that it's just another team,'' the Penn State cornerback said Tuesday. ``But of course, we'll approach it with more intensity, and be ready to play. You only get the No. 1 team so many times.''

King was a 2-year-old the only other time a No. 1 team came to Beaver Stadium, when Notre Dame defeated Penn State, 34-23 on Nov. 18, 1989.

Fans of No. 24 Penn State (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) are eager to see a different outcome Saturday night.

``Beat Ohio State'' T-shirts have popped up in storefronts. Students anxious for good seats have already set up camp at ``Paternoville,'' the tent city that sprouts up outside Beaver Stadium the week of big games.

Some players are remarking that even 80-year-old coach Joe Paterno has been a little more animated than usual getting ready for Ohio State (8-0, 4-0).

``If you can't get excited about that, then I think maybe you get out of it,'' said Paterno, in his 42nd season as head coach. ``It's a big game for where we're going to go with this football team.''

A win over the Buckeyes and Penn State will likely rocket up the polls and strengthen their credentials for a New Year's Day bowl.

But it's going to be far from easy.

Ohio State boasts the nation's stingiest defense (7.8 points and 208.5 yards per game) and is second against the run (62.3 yards) and pass (146.1 yards).

It has been more than enough support for the offense (34.2 points), which got a career-high 221 yards from tailback Chris Wells in last week's 24-17 win over Michigan State.

No wonder Ohio State has won a school-record 26 straight regular-season games.

Their last defeat? A 17-10 loss to Penn State on Oct. 8, 2005 - the last time the Buckeyes came to Beaver Stadium.

``Anytime you lose to a team, you want to redeem yourself. Penn State and Ohio State the last couple years have developed a little bit of a rivalry,'' Buckeyes cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. ``This year, there's going to be a lot of hype around the game. It's going to be a very intense environment.''

Complicating matters this time around for Paterno is a growing injury list. Starting fullback Matt Hahn, a solid all-around senior, suffered a season-ending right knee injury last week in the 36-31 win over Indiana and may prove difficult to replace.

Guard Mike Lucian, who has started five games this year, will likely sit out a second straight game after suffering a concussion, Paterno said.

Also, tailback Austin Scott remains suspended after being charged earlier this month with the rape of a fellow student at his on-campus apartment.

On defense, starting defensive tackle Jared Odrick is out for the year after breaking his right ankle during the Indiana game. That injury came a week after backup defensive end Jerome Hayes suffered a season-ending injury to his right knee.

The Nittany Lions, who have an emerging star in defensive end Maurice Evans (10 1/2 sacks), should have the line depth to withstand those setbacks.

``It has been a tough year for us physically, plus a couple of distractions,'' Paterno said.

The solid defense wants to get back to its stingy ways after giving up 31 points to the Hoosiers.

``That was tough to swallow. It wasn't one of our best wins,'' linebacker Dan Connor said. ``But it was a win and gives us a chance to see where we need to improve on in different aspects of the game.''

With big-game hype having already descended on Happy Valley, Paterno will try to keep his team as grounded as possible in practice as they prepare for what is expected to be a raucous atmosphere Saturday night.

``You try to practice the same way, get in a routine,'' said Paterno, whose 369 career wins are just one behind Florida State's Bobby Bowden for most victories among major college coaches.

``It's not really a big deal. I think it is for the fans,'' Paterno said about the evening start, drawing chuckles. ``They tailgate a little longer.''

Source: ncaafootball; Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

CFI: THE HAPPY VALLEY REPORT: "CAN WE TALK ABOUT WISCONSIN?"

BY PAUL ASPAN
PENN ST. INSIDER

Following Penn State’s solid 24-7 win over Iowa, the Nittany Lions were poised to shift their focus to Saturday’s showdown with No. 19 Wisconsin. However, at Coach Joe Paterno’s Tuesday press conference, the upcoming game took a back seat to allegations that Penn State players were involved in a fight over the weekend. After a handful of questions about the alleged fight, Paterno wanted to shift the focus back to the play on the field.

“Can we talk about Wisconsin?” asked the agitated coach.

Apparently, Paterno was agitated a couple days before the press conference as well. Reports of an alleged road rage incident involving the Lions’ head coach may further take away from the focus on the upcoming game.

The swirling allegations could not come at a worse time for Penn State. The next three weeks – Wisconsin, at Indiana, and No. 3 Ohio State - are critical to the Lions’ season. Win out and PSU puts itself in back in contention for a big time bowl game. A loss all but assures the Nittany Lions a place in the middle of a weak Big Ten pack.

If Penn State can put the off-the-field issues in the background, they can build off a solid performance against Iowa. The defense held the Hawkeyes to just eight first downs and 194 yards. Not to be outdone, the offense put together 489 yards of balanced offense. Between the off-field issues and a strong performance last week, Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli (233 yards, TD) is temporarily off the hot seat. It also helped that red-shirt senior Rodney Kinlaw ran for a career-high 168 yards and two touchdowns in place of suspended running back Austin Scott.

So, “let’s talk about Wisconsin.”

Kinlaw will get the call again this week, as Scott remains suspended for violating an unspecified team rule. Kinlaw will be up against a Wisconsin defense that has struggled against the run, yielding more than 150 yards per game. The Badgers are equal opportunity offenders as they haven’t been good against the pass either, giving up 216 yards per game in the air.

On the other side of the ball, the Lions defense will face a reeling Wisconsin offense. Badgers’ receiver Luke Swan is out for the season with a career threatening hamstring injury. Running back P.J. Hill (125 ypg, 10 TD) is also banged up, suffering a groin injury during last week’s 31-26 loss to Illinois. That leaves a tall order for Wisconsin going up against the nation’s fifth best defense. Depending on Hill’s status, the Badgers will have to rely heavily on quarterback Tyler Donovan who threw for 392 yards and two touchdowns against the Illini.

It’s homecoming weekend in Happy Valley, and Penn State is 35-6 on homecoming under Paterno. However, Wisconsin is PSU’s first ranked opponent and the Badgers have won five of seven against the Lions and two of their last three at Penn State. Which is tougher to overcome: negative off-the-field allegations or injuries? If the Lions can focus on the play between the lines, they should have enough of an advantage to edge the banged-up Badgers.

PENN STATE FUMBLES ONE AWAY

BY PAUL ASPAN
PENN ST. INSIDER

I was all ready to rip into Anthony Morelli and Austin Scott for their play during Penn State’s loss to Michigan, when I saw a clip of Oklahoma State Coach Mike Gundy’s press conference. Gundy lashed out at a reporter for a story she wrote criticizing Cowboy’s quarterback Bobby Reid for not being tough enough. For a second it made me step back and if nothing else – think twice about the nature of covering college athletes. On the one hand, no they’re not getting paid, they have to balance class and practice, a lot of them are good kids, and the nature of the criticism they endure might not always be fair. On the other hand, they embrace the media spotlight when they perform well, they get preferential treatment, and let’s face it, it’s kind of tough to feel sorry for guys that have girls throwing themselves at them on a nightly basis. They don’t even have to be good. I watched it at Syracuse for the last four years.

On to the Penn State loss to Michigan….

Anthony Morelli didn’t exactly instill confidence in the Penn State faithful before the Michigan game, but afterwards, let’s just say I don’t think he received a hero’s welcome on his return to Happy Valley. The Nittany Lion quarterback was 15/31 for 169 yards, no touchdowns and a huge fumble on the day. The key for the Wolverines coming in was to jump on Penn State early, as the Lions offense has struggled to get going in its last few games. The Maize and Blue parlayed Morelli’s first quarter fumble into an early touchdown and the Lions had to play catch-up the rest of the way. This allowed Michigan to grind it out with their All-American tailback Mike Hart.

It was a battle on the ground between the Lion’s nation-best rushing defense and the third best rusher in the nation. Often it seemed like it was All American PSU linebacker Dan Connor vs. Hart – as the two met repeatedly. In fact, Paul Maguire wouldn’t shut up about it. Especially with freshman quarterback Ryan Mallet under center, Hart was going to get his carries – 44 of them to be exact – so he was going to get his yards – 153, and eventually a one yard TD run. Ironically enough, it was a heads-up Mallet run that put Michigan on the board first.

Coming into the game – especially after that early Michigan score – if you had told me the Wolverines were only going to score 14 points, I absolutely would have picked Penn State. There is no question that the Penn State defense played well enough to win. To be perfectly honest with you, I expected something like 17-14 or 21-14 PSU.

Morelli didn’t play well, but he didn’t get much help from his running backs either. Scott chose an awful time for his fourth fumble in the last three games – this one at the Michigan nine-yard line in the third quarter. The Lions got the ball back at the Wolverine 35-yard line a few plays later, after a Mallet fumble, but they had to settle for a field goal to cut the lead to 7-6. Scott finished with 35 yards on nine carries, and backfield mate Rodney Kinlaw ran for 69 yards on 12 carries. Kinlaw, Morelli, and Scott are all seniors, but the latter two have not been the leaders on offense that one might expect. Scott’s inability to hold on to the ball speaks for itself, and do you think Penn State fans had any hope with Morelli under center for that last drive – not even drive, last series – for the Lions? He didn’t even give them a chance to get excited as he threw the ball away on the first two plays, and almost threw interceptions on the final two.

Penn State’s national title hopes (yea, yea they were a bit overrated) are gone, but they still have the chance to have a very good season. With upcoming match-ups against Illinois and Iowa in the next few weeks, the Lions defense should be able to carry them to a couple wins. But, they’re going to lose AT LEAST one more game if they don’t change something with the offense. It’s time to give Kinlaw the full workload, and for the Lions to see if there is a better option at quarterback.

Defense wins championships, but they need to have a lead.

Penn State Keeps Fillin’ Up on Cupcakes

BY PAUL ASPAN
PENN ST. INSIDER

Penn State continued to roll through its weak non-conference conference schedule with a 45-24 win over Buffalo in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions have beaten Florida International, a terrible Notre Dame team, and Buffalo in the first three weeks of the season. PSU has won all three games by double digits, but it hasn’t exactly dominated the last two weeks. The Nittany Lion offense sputtered until the waning minutes of the first half against Buffalo and the Irish stayed with Penn State until the last few minutes of the third quarter despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. The Lions haven’t been tested, and the #10 team in the country still has plenty of work to do as it gets into the Big Ten portion of its schedule.

The strongest part of Penn State’s squad has, not surprisingly, been the defense. Ranked eighth in total defense, the Lions’ D has allowed only four touchdowns all season and has held opponents to 217 yards per game. On top of that, PSU has the best rush defense in the country – holding opponents to 17.7 yards per game on the ground. They are also tied for the national lead in sacks with Indiana (5.67/game). Next week, Penn State finally leaves Happy Valley and the top rush defense in the country will face a real test when they go against the Big Ten’s best rusher, Mike Hart, (167 ypg) and Michigan at the Big House.

The Lions’ D is going keep them in every game, but the less than stellar offense could do them in against some real competition. After the Buffalo W, Coach Joe Paterno called running back Austin Scott and backup Rodney Kinlaw both number one caliber backs, but Scott especially has looked shaky the last two weeks. He fumbled once against Notre Dame and against Buffalo, he coughed the ball up twice before he was replaced by Kinlaw. To Kinlaw’s credit, the senior backup made the most of his opportunity and rushed for 129 yards and a TD.

Quarterback Andrew Morelli finally got it going towards the end of the first half and finished 20-27 for 202 yards and four touchdowns – a career high. Morelli has been a bit of a question mark among the Penn State faithful, but may have a new favorite target in tight end Andrew Quarless. It was the sophomore’s first game after serving a two game suspension for underage drinking and he caught two of Morelli’s four scoring throws. Quarless was originally slotted to start, but dropped on the depth chart after the legal run-in. If these two mesh, it could be the key to ending some of the offense’s struggles.

In the Philly Inquirer post game story, offensive coordinator Galen Hall said: “We still have a lot of improvement to do. We're not [ready] in any shape or form."

Next week’s match-up with Michigan in Ann Arbor may be a bit of a wake-up call for the Lions. The Wolverines may not as good as they were supposed to be, but for an untested Penn State team, it’s definitely not a guaranteed W. The Lions should win this game, but if they come out flat the way they did against Buffalo, they’re gonna be in a battle until the end.

One thing is for sure - the defense will have no room for error. I’m not so sure that Penn State is as good as their #10 ranking suggests, but they can help make their case with a strong showing at Michigan.

THE CFI TOP 25 COUNTDOWN: #23 PENN ST. NITTANY LIONS

BY DANIEL MOGOLLON
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDERS CO-FOUNDER


2006 RECORD: 9-4; BIG TEN: 5-3
Won Outback Bowl vs. Tennessee 20-10
LOCATION: State College, Pennsylvania
STADIUM: Beaver Stadium (107,282)
HEAD COACH: Joe Paterno
OVERALL: 363-181-3 (41 seasons)
AT PENN ST.: 363-181-3 (41 seasons)

The Nittany Lions roster is stocked with four and five star recruits, including quarterback Anthony Morelli, wide receiver Derrick Williams, linebacker Dan Connor as well as corners Justin King and A.J. Wallace, a quartet of five-star prospects. The question is can they put it together the way their veteran squad did two seasons ago under the leadership of Michael Robinson. You might say the won nine games last season, so how far do they have to go? A closer examination shows they were just 2-4 against Division 1A teams that finished with winning records.

WHEN THE CATS HAVE THE BALL

OFFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Galen Hall (4th Season)
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 7
KEY LOSSES: Tony Hunt, Levi Brown

The player who must step up more than any other is the signal caller Anthony Morelli who has the physical ability, as well as the weapons on the perimeter to lead an explosive aerial attack. He threw for just 11 TDs and completed a mere 53.9 percent of his passes, numbers he will have to vastly improve upon without increasing his interceptions (eight). At receiver, Derrick Williams has boundless potential, but in two seasons in College Station, he has 62 total receptions for 729 yards and two touchdowns, numbers he could surpass this year if he breaks out. Last season, he trailed both Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood, a duo that maximizes their ability. At tailback, Austin Scott is another highly touted recruit who has yet to put it together. With Scott redshirting the 2006 season with an injury, Tony Hunt flourished, which is what PSU needs the shiftier Scott to do. Everyone must rely on a suspect offensive line, which has to replace top ten pick Levi Brown. How much do they need help in the trenches? JoePa reached out to the Junior College level for the first time in over 20 years to seize not one, but two JC offensive lineman. Keep an eye out for sophomore tight end Andrew Quarless, a threat down the field, which can open things up for his receivers.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Andrew Quarless (SO), 2) Derrick Williams (JR), 3) Anthony Morelli (SR), 4) Austin Scott (SR), 5) A.Q. Shipley (JR), 6) Matt Hahn (SR)

WHEN THE OTHER TEAM HAS THE BALL

DEFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Dick Bumpas (4th Season)
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 6
KEY LOSSES: Paul Posluszny, Tim Shaw, Jay Alford, Ed Johnson

The back seven can rival almost any around the country. They will not even miss two time Bednarik Award winner Paul Posluszny, as the speedy Dan Connor moves over to the MIKE spot. Connor is 6’3”/230 with more speed and upside than Posluszny making him a sure fire first round draft pick in the 2008 Draft. Playing the role of wingman is Sean Lee, yet another linebacker with size and speed. Linebacker U is at full strength. Their corners could be even better with Justin King returning and A.J. Wallace stepping into the starting lineup. King is as good a lockdown cover man as there is, with true sophomore Wallace cut from a similar cloth. Both are playmakers capable of contributing on special teams and each saw playtime on offense in their freshman seasons. The only potential weakness is along the line of scrimmage where they lose two experienced tackles. Sophomore end Maurice Evans has the ability to be an impact player coming off the edge.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Dan Connor (SR), 2) Justin King (JR), 3) A.J. Wallace (SO), 4) Sean Lee (JR), 5) Maurice Evans (SO), 6) Anthony Scirrotto (JR)

THE SCHEDULE

If the Nittany Lions hope to do better than they did last season, they will have to deliver some payback early and often. Week two they play Notre Dame, who beat them up 41-17 last season, two weeks later they travel to Ann Arbor. The last time they beat the Wolverines was back in 1996, as the losing streak is up to eight in a row. They did not lose to Iowa last year, because they did not play, as the Hawkeyes have dropped them in five straight contests. PSU hosts Ohio St. and Wisconsin, two more clubs that defeated them last season, with the Buckeyes having won four of their last five and Wisky three out of four head-to-head.

PIVOTAL POINT

Will that talent pay off in the field? Anthony Morelli, five-star recruit, enters his senior season with 12 career TD passes, after finishing his junior campaign as the ninth rated quarterback in the Big Ten in terms of efficiency. Derrick Williams, five-star recruit, enters his junior season with two touchdown catches in his career, while averaging around 12 yards per reception. Austin Scott, four-star recruit, enters his senior season with 1021 career yards. If PSU is to reach double figures in wins, all three will have to exceed their career numbers this season.

CFI FINAL ANALYSIS

JoePa still knows how to coach and he does well when he has the time to teach, just look at Penn St.’s Bowl record, so if PSU takes off this season after spring ball and fall camp I would not be the least bit surprised. However, until they actually do it on the field they do not deserve a high ranking. The Nittany Lions could do as well as challenge the Wolverines for supremacy or finish up as just a middle of the pack Big Ten team. As much talent as they possess on defense, I am not a Morelli believer and there is no reason a team that has questions on both lines should be ranked any higher.

Check back tomorrow to see who is #22 in CFI’s Top 25 Countdown