 |  |
 |
|
Updated: August 18, 5:44 PM ET Penn State offense revolves around Mills By Herb Gould Special to ESPN.com |
||||||||||
|
Penn State Nittany Lions
|
| 
Coach: Joe Paterno (336-100-3, 38th season) 2002 overall record: 9-4 Conference record: 5-3 Returning starters Offense: 5, Defense: 6, Kicker/Punter: 1 2002 statistical leaders (* - returners) Rushing: Larry Johnson (2,087 yds) Passing: Zack Mills* (2,417 yds) Receiving: Bryant Johnson (917 yds) Tackles: Shawn Mayer (144) Sacks: Michael Haynes (15) Interceptions: Shawn Mayer and Bryan Scott (4 each) Outlook: The questions about Joe Paterno, which sprung up during the back-to-back losing seasons of 2000 and 2001, are gone. With a break here or there, Penn State -- which lost two regular-season games in overtime, another at Ohio State 13-7 and before a 13-9 bowl game loss to Auburn -- might have accomplished even more last fall. The question this year is whether the Nittany Lions, who had six players drafted in the first two rounds of last spring's NFL draft, can rebuild on the fly, or whether they might take a step back. Agile Zack Mills is back at quarterback, and Penn State will need to rely on him more with running back Larry Johnson and wideout Bryant Johnson gone. Senior wideout Tony Johnson figures to become Mills' top target. The running back job could be shared -- at the start of the season, at least -- by junior Mike Gasparato and a host of others, including some promising youngsters. Defense is more problematic, particularly on the line, where stalwarts Jimmy Kennedy, Michael Haynes and Anthony Adams will be playing on Sundays this fall. Linebackers Derek Wake and Gino Capone will try to help the new linemen shorten their learning curve. Keep an eye on: Zack Mills. He's mobile, savvy and talented enough to carry an extra load this year. But the Nittany Lions can't afford the mid-to-late-season slump Mills went through last fall, even if it was injury-related. Key game: At Purdue on Oct. 11. The Boilermakers appear to be underrated, and they're experienced enough to be a handful, especially for a Penn State team coming off an important Oct. 4 meeting with Wisconsin. It's a good year if. . .: The Nittany Lions improve on last year's 5-3 Big Ten record. If they do that despite their inexperience, they'll have done well in what's likely to be a tough Big Ten. Herb Gould covers the Big Ten for the Chicago Sun-Times.
| ||||||||
