While it certainly looks like Joe Paterno and his offensive coaches lost their nerve against Michigan -- believing it was too risky to open things up and spread out Wolverine’s defense -- a look at the numbers since Anthony Morelli has been the starting quarterback seems to indicate that their hesitancy may be well founded.

In nine career starts versus Big Ten opponents, Morelli has directed the Lions to just 11 offensive touchdowns. And in the last six conference outings dating back to the Michigan game in 2006, the total drops to four TDs. And if you are talking about touchdown throws, Morelli has just two in the last half-dozen Big Ten games, heading into the clash at Illinois.

Since the senior’s first Big Ten start a year ago, PSU has settled for 15 field goals from kicker Kevin Kelly. That means that the offense is averaging about 13 points per league contest when Morelli is at the helm. If that seems low, that’s because it is very low.

Granted, a lack of offensive production isn’t solely the fault of the quarterback, but it certainly contributes to the growing notion that the Penn State offense is not getting the job done – for whatever reasons – while Morelli is in there. And there is no guarantee that things would improve if backups Daryll Clark or Pat Devlin were thrown into the mix instead.

These numbers show why the coaching staff appears to be so afraid to attempt anything remotely risky against decent opponents, like throwing the ball downfield to one of the deepest receiving corps in the country. – NEIL GEOGHEGAN.

Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli is taking the bulk of the heat for Saturday’s underwhelming 14-9 loss at Michigan. Nobody is arguing that the senior played well, but does anybody else think it's appropriate to put more of the blame on the offensive scheme he was asked to direct?

Just a cursory glance at the Wolverines’ first two games against Appalachian State and Oregon is all the evidence you need that Michigan can’t handle offenses that spread the field. Mobile quarterbacks are also a big problem. They have had this trouble on defense for many years.

Morelli isn’t very mobile, and never will be. But PSU does have a whole bunch of quality receivers and Morelli has a strong arm. And the Nittany Lions have used four and five wideout sets at various times this season. So why didn’t head coach Joe Paterno and his staff get a little creative?

Instead, Penn State stuck with its conventional attack, was very conservative in play calling and never really spread out the defense. That is playing straight into Michigan’s strength. It was the style of game the Wolverines would love to play every Saturday.

“I thought it was a great football game and a game that I loved,” said Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr.

Penn State has dropped nine in a row to the Wolverines trying to line up and play smash mouth, low risk football. How many more losses in the series before someone in the Lasch Football Building figures out that that style is not getting it done? – NEIL GEOGHEGAN.

Nittany Nation, junior safety Anthony Scirrotto and sophomore defensive tackle Chris Baker received some good news on the eve of the conference opener Thursday. A Centre County judge granted a delay in the case against the two Penn State players after lawyers for both sides agreed that more time was needed to review evidence.

Scirrotto and Baker each face a felony and related charges in connection with a brawl at an off-campus apartment last spring. The trial was originally scheduled for early October.

With the court date now pushed back to December, the chance for a mid-season distraction, with potential suspensions from head coach Joe Paterno, is now very remote. Unless there is some sort of pre-trial plea agreement, the matter will be resolved after the regular season.

Now, a post-season bowl game is, essentially, the only contest that could be affected. Some believe the delay is also another indication that the case against the PSU players is not particularly strong. In late August, the same judge dismissed most of the charges against Scirrotto and Baker. Saying he is waiting for the legal system to run its course, Paterno has yet to suspend either player. -- NEIL GEOGHEGAN.

The anxiety that always seems to heighten just prior to playing Michigan is in full bloom with Penn State fans. And what happened to the Nittany Lions’ defense in the fourth quarter against Buffalo didn’t help matters.

Ranked 118th out of 119 major college teams heading into the season by Sports Illustrated, the Bulls scored three touchdowns in the final 12 minutes on Saturday to toss another kernel of doubt into the mix. The first two scores came against PSU’s No. 1 defense, a unit that had not surrendered a TD in the preceding 11 quarters of the 2007 season.

The last time a Penn State defense surrendered three touchdowns in a single quarter, the opponent was Boston College and the year was 2003. It was the second game of the infamous season in which the Lions finished 3-9.

That certainly isn’t a comparison anybody in Happy Valley wants to make, especially a week before a trip to Ann Arbor. But I don’t believe what happened at the end of the Buffalo game is necessarily a bad sign.

Keep in mind that this was a game sandwiched between Notre Dame and Michigan. And don’t forget that when the final quarter started, PSU comfortably ahead 31-3. Sure, the defensive unit suffered a late letdown, but it was understandable under the circumstances.

The feeling here is that with an important conference game on the line in the fourth quarter, the Lions will be much more focused, determined and effective.
-- NEIL GEOGHEGAN

Wanna know why Penn State is so tough to play in Happy Valley these days? There are lots of reasons the Nittany Lions have won 16 of the last 17 games played at Beaver Stadium, of course, like a slew of playmakers at the skilled positions, dynamic linebackers, solid coaching and a steady stream of 100,000-plus fans that are loud and passionate.

But here’s an important name you may not be familiar with: Guido D’Elia. Hired by Penn State in 2004, his official title is director of communications and branding for Penn State football. He is the guy who is chiefly responsible for orchestrating what has become one of the wildest, most intimidating atmospheres in all of college athletics.

During games, the 60-year-old is in the press box, manipulating the crowd through an array of scripted moments designed to stoke the crowd and intimidate the opposition. When you hear AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Blur or Metallica blaring through the speakers following a big play, you didn’t think Joe Paterno had anything to do with it, did you?

For the second home game of his tenure, D’Elia came up with the first ‘White Out’ at Beaver Stadium in Sept. of 2004. Not all of the students wore the same color, as a sign of solidarity, but the seed was planted and the Lions topped Central Florida, 37-13.

The following season, he took it all to another level when Ohio State came to town. The Buckeyes were greeted by a 22,000 crazed students all dressed in white. ESPN’s Kirk Herbsteit said it was the best student section in the nation, and PSU prevailed, 17-10, en route to the Big Ten title. Soon thereafter, Sports Illustrated declared Penn State the “Greatest Show in College Football.”

Last week against Notre Dame, D’Elia unveiled an ‘All-Out, White Out.’ The result was an incredible white sea of 110,000, and a 31-10 victory. Sports Illustrated published a full-color gatefold photo of the stadium in this week’s edition.

The impression – to recruits attending the game as well as fan all across the nation – is powerful. Thanks to D’Elia, Penn State is reaping the rewards of the kind of positive publicity you simply cannot buy.
– NEIL GEOGHEGAN.

JoePa and his players are conditioned not to look ahead, but that doesn’t mean we can’t. Through two games, Penn State’s position in the race for the Big Ten title continues to improve.

The unbeaten Nittany Lions went into the season with one difficult game away from Beaver Stadium on the schedule. But now that Michigan is 0-2 and in complete disarray, the Sept. 22 clash with the Wolverines doesn’t look so insurmountable anymore. In addition, Penn State is getting Michigan at an opportune time -- in the conference opener. The Wolverines don’t have much time between now and then to get it together.

And don't forget that all of the other legitimate contenders appear to have much more difficult road challenges: Ohio State has to play at PSU and Michigan; Wisconsin is at PSU and OSU; Iowa is at PSU and Wisconsin; and Michigan plays at Wisconsin and Michigan State in a heated rivalry clash.

It’s not inconceivable that the Lions will be able to run the table at home (like they did in 2005). We all know that Happy Valley has become one of the toughest places to play, with the craziest student section anywhere. If that happens, this squad may be able to weather one road loss and still capture at least a share of the crown. – NEIL GEOGHEGAN

If you want proof that Penn State fans dislike the Michigan Wolverines more than any other conference foe, all you had to do was listen to how loud and enthusiastic they were last Saturday as they watched Appalachian State’s big upset on televisions scattered around the concourse at Beaver Stadium following the win over Florida International.

With the possible exception of Spartan Stadium and Ohio Stadium, it’s hard to imagine any other place getting so excited to see the Wolvies being embarrassed. Although if the truth is told, lots of college towns got a chuckle at U-M’s expense last weekend because it is the team everybody loves to hate. There probably isn’t a more arrogant program or fan base in the country.

I believe the loss will have an impact on the Big Ten race. If a Div. I-AA team can get a win at Michigan Stadium, it has to provide hope for everybody else. The feeling here is that the Wolverine’s will bounce back and contend for the crown, but their cloak of invincibility at home has been shattered.

The Nittany Lions will be there in two weeks for one of the program’s biggest conference openers ever. And even though they haven’t left Ann Arbor with a victory in nearly 11 years, they won’t be as intimidated as in past years.

Appalachian State also provided a blue print for how to beat Michigan. Exploiting U-M’s archaic pass defense with three and four wideout sets is a good place to start. But more than anything, App State showed what can happen if a team goes into the Big House expecting to have success. – NEIL GEOGHEGAN.

It kind of slipped through the cracks, but late last week, Centre Country District Attorney Michael Madeira announced that he would not appeal a decision by judge Charles C. Brown, Jr., to throw out five of the seven charges against Penn State’s star safety Anthony Scirrotto.

This may sound like additional good news for Scirrotto, who was the central figure in an off-campus melee at an apartment that allegedly involved as many as 20 Nittany Lions. But if you read between the lines of what Madeira said, it sure sounds like he is more determined than ever to successfully prosecute the West Deptford, N.J., native, on the remaining charges, including a felony count of criminal trespass and a summary harassment charge.

“It was not an easy decision to make,” Madeira told the Centre Daily Times. “I recognize, however, that justice delayed is justice denied, and Mr. Scirrotto still faces a serious felony charge.”

Unless there is some sort of plea agreement, Scirrotto is scheduled to go on trial sometime during the heart of PSU’s 2007 season. In the meantime, Scirrotto is starting and playing for the Lions.