Nittany Lions looking to regain their roar

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Michael Robinson doesn't have to think too hard to find a motivation to work hard in practice. All it takes is a look at the results from his sophomore season.
"Every day you wake up, and it's the first thing I think about. I think most of the guys on this team, that's the first thing they think about," Robinson said. "That's a bad taste to have in your mouth, 3-and-9. That's one of the worst records we've had around here, and nobody wants to be a part of that."
Like most of his teammates, Robinson came to Penn State to continue a proud tradition. The Nittany Lions were among the most successful programs in the country. And a down season here or there was certainly an anomaly.
But last year showed the climb back to the national spotlight would be harder than it seemed. The Nittany Lions finished 3-9, their worst record since 1932. Their 1-7 conference mark was Penn State's worst since joining the Big Ten in 1993.
"Last season was very, very frustrating, not just for myself but for everyone on our team," quarterback Zack Mills said before looking ahead to the coming season.
"I think we're kind of looking at this year -- there's so much more excitement around this team, I think, and a belief in ourselves and one another. I think that's because in some ways our backs have been against the wall for some time because of the way we've played. It wasn't anyone else's fault but ourselves. So we've kind of used that as a little bit of extra motivation."
More than motivation
But motivation can only go so far.
Sure, last year's team was young and inexperienced, especially on the offensive and defensive lines. There will be more veterans wearing the blue and white this year.
But many of those veterans have yet to prove they can make big plays when it counts.
One of the few positions where Penn State is solid is quarterback. Going into his senior season, Mills already holds school records for total offense (6,002 yards) and pass completions (451), and he's underrated as a runner, with 11 rushing touchdowns to his credit. Robinson, who started three games last season while Mills was out with a shoulder injury, is a seasoned backup.
But the rest of the skill positions on offense are shaky. Last year, freshmen tailbacks Austin Scott and Tony Hunt were all but pulled from the lineup midseason over concerns about their knowledge of the offense. Both return this year, along with Rodney Kinlaw, but don't be surprised to see Robinson taking a number of snaps at tailback.
The receiving corps is equally thin, with the top five receivers from last year all gone. Gerald Smith is the top returner, with just 15 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown. Robinson, again, is second on the list with 10 catches.
"Until we get some big plays either from the running backs, wideouts, or some place, we are still going to be just another football team on offense," coach Joe Paterno said.
Better defense
Penn State looks a little stronger on defense, with eight starters back. Two of the three open jobs are at linebacker, but even that position looks solid. Paul Posluszny, who emerged late last year as one of the team's most exciting defenders, is likely to win the starting spot he held briefly last year, and Dan Connor could see significant playing time as a freshman.
That's the good news. Of course, the bad news is that these returning players gave up 209 rushing yards per game last year and allowed opponents to convert more than half their fourth-down tries (11-of-18) and more than 40 percent of their third-down tries (81-of-195).