2002 Statistics

written by Dave Bagchi

Last season's Nittany Lion offense averaged 34 points and 424 yards per game lead by the three-headed monster of RB Larry Johnson, QB Zack Mills and WR Bryant Johnson. Mills, a junior, is the only returning starter. The only thing stopping him from being a superstar has been his hesitation in the pocket. When Mills is struggling he begins to take deeper drops, trying to do too much if he scrambles. Penn State runs the basic I-formation with two receivers and a tight end for balance. The Lion's offensive breakdown was 50/50 through the first six games before unleashing Larry Johnson - then it became nearly 60/40 run. Expect PSU to return to the more balanced philosophy in 2003. In case Mills falters, sophomore backup Michael Robinson is an impact player. In a limited role he ran for 263 yards and six touchdowns. Penn State likes to bring him in the game in short yardage. Spring ball will be Robinson's chance to prove his arm strength and challenge Mills.

Senior WR Tony Johnson will be the go-to-guy in a solid receiving unit, even without Bryant. Returning senior TE Casey Williams had 24 catches. Williams is a bit small at only 5'11", but plays completely enough to demand a LB permanently be assigned here. Junior Gerald Smith starts after seeing limited 2002 action.

Junior Mike Gasparato (4.9 yards per carry) is a smaller back than Johnson and could struggle in an offense where the running game is built to punish defenses up the middle. 228-pound sophomore Tim Shaw should 'make a run' for the starting nod. One other rumor is that backup QB Michael Robinson could make the switch, but he is not excited about the idea. Whoever gets the nod at tailback will inherit senior FB Sean McHugh. At 260 pounds McHugh is one of the biggest and best blocking fullbacks and was an integral and underrated part of Larry Johnson's special 2002 season.

Penn State loses three offensive linemen from a solid unit. Returning sophomore OG E.Z. Smith is under-sized, so look for the youngster to put on some weight. Counterpart Chris McKelvy is a 326-pounder who should play multiple positions to become an all-conference player. There will be lots of question marks around who will replace the other recently-departed. The mobility of their quarterbacks will make the OL's transition a bit easier. Some candidates include senior Damone Jones, junior Scott Davis, and sophomore center Robert Price. Paterno's school sits in the cradle of big-linemen country, so expect much from Joe's recruits.

WR Tony Johnson

written by Dave Bagchi

It is difficult to speculate on a team's defensive strengths when they lose their top two leading tacklers and the core of an All-American defensive front. One positive is the return of the entire linebacking core. It is a unit that really struggled with their lack of speed. We feel their play should improve. The experienced linebacking corps anchors Penn State's classically famous 4-3 defense. Senior MLB Gino Capone (86 tackles) will be the core. It has been a few years since "Linebacker U" delivered a great talent. None of the three is up to the talents of Arrington or Conlan, but they are all solid tacklers and well disciplined. Keep an eye on LaMar Stewart. Athletically, he is the best of the three.

Junior SS Chris Harrell is the best returning player on the Nittany Lion defense. He anchors an aggressive secondary that intercepted 20 passes and scored three 2002 touchdowns. Other positions look grounded and ready. The free-safety position, though, will be up-in-the-air - senior Shawn Mayer and his team-leading 144 tackles are gone to the NFL. Soph Calvin Lowry will have the top spot, with Cronin/Guman backing him up. Lowry was a starter for the first four games at HERO last season, then suffered a season-ending knee injury. The group will have to improve on allowing 215 yards passing per game. This will be especially tough with the questions along the defensive front. Keeping the play in front of them will be key.

The only player returning upfront will be junior DE John Bronson. Junior DE Jeremiah Davis will join him on the other side. Sophomore fan-favorite Tamba Hali should earn the spot at tackle. The other tackle spot will be a duel between converted DE Lavon Chisley and talented sophomore Levi Brown. This unit will need to gel quickly or the powerful offensive lines in the Big Ten will punish them.

Last season Penn State's defense struggled to stop teams on third-down, allowing a league-worst 47% conversions. With the departure of the players who chalked up almost all of the team's 35 sacks, this number will likely go down. The secondary is relatively young and not disciplined, and the linebackers struggle with their speed. This formula calls for a troublesome 2003 season on the defensive side of the ball. The Nittany Lions need more playmakers - this unit is inexperienced and lacks the headliners. One of two scenarios will play out. One - the defense does play well together to produce solid numbers, a few standouts, and even win a game or two for the revamped offense. Or Two - the team plays poorly with so many new components, and the only salvage is a few standouts who hold their own and expose the weaker links. Both should happen, which means not a dominating season in State College.

LB Gino Capone