Penn State's offense looks really, really good.
OK, the opponents the first two weeks have been awful, but the Nittany Lions still should be judged on what they've done well. Which is everything.
They scored 66 against Division I-AA Coastal Carolina and probably could have hit 100 had they wanted to. Then they pasted Oregon State in Saturday's 45-14 win and could have approached 70 had they not shown mercy.
Daryll Clark has looked terrific in every aspect, particularly the accuracy department. He delivers the ball on target and has shown an ability to place it where only his receiver can get it in traffic.
Clark's running skills were never in doubt, but his passing skills were a concern. That's no longer the case.
"Throwing the ball on time -- efficient and accurate -- is something I've been really working on," Clark said.
There is no more quarterback competition. Clark is the man, and with two more cupcakes on the horizon in Syracuse and Temple, he will further solidify his starting status.
There's also no question who's the No. 1 tailback. Many people wanted to see redshirt freshman sensation Stephfon Green show off his blazing speed, but Evan Royster's fantastic footwork and patience make him just as much of a threat every time he touches the ball.
Penn State's senior receivers have gotten a lot of credit over the years, but most of it has gone to Derrick Williams and Deon Butler. Meanwhile, all Jordan Norwood has done is work his way up to No. 3 on the Lions' career receptions list.
The offensive line might be the biggest factor of all. The experienced, talented unit is terrific at run and pass blocking, making it easier for the coaching staff to call any type of play.
The beauty of Penn State's early schedule is the easy first four games give the Lions plenty of time for Clark and Co. to work out the kinks of the Spread HD offense. By the time Illinois rolls around in week five, PSU should be clicking on all cylinders.
It's also impressive the Lions have scored 111 points in two games and still haven't unveiled their entire offensive arsenal.
"I think we still held back some stuff today," Royster said after Saturday's win. "I see a lot of different things coming from us the next couple of weeks."
SUBHD: Afterthoughts ...
* A prediction: Neither Tom Bradley nor anyone else on the current PSU coaching staff will succeed Joe Paterno. Why? The slew of off-the-field problems are just as much the fault of the assistant coaches as they are Paterno's.
It's easy to criticize JoePa because he's in charge of the program. But the assistant coaches are in charge of and in more contact with the young men in their units, and they need to be doing a better job of making sure the kids stay out of trouble.
Bradley's loyalty is not in question, and if that were the only criteria, he would deserve the job. But if Graham Spanier wants to make sure the program gets cleaned up after Paterno retires, don't count on him hiring a coach who was there while all the shenanigans took place and couldn't do much to stop them.
* Penn State confirmed Sunday that defensive end Jerome Hayes will miss the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee against Oregon State. The redshirt junior will undergo surgery in the next two or three weeks, and his rehab is expected to last nine months.
Hayes voluntarily redshirted in 2005, meaning he may not be able to apply for a medical redshirt to get this year of eligibility back. If he can't, Hayes will have just one more year of eligibility left.
* Paterno would not discuss why defensive back Willie Harriott was dismissed from the team, but Harriott was cited last week for driving with a suspended license and for not having vehicle registration. Harriott lost his license in November after a DUI charge.
* Butler ranks second on the Lions' career receptions list with 135, while Norwood is third with 129. Bobby Engram is first with 167 catches.
* The Lions moved up two spots to No. 17 in both The Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls.
* PSU opened up as a 28-point favorite against Syracuse.
Cory Giger is at 949-7031 and cgsports12@aol.com.
