UNIVERSITY PARK - The King is gone.

Justin King, that is.

But, although the standout cornerback whose arrival with Derrick Williams in January of 2005 seemed to rejuvenate the Penn State football program has taken his game to the NFL, King's presence is still being felt in the Nittany Lion secondary.

King takes time every couple of weeks to check in with his former teammates. The influence doesn't end there, either.

''[I'm] just being a better student of the game. Watching film more, trying to learn. Like Justin, watching him,'' said junior A.J. Wallace, who started the last four games last year at the corner opposite King. ''Everybody's just trying to get a feel on what he did and being the special athlete that he was and being able to leave early. People look at that, and we just try to learn from what he did and what he didn't do, which wasn't too much.''

Even with first-team all-Big Ten pick King, however, the play of the defensive backfield was a bit problematic in 2007, perhaps the one real chink in Penn State's armor. At times it was excellent, but, at other times, not so much so.

Now, with All-American Dan Connor's graduation and Sean Lee's knee injury having left the linebacking position up in the air and the dismissals of tackles Phil Taylor and Chris Baker having done the same to the defensive line, the play of the secondary might be pivotal for the Lion defense to enjoy the same kind of success to which its become accustomed in the last few years.

Senior safety Anthony Scirrotto is taking that to heart.

''We're going to have to play a huge role. We're going to have to do a lot better than we did last year,'' Scirrotto said. ''We have a lot of guys returning, and we're very confident going into this season that we can get the job done.''

It wasn't that the Nittany Lions' pass defense was poor last year. It ranked third in the Big Ten in yards allowed and held six opponents to 170 yards or less.

It was more a matter of inconsistency. There was the 339 yards allowed to overmatched Buffalo in the third game, a precursor of troubles to come.

Once in conference play, Ohio State completed 19-for-26 passes, averaged more than 9 yards per completion and converted 12 of 16 third downs in its victory over Penn State. Indiana's James Hardy hauled in 14 passes for 142 yards while being covered by King. Then Bobby Hoyer threw three second-half touchdowns that allowed Michigan State to pull off a come-from behind win in the regular-season finale.

On the plus side, there's plenty of material on hand to make improvement possible.

''They can definitely be good. You've got Tony Davis, who's a proven playmaker. He's done nothing but make plays since he's been starting. Lydell [Sargeant is] a crafty corner, and A.J. has all the potential in the world I think he'll do some special things,'' receiver Deon Butler said. ''Scirrotto's been starting as long as I've been starting. He knows a lot. He's the leader back there. Then you have a guy like Mark Rubin, who's just kind of coming into his own. He's a real physical guy.

''The secondary complements each other well. I think they'll do a tremendous job.''

The lineup seems fairly well set. After making nine interceptions over the last two years as starting hero (strong safety), Scirrotto is slated to move to free safety. Rubin, meanwhile, will take over at strong safety, allowing Davis, who was plagued by injuries and illness in 2007, to move back to cornerback, where he enjoyed so much success as a sophomore.

''I think he's definitely more comfortable there,'' said Butler, Davis' best friend. ''You can just see it at practice. He's back to his old self, making plays, breaking up passes and talking trash, back to being the Tony that he is.''

''It's exciting. It was really a big thing for me,'' Davis said. ''Playing safety was just a lot different. It wasn't so much covering a guy. It was covering the field. There's different things you have to read. I just love corner. Corner's where I like to play.''

Who will take over King's old spot at right corner was undecided as practice opened. Wallace seemed to have an inside track over Sargeant, the Lions' third leading tackler last season behind Connor and Lee, but was battling a hamstring injury.

A healthy Wallace might not be much of a drop-off from King. Wallace has similar athletic ability and blinding speed.

Now, Wallace thinks he has the savvy to go with it.

''Experience means a lot. I've very comfortable now. I recognize a lot of routes,'' Wallace said. ''Everything has slowed down for me, basically. That's the biggest thing for me: Just let the game slow down and break on balls.''

Whoever doesn't get the start at the right corner will be in the mix as the nickel back, Redshirt freshman Drew Astorino has opened a lot of eyes and also will get a shot there.

''He's very talented, probably one of the best athletes on our team,'' Scirrotto said. ''He's a great tackler, and he has great feet. He fits the position perfectly.''

''We're trying to put together what we think would be the best combination of kids in the secondary, always [keeping] back in mind that you're going to play against some people who are going to give you four, five wideouts,'' Lion coach Joe Paterno said, ''and you've got to have another guy that that's good enough to be what we call a nickel player, and also a good enough guy that he can go up to him and he's around the football so you can't let quarterbacks run the ball down your throat when they spread you out.''

The consensus is the potential is there. It's just a matter of putting it all together to rule the Big Ten, even without King.

''We still have talent at every position back there. I think it will be a strength of our defense,'' Davis said. ''Really, we just all have to come together and start gelling together.''