JoePa Worries About O-Line At Penn State Camp

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Making sure star quarterback Daryll Clark stays protected is one of Joe Paterno's top priorities this season at Penn State.

It's no wonder the Hall of Fame coach said that the Nittany Lions' offensive line is his biggest concern less than a week into training camp.

Three solid starters are gone. The two returnees have been moved to new positions, and the candidates for the remaining jobs are inexperienced.

The last thing Paterno wanted to talk about at preseason media day Thursday was depth.

"First you got to get one line. We don't have one line yet. We don't have depth," Paterno said.

Paterno said the next three-plus weeks before the season opener Sept. 5 against Akron will be audition time to find "five guys that can stay healthy, provide some leadership on the offensive line."

Last year's line protected Clark well, giving the run-pass threat a chance to shine in his first season leading Penn State's dangerous "Spread HD" offense. Clark threw for 2,592 yards and 19 touchdowns, and ran for 282 and 10 scores.

This year, Clark is half of Penn State's standout backfield duo, joining tailback Evan Royster (1,236 yards, 12 TDs) as potential dark horse contenders for the Heisman Trophy.

With three new receivers to break in, too, the early focus on offense may be on the running game and play-action schemes.

Playing the role of team captain to a tee, Clark professed confidence in his offensive line.

"I'll go to bat with those guys any time," Clark said. "They are progressing, and I knew right off the bat it wasn't going to be where we wanted it right away. It's the O-line. It takes the longest to jell."

Leadership must come from the returning starters. Junior Stefen Wisniewski has moved from guard to center. Senior Dennis Landolt has shifted from right to left tackle to assume the ultra-important task of protecting the right-handed Clark's blind spot.

No problem, said Landolt, a third-year starter.

Paterno "always puts pressure on us at practice no matter what position you are in, so you can handle it once the games come around," Landolt said. "Yeah, he's going to put pressure on us."

Compared to recent Penn State preseason media days, when talked swirled around contract extensions or off-field issues, Thursday's session focused primarily on football.

There was Paterno, in his trademark khakis, roaming the practice field without the cane that was at his side much of last year. The 82-year-old coach got a new hip in December, and he plans to be back on the sideline this season.

Paterno said Thursday he gets a little tired quicker after having not walked as much he wanted during the offseason. The long, warm afternoons of training camp put coaches and players on their feet for at least two hours.

Otherwise, though, it was trademark Paterno offering colorful remarks as if it were the middle of October.

After being asked what excited him most about the upcoming season, Paterno said, "Nothing excites me yet, I'll be honest with you. We're lousy. ... We got too many things to get accomplished."

"I'm excited to be alive, that's about it," he chimed as laughter filled the room.