All it took was one last-minute kick to boot Penn State out of national-title contention last year.
The Nittany Lions were in shock last November when Iowa kicker Daniel Murray nailed a game-winning 31-yard field goal in Iowa City. And they then ran into a woodchipper when they met Southern California in the Rose Bowl, losing, 38-24, on Jan. 1.
All-Big Ten quarterback Daryll Clark is ready to rid that memory and focus on 2009.
“Being out in the Rose Bowl, period, was a really, really good experience,” he said at the Big Ten media days in August. “Obviously, I wish the outcome was a lot better … it was just frustrating watching that film.”
Clark passed for 2,592 yards and 19 touchdowns last season and threw only six interceptions. That efficiency under center was aided in a big way by one of the best receiving corps in recent conference history.
However, Penn State’s outstanding trio of receivers — Jordan Norwood, Derrick Williams, and Deon Butler — have all departed after productive senior seasons, leaving a huge hole in the offense.
The receiver position was not the only position on Penn State’s roster that was virtually wiped out by graduation. Of their 10 returning starters, only four play defense.
The defensive line should be solid, despite the losses of defensive ends Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans to the NFL. Senior Jared Odrick is a potential All-American at defensive tackle.
Penn State’s reputation as “Linebacker U” is as strong as ever with the return of junior All-Big Ten selection Navarro Bowman and senior Josh Hull and the re-emergence of Sean Lee.
Lee sat out the 2008 season with an ACL tear after finishing 2007 with the second most tackles in the Big Ten and is returning to his middle linebacker spot.
“Navorro [Bowman] is an All-American, and he’s an unbelievable player,” Lee said at Big Ten media day. “I think we’re going to play really well together.”
Clark headlines a small, but talented returning class of starters on offense from last year’s Big Ten championship squad.
Stefan Wisniewski is back for his junior year and will be counted on to lead the offensive line after losing three first team all-Big Ten performers from that unit in 2008.
The X-factor for the Nittany Lions this season might be junior running back Evan Royster. A second team All-Big Ten pick a year ago, Royster is now the conference’s elite back, and he will be counted on to relieve pressure from Clark and the rest of the retooled offense. Stephfon Green is also back after proving to be one of conference’s most capable backups last year as a freshman.
Despite losing over half its starters from a year ago, Penn State should seriously challenge for the Big Ten title once again in 2009 due to a soft schedule.
Iowa and Ohio State both have to visit Happy Valley this year, and the Nittany Lions should cruise through a weak nonconference schedule. If they can win at Michigan State on Nov. 21 to close out the regular season, Penn State could be in position for another BCS bowl invitation.