Are the Penn State Nittany Lions For Real?

University Park, PA: If someone were to announce a few years ago that in Week 5 of 2008, The Penn State Nittany Lions would be ranked ahead of the great Michigan and Ohio State, would you believe them?  Believe it or not, it's not that surprising.

The Lions are 4-0 on the young season, having not been challenged really even once.  They are the second highest ranked Big Ten team currently, standing at No. 12 in both the AP and Coaches polls, trailing only the Badgers of Wisconsin.

Suddenly, the Lions look to be a possible longshot at a national title, and a BCS bowl is definitely not out of the question. So let's examine... is it possible the Lions are for real?

Most people would argue that the answer to this is sort of up in the air.  After all, the Lions have only played the likes of Coastal Carolina, Oregon State, Syracuse, and Temple.  For the purposes of this article though, the answer is yes.

As it stands after four weeks, the Nittany Lions rank sixth in the NCAA in total offense.  They rank 25th in passing yards per game and eighth in rushing yards per game.  They also are uncharacteristically ranked third in total points.  Their offense is cruising.

So can this offensive surge last?  I think so.  The passing game is led by Daryll Clark, who has the Lions' offense poised to continue this pace.  Clark has been able to make throws with relative ease thus far, and with the exception of the first half against Temple last week, he's been very accurate.

Against last year's tougher defenses, like Michigan, Ohio State, and Illinois, then senior quarterback Anthony Morelli ran into trouble against the pass rush, stalling drives with great frequency. 

Clark, on the other hand, offers the scrambling ability that has not been seen from a Penn State quarterback since Michael Robinson departed to the NFL.  The passing game is also anchored by three great receivers, possibly one of the best receiving corps in the nation. 

Senior Derrick Williams has proved to be a playmaker in his Happy Valley career and entered the season fourth on PSU's all-time receiving list.  Williams offers great versatility as a downfield receiver, a screen presence, a reverse threat, and of course a dynamic kick returner.

Opposite of Williams is Deon Butler, who will pass Bobby Engram by season's end to be the school's all-time receptions leader.  Butler has proven to be a playmaker and is a great threat in the red zone despite only being 5-foot-10.

Third receiver Jordan Norwood is a great complement to the two studs in front of him, and always seems to come up with a clutch catch.

The Lions' running game is anchored by a veteran offensive line. Upperclassmen Dennis Landolt, Gerald Cadogan, Rich Ohrnberger, and Rimington Award candidate A.Q. Shipley round out a great front five.  These "big uglies" pave the way for running back Evan Royster, last year's breakout freshman threat. 

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