PENN STATE Strong start key as Kent visits

The Flashes will be the first MAC team the Lions have played since 2000.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- The last time Penn State played a team from the Mid-American Conference, Zack Mills was still wearing a redshirt, unable to help a team that could have used any help it could get.
The Nittany Lions were humbled Sept. 2, 2000, falling 24-6 to Toledo and on their way to just the second losing season in Joe Paterno's tenure.
This time, Kent State (2-1) is visiting Happy Valley, and Mills is determined to make sure that doesn't happen again.
"I was here when Toledo came in and beat us, so I am aware of what can happen if we don't come out and play well," Mills said. "I think Kent State, they're a pretty good defense. They run very well, and they like to put some pressure on you, see how you're going to respond.
"It's important that we come out, make sure our hot reads are down pat, and come out ready to play because if they come out and jump on us, that's going to give them a lot of confidence, and who knows what could happen after that."
And that, Mills says, is the key -- getting out to a good start.
No good starts
Unfortunately, it's something Penn State (1-2) has been unable to do so far this season.
The Nittany Lions have yet to score in the first quarter, and in losses to Boston College and Nebraska, the Lions have found themselves playing from behind -- something their young offense has yet to do successfully.
"It's something I've been saying -- at least last week, maybe even the week before, probably -- that we need to get off to a good start," Mills said. "Once again, coming out it was three-and-out against Nebraska, and we just can't do that. We can't do that to our own defense.
"We get the ball on our own 20 and we go three-and-out, even if it's a 45-yard punt, they get the ball at, like, on the 40-, 45-yard line. That's pretty good field position."
It was field position that killed Penn State at Nebraska, Paterno said. On 11 possessions, the Nittany Lions started in Cornhusker territory only once and started at their own 40 after a penalty on a kick. The other nine possessions were from Penn State's 23-yard-line or worse.
"When you get that kind of field position, it is really very difficult against a team that is as good of a football team as Nebraska is and a good defensive football team to really sustain anything," Paterno said.
Golden Flashes
Of course, Kent State isn't exactly Nebraska. The Golden Flashes are giving up an average of 31.3 points per game -- 40.1 points against Division I-A opponents.
But the Flashes remember Toledo's win in 2000. And they have another, much more recent source of inspiration: former Kent State golf All-American Ben Curtis, who came from nowhere to win the 2003 British Open.
"It's an unbelievable opportunity to go against them. You just go there and give it your best shot," Kent State coach Dean Pees said of playing at Penn State.
"How good would you be if you didn't give it your best shot? It's like Ben Curtis. How good would he be if he didn't play the best? If Curtis didn't play the British Open, he'd never know, but he beat Tiger Woods. Maybe it's because Tiger didn't play his best, but on that day he was better, and that's how we need to approach this game."