Nittany Lions

A youngster grows up with a single athletic purpose: He wants to play linebacker at Penn State. His high school coach, recognizing the youngster's physical talent, asks him to play quarterback. But the boy wants to hone his skills at linebacker so he can move on to Penn State to do the same. No thank you, he says to the coach. Penn State recruits him as a linebacker after he has made just about every high school all-America team that matters. The plan is still intact - until three days before his first game as a freshman.

Penn State moved up in the college football polls today after Saturday's opening 31-7 victory over Akron at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions improved to No. 5 in the USA Today coaches' poll and seventh in the Associated Press media poll. In the preseason, Penn State was eighth in the coaches' poll and tied for ninth with Oklahoma State in the AP poll. The Lions will host Syracuse (0-1) on Saturday. Hurricanes soaring. Miami is savoring a drama-filled 38-34 win over Florida State on Monday night.

Penn State 14, Miami 10. It was close all the way, as intense and hard-fought a football game as any played in a long time. In whatever way a team wins the national collegiate football championship, it's a glistening achievement. But the way Penn State upset Vinny Testaverde and the rest of the high-flying Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl Friday night was something special - something to be long remembered and savored. After all the pre-game hijinks, the Miami players' jiving and boasts, the Lions more than squared accounts in a very determined way. Coach Joe Paterno's crafty defense did exactly what it was designed to do - give Testaverde, the nation's top-ranked college player, a lot of trouble and prevent him from completing long passes.

On a microcosmic level, Penn State's 86-80 NCAA Tournament first-round loss to Arkansas represents the larger struggle facing Nittany Lions basketball. Ranked 18th in the nation and seeded fifth in the East Regional, Penn State had a shot at a signature victory against a high-visibility program during college basketball's biggest showcase. Instead, the Lions (21-7) must hope their disappointing finish won't dull the enthusiasm generated by a magic-run season and the opening of the school's lavish, new basketball palace, the Bryce Jordan Center.

A Penn State spokesman confirmed that redshirt freshman punter/kicker Matt Marcincin has left the team. Marcincin, who is from Malvern, was the backup for kicker Sam Ficken and punter Alex Butterworth. The spokesman said Marcincin still is enrolled in classes at Penn State. His departure leaves only sophomore walk-on Kevin DiSanto as a backup. - Joe Juliano

Earlier this month, St. Joseph's whipped Penn State by 30 points. It was a far different story last night. The Nittany Lions stormed from behind to post a 59-54 Atlantic 10 Conference upset over St. Joseph's at Rec Hall. The Hawks, who routed Penn State, 72-42, on Jan. 4, seemed headed for another victory last night. Their lead at halftime was 35-28, and the margin grew to 12 points with 13 minutes remaining in the game. But then the Nittany Lions (9-10 overall, 3-7 in the conference)

Penn State defensive tackle Evan Haithes' playing career is over because of complications from blood clots, coach Bill O'Brien told reporters Tuesday in Washington. Haithes, a sophomore, will remain on scholarship as a graduate assistant. The clots developed in his legs during six-hour drives home to Virginia early last year for his grandfather's funeral. The clots spread to his lungs, and he was hospitalized in March 2011 with a life-threatening situation. He was able to play only two games for the Nittany Lions last fall.

Deion Barnes said it was all about the "comfortability factor. " And that played in favor of Penn State, not Georgia. In an announcement Thursday morning in his school's auditorium, the hard-charging defensive end from Northeast High committed to play for the Nittany Lions. Georgia was the runner-up for his services. "I wasn't an outcast when I went down to Georgia, but I felt like I was around 'my guys' when I went to Penn State," said Barnes, a 6-foot-5, 222-pound senior. "That was a big thing for me. " Barnes, celebrating his 18th birthday, said he had "been battling all week, going back and forth" between Penn State and Georgia, which he visited last weekend.

Perhaps, in the next three days, some medical researcher will announce the discovery of a wonder drug that rapidly heals sprained ankles, sore backs and hip pointers. If any such pharmaceutical were available, the St. Joseph's basketball team surely would volunteer for mass experimentation. The Hawks have an Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament game coming up Sunday at Penn State (2 p.m.), and barring the recovery of several key players who are in various stages of physical distress, the outcome might be as dissatisfying as last night's 83-67 loss to the Nittany Lions at Alumni Fieldhouse.

STATE COLLEGE - When it comes to being a coaching taskmaster, Penn State icon Joe Paterno probably doesn't rate quite as high on the rant-o-meter as such legendary disciplinarians as Vince Lombardi and Frank Kush. But that doesn't mean the 84-year-old JoePa is going soft on his players as he prepares the Nittany Lions for his 46th season as sideline boss. Penn State went a disappointing 7-6 in 2010 in part because of youth and in part because of injuries, but that doesn't fully explain why a couple of winnable games slipped away in crunch time.

Penn State defensive tackle Nate Cadogan has left the team for personal reasons and will forego his fifth year of eligibility, coach Bill O'Brien announced Friday on Twitter. The 6-foot-5, 298-pound Cadogan played tackle last season and split time between there and tight end his first two years, even catching a touchdown pass in 2010 against Northwestern. He was shifted to defensive tackle during the offseason to provide depth at the position following the graduation of Jordan Hill and James Terry.

Neumann fell to Farmingdale State, 7-2, on Wednesday in the first game of the NCAA Division III baseball regional in Auburn, N.Y. The fifth-seeded Knights (29-14) will face No. 8 Moravian (24-18) in a tournament elimination game Thursday morning. Moravian lost to top-seeded Ithaca, 11-2, on Wednesday. Buddy Elgin scored on a Rams error in the top of the sixth. In the eighth, Bill Pace (Cardinal O'Hara) doubled, Matt Sheneman singled, and Andrew Snow (Penncrest) drove in Pace with a pinch-hit single.

Junior attacker Mackenzie Cyr notched her second straight six-point game, and sophomore attacker Maggie McCormick recorded four goals and two assists to lead the seventh-seeded Penn State women's lacrosse team to a 12-9 home victory against No. 8 Massachusetts in the second round of the NCAA tournament Sunday afternoon. The Nittany Lions (14-6), who improved to 9-0 at home and 7-2 when hosting an NCAA tournament game, won consecutive NCAA tournament games for the first time since 1999 and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the second straight year.

Penn State will play three night games during the 2013 season, two in Beaver Stadium. Monday, the Nittany Lions announced that their Sept. 14 game against Central Florida will start at 6 p.m. The contest will air on the Big Ten Network. It will be the first evening BTN telecast from Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions will also play in the evening this season against Michigan (Oct. 12, 5 p.m.) and at Ohio State (Oct. 26, 8 p.m.).

Coatesville High junior Daquan Worley, a quick-footed running back and defensive back, orally committed Friday morning to play for Penn State. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder, who helped lead the Red Raiders to the PIAA Class AAAA state championship game last season, is projected to play cornerback for the Nittany Lions. He is the seventh player - and first defensive back - to commit for the Class of 2014. "Deep down, he just really felt like he wanted to be part of the Penn State community," Coatesville head coach Matt Ortega said.

Now that incoming freshman Christian Hackenberg finds the competition for Penn State's starting quarterback job a two-man duel, he will be extra busy this summer getting ready for the task. "We can send him material, whether it's weightlifting material or different types of football information," Nittany Lions coach Bill O'Brien said Tuesday night at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue, the second stop of the 2013 Penn State coaches caravan. "So there are ways for him to study and to get ready in different aspects of the program.

Note: stats listed are from 2012. Key departures Michael Mauti, LB: 95 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions: The Big Ten's Linebacker of the Year was the emotional leader of Penn State's upstart squad last season, its first under coach Bill O'Brien. Now he's off to see whether his NFL dreams can be realized. Matt McGloin, QB: 3,266 passing yards, 24 TD, five INTs, five rushing TDs: After struggling for most of his career as a Nittany Lion, the Scranton native prospered under O'Brien, setting Penn State records for passing touchdowns and completions (270)

STATE COLLEGE - In the fall, Penn State's football players will battle Wolverines, Badgers and Buckeyes. In the spring, well, they just battle Nittany Lions. As the leaves return to the trees, it's the bragging rights of friendly yet fierce competition that is challenging many of coach Bill O'Brien's players to take their game to the next level. One of the battles that has garnered attention is that of wide receiver Allen Robinson and cornerback Adrian Amos. Roommates, friends and members of a group of Lions who have dubbed themselves the "Supa Six," the two use this competition to help their performances on the field.

Kyle Carter called it a "freak accident. " As he tried to catch a pass in the end zone, a member of the Nebraska secondary blasted him and fell on his right wrist. The play turned out to be the last one of the 2012 season for Penn State's fine tight end. Carter, who is from Bear, Del., underwent surgery three days later for torn ligaments in his dislocated wrist but is taking part in every noncontact portion of spring practice for the Nittany Lions. However, the time in-between wasn't much fun, and Carter said he was "in a depressed state" watching from the sideline in November as his teammates competed in the season's final two games.

In Des Moines, Iowa, Penn State 197-pounder Quentin Wright upset top-seeded Dustin Kilgore of Kent State on Saturday night to give the Nittany Lions their third straight team title in the NCAA wrestling championships. Wright beat Kilgore, 8-6, at 197 pounds, giving the Lions an insurmountable lead over Oklahoma State. The Cowboys stormed back for a brief one-point lead. But wins by Ed Ruth at 184 and Wright sealed the crown for Penn State. Cornell senior Kyle Dake became the first wrestler in NCAA history to win four national titles at four weights.