Blog Chips

Links from around the interwebs for your Friday reading pleasure.

Ya think Daryll Clark is looking more and more like Michael Robinson? There's a very good reason:

When Daryll Clark needs tips on how to run the spread, he calls the last man to operate the Penn State offense with smashing success.

No wonder fans are noticing similarities between Clark and Michael Robinson, the dual-threat quarterback who took the Nittany Lions to the Orange Bowl three years ago.

"When they call me 'Little Mike-Rob,' I'll take that compliment any time," Clark said.

Welllll… 'Little Mrob' maybe, because 'Little Mike-Rob' just doesn't have the zing; we need to come up with something better than that, but I'm drawing a blank right now. Anyho, Robinson has no problem giving out pointers to Clark:

Clark also knows there's a ways to go before any comparisons can be drawn to past glory teams. Robinson reminded Clark as much in a recent lighthearted text message about a 20-yard gain off a sweep that Clark turned into a first down in the Oregon State game. "He said, 'You got to score on that quarterback sweep. If it were me, I would have scored,"' Clark recalled. "I thought it was hilarious."

The linebackers are starting to come around and some leaders are emerging. Tyrell Sales had a great game against Oregon State.

Sales finished the Oregon State game with 10 tackles, including nine solos, to the lead the Lions. It was a performance that had his coaches saying he played markedly better in week two than he did in week one… "I just played a little more comfortably," Sales said. "I've played a lot of football, but the first game's always the toughest one.

But he's not the only one that has stepped up Navarro Bowman had an equally impressive showing against the Beavers despite splitting time with Bani Gbadyu.

During one drive against Oregon State, Bowman brought down the speedy Jacquizz Rodgers on three consecutive plays as he finished with 10 stops.

Bowman has also made a name for himself on special teams.

Bowman has been a central figure in securing good field position. Against Coastal Carolina, he brought down D.J. Brunson after two short kickoffs as both drives started at the 21-yard line.

"He's very prideful," defensive coordinator Tom Bradley. "He wants to be the best. He wants to be a guy who wants to be a great linebacker."

The student section has always been clever with their signs but I have to admit this one takes the cake.

It stood out in a long line of signs made by fans to support players. One, for Lydell Sargeant, reads "Sargeant's Army." Another, for linebacker Nate Stupar, reads "Stupar's Studs." As far as attention and creativity go, they all paled in comparison on Saturday to one that read "Blue Royster Cult."

We need more cowbell!

Jordan Norwood had a career game against the Beavers and it's pretty obvious why:

Oregon State assigned safety Greg Laybourn to follow Norwood for much of the game. It went horribly for the Beavers, too. The 208-pounder couldn't keep up and Norwood caught eight passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Clark said after the game, "[Laybourn] tries hard but him against Jordan Norwood, I'll take Jordan Norwood all day."

Finally, Penn State's opponents have been lackluster to say the least and they don't get any better over the next couple weeks. Jeff Rice of the CDT suggest Penn State's best opponent so far has been themselves:

Until Illinois comes to town on Sept. 27, Penn State's best competition is going to come from ... Penn State. And most of that competition will come on Tuesdays, the only day of the week when the Nittany Lions' first-team offense and defense square off against one another.

"Tuesday's our work day," linebacker Tyrell Sales said.

The rest of the week, the first-team units battle the scout team, which should closely resemble each of the next two opponents.