Penn State Football: 5 Players Who Must Step Up for Lions to Beat Ohio

The Penn State Nittany Lions can finally get back on the field after a tumultuous and trying offseason.

Instead of facing off against a typically weak opponent, the Nittany Lions are going up against a very dangerous Ohio Bobcats team that is more than capable of giving the Nittany Lions a run for their money.

Penn State's defense, as always, will dominate. The only question is how the offense will respond with key pieces—like Silas Redd and Justin Brown—gone. 

Ahead is a list of five players who absolutely must step up their games if the Nittany Lions are going to start off their 2012 campaign with a win against the Bobcats. 

Matt McGloin, Senior QB

2011 Stats: 8 TD, 5 INT, 1,571 YDS, 54.1 CMP%

Leadership this offseason hasn't been a question for the Penn State Nittany Lions. The real question is if that off-the-field leadership will last on the field once the hits start coming.

In the past, Matt McGloin has been known to lose control of the offense when things go poorly for him and that is something that absolutely can't happen this year if the Nittany Lions want to win games, especially their first one against the Ohio Bobcats.

Penn State also needs McGloin to be more efficient with the ball. Eight touchdowns and five interceptions isn't going to get the Nittany Lions far this year. They need him to be the center of the offense now that Silas Redd is gone and while McGloin has said all the right things this offseason, it's time to see if he can back it all up with his play on the field.

Emotion will be high and while McGloin will feed off that early, there will undoubtedly be times when things don't go so well. That is when we will truly see what McGloin is made of. It's time for McGloin to be the leader we know he can be. 

Donovan Smith, Freshman Left Tackle

Player Profile: 6'5'', 315 pounds

Donovan Smith is an absolute beast. The fact that he is the starting left tackle as a freshman speaks for itself.

Smith beat out junior tackle, Nate Cadogan, which speaks volumes about this kid's potential. Smith does however have a lot of responsibility, as he will be tasked with guarding McGloin's blind side.

McGloin will only be as good as his offensive line is this season because all Penn State fans have seen how McGloin is when the pocket is collapsing. McGloin is an above-average quarterback when he has time in the pocket. When the pressure is coming though he is one of the most inefficient quarterbacks in college football. That is why the offensive line's play is so important.

The right side of Penn State's line is solidified with three seniors, while the left side will be guarded by underclassmen without much experience. If Smith can reach his potential early and protect McGloin's blind side, the Nittany Lions can look to establish their passing game. If not, they will have a long year ahead of them.

The pressure is on Smith, lets hope he can handle it. 

Bill Belton, Sophomore RB

2011 Stats: 13 ATT, 65 YDS, 0 TD

Losing Silas Redd this offseason will hurt. There is no doubt about that. The only question now is just how much it will hurt the Nittany Lions.

The answer to that question relies solely on just how good Bill Belton really is. Against the Houston Cougars in the 2012 TicketCity Bowl, Belton displayed the same shiftiness and straight-line speed that had fans so enamored with Redd.

Belton played more in the wildcat offense last year than he did purely at running back, so Nittany Lions fans don't have much tape to go off of when evaluating just how good he is. One thing is certain, and that is Belton has a ton of upside.

He's extremely fast and he sees the entire field well, which means he will be great in the open field. Belton's problem will be between the tackles, when he's asked to bang between the lines for a couple of yards in short-yardage situations.

The Nittany Lions can't survive this season if Belton fails to take the offensive focus away from McGloin and the passing game. Balance must be established on the offensive side of the ball, and that is purely Belton's job this season. 

Allen Robinson, Sophomore WR

2011 Stats: 3 REC, 29 YDS, 0 TD

The Nittany Lions lost their two best wide receivers this offseason when Justin Brown transferred to Oklahoma and Devon Smith got kicked off the team. Luckily, the Nittany Lions have some talented wideouts to fill their depth chart.

Among those wide receivers is Allen Robinson, a speedy 6'3'', 201-pound receiver with the ability to spread the field and also catch passes across the middle. Robinson's development over the course of the season will be huge for the future of the Nittany Lions, but they also need him to step up his game immediately, come kickoff against the Bobcats.

Matt McGloin needs his receivers to separate off the line, and Robinson certainly has potential to do that on a consistent basis. Robinson must develop into McGloin's top target this season for the Nittany Lions to compete, and that must begin in their first game against Ohio.

Robinson must use his height advantage to spread the field for the Nittany Lions. At 6'3'', Robinson is the teams' tallest wideout who will actually see the field, and if he doesn't establish himself as their main deep-threat, the Nittany Lions won't be able to overcome the Bobcats. 

Gary Gilliam, Junior "Y" Tight End

2010 Stats: 1 REC, 21 YDS

Gary Gilliam didn't play during the 2011 season due to a serious knee injury, but he is back and looking better than ever.

At 6'6'' and 260 pounds, Gilliam is the Nittany Lions biggest target and he absolutely must establish himself as a threat across the middle of the field. Gilliam is a massive target, and in Bill O'Brien's offense, there is no doubt that he will be utilized early and often.

Gilliam is the "Y" tight end in O'Brien's offense, which means he will be a major piece of the offensive attack. If Gilliam can develop into a legitimate option down the field, Penn State's offense will be difficult to stop. O'Brien played a major role in helping Rob Gronkowski develop into a superstar in the NFL, and there are high hopes that he can do the same at Penn State for Gilliam.

Tight ends are going to be a huge part of the Nittany Lions' new offense, and that is why Gilliam must come out of the gate firing on all cylinders. If he is unable to establish himself as a legitimate offensive threat, the Nittany Lions offense will be extremely one- dimensional, and that is something they can't be if they want to play at a high level this year.

Without Silas Redd, the Nittany Lions absolutely must have a legitimate passing game, and Gilliam is foundational in establishing that.