Dave Polcyn/Gannett News Service Penn State's Derek Wake and Richard Gardner combine to tackle OSU's Michael Jenkins in last year's game at Ohio Stadium. Wake and Gardner will be keys to Penn State's defense in 2003. 2003 SCHEDULE • Aug. 30: Temple • Sept. 6: Boston College • Sept. 13: at Nebraska • Sept. 20: Kent State • Sept. 27: Minnesota • Oct. 4: Wisconsin • Oct. 11: at Purdue • Oct. 25: at Iowa • Nov. 1: Ohio State • Nov. 8: at Northwestern • Nov. 15: Indiana • Nov. 22: at Michigan State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Larry Johnson spent the second half of last season rewriting the rushing portion of Penn State's record book. But despite his 2,087 rushing yards and 7.7 yards per carry, Johnson might not be the most difficult piece of the puzzle to replace.

Wide receiver Bryant Johnson, who was most likely to draw attention away from Larry Johnson last year, has joined his teammate in the NFL. What's worse, most of the offensive line that opened so many holes for Larry Johnson has graduated.

The Nittany Lions lose four of five starters on the offensive line, and three of last year's defensive line starters are in the NFL.

In short, Penn State's success or failure this year could come down to how quickly the Nittany Lions can shore up their lines.

"It is a tough job," coach Joe Paterno said. "I don't think there is any question about that."

Quarterback Zack Mills returns for Penn State after passing for 2,417 yards and rushing for 201. Also back is Michael Robinson -- backup quarterback, running back, wide receiver and all-purpose-decoy -- who completed 10 of 17 passes last year and was the team's second-leading rusher.

But it's unclear how much time they'll have to operate behind a largely inexperienced offensive line. Complicating the problem, the only returning starter, E.Z. Smith, was cited for underage drinking twice in one week this summer. Paterno demurred when asked whether Smith would start in the Aug. 30 opener against Temple.

"Our offensive line has to rise up to the challenge. If they do that, we may not have to throw the ball as much as it appears we may have to right now," Paterno said.

How much does Paterno see his team throwing?

"Right now, if you asked me if we were going to play tomorrow, we would have to throw the ball a lot more than maybe I would want to," Paterno said. "We may have to throw it 40 or 45 times."

"At some point we're going to have to get the line together and point out a tailback that's going to be our main guy," wide receiver Tony Johnson said. "Until then we're definitely going to have to put the ball in the air."

Even Paterno is in the dark about who might start at tailback. Mike Gasparato and Tim Shaw are the top returners, but combined for just 217 yards last year. Freshman Donnie Johnson and freshman Austin Scott, who set Pennsylvania high school records last year with 3,853 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns, may also be in the mix.

The good news is Mills and Robinson should have plenty of targets. Tony Johnson, Larry's younger brother, returns after making 34 catches for 549 yards last year, and there's a bevy of young receivers looking to prove themselves, including Kinta Palmer, Terrance Phillips and Ernie Terrell, a two-time Pennsylvania high school champion at 200 and 400 meters.

Defensively, the task is no less daunting. Linemen Michael Haynes and Jimmy Kennedy were drafted in the first round, and Anthony Adams went in the second.

"Those three kids had as much to do with our being able to play good defense," Paterno said. "Having said that, I think that we have some kids who have really good athletic ability.

"I am a little bit concerned about the size. We don't have a 330-pounder like Kennedy. The kids that we are going to play will be 275 to 280 pounds and in that range. That is big enough if they can learn enough technique."

The Nittany Lions also lose their leading tackler, safety Shawn Mayer, and top corner, Bryan Scott.

But Paterno is high on his secondary, and with good reason. Yaacov Yisrael, projected as a starter last year at safety before a knee injury ended his season, is back. So is Calvin Lowry, who replaced Yisrael before breaking his right tibia against Iowa, and Chris Harrell, who started after Lowry's injury. Rich Gardner is a returning starter at corner, and Alan Zemaitis is expected to start at the other corner.

"We've got a lot of depth," Zemaitis said. "This is my third year, and this is the only time where I've ever seen depth as good as we have. We've got lots of strong players behind players."

At linebacker, starters Derek Wake, Gino Capone and Deryck Toles all return. Lamar Stewart, who started nine games at outside linebacker before Toles took the job, is also back, although Paterno said he may be sidelined by academic problems.

"I think this is the year that the linebackers come back to leading the team," Capone said.

Penn State could be challenged early, first by Boston College on Sept. 6, then at Nebraska the next week. And while Michigan drops off the schedule as part of the Big Ten rotation, Minnesota and Purdue -- both bowl teams last year -- are back on. No. 2 Ohio State visits Nov. 1.

"There is tremendous potential on this football team," Paterno said. "Whether we can realize that potential this year or whether it is a year away, I don't know."

SCHOOL COLORS: Blue and white

FOUNDED: 1855

ENROLLMENT: 41,445

LOCATED: State College, Pa.

COACH: Joe Paterno, 37th season, all at Penn State (336-101-3)

2002 RECORD: 9-4 (5-3 Big Ten, 4th )

LAST BOWL: 2003 Capital One Bowl, lost to Auburn 13-9

STADIUM: Beaver Stadium (107,282)

RETURNING STARTERS: 5 offense, 7 defense, kicker

KEY PLAYERS: WR Tony Johnson, sr; OG E.Z. Smith, soph; TE Casey Williams, sr; QB Zach Mills, jr; QB Michael Robinson, soph; Sean McHugh, sr; DE John Bronson, jr; LB Lamar Stewart, jr; LB Deryck Toles, sr; LB Gino Capone, sr; LB Derek Wake, jr; CB Rich Gardner, sr; SS Chris Harrell, jr; SS Yaacov Yisrael, sr.

KEY DEPARTURES: TB Larry Johnson, WR Bryant Johnson, DT Jimmy Kennedy, DE Michael Haynes, DT Anthony Adams, FS Shawn Mayer, CB Bryan Scott, LT Gus Felder, RG Tyler Lenda, C Joe Iorio, RT Matt Schmitt.

HOT TOPICS: Maybe this will be the year Mills puts it all together and looks like the guy who gave Ohio State fits two years ago. Johnson gives him a solid go-to target.

COLD FACTS: No school was hit harder by departures. Gone are three starters on the defensive line, including 315-pound end Jimmy Kennedy and tackle Michael Haynes, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Gone is 2,000-yard rusher and Heisman finalist Larry Johnson. Gone are four starters on the offensive line.

OVERVIEW: Whatever karma worked for Ohio State last season worked against the Nittany Lions. They lost four games, including two in overtime to Iowa and Michigan and a 13-9 loss to Auburn in the Capital One Bowl. They held the Buckeyes without an offensive touchdown in Columbus and still fell 13-7. Close defeats may look like moral victories this year, given the personnel losses they've suffered.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "I think, honestly, that we have the ability to make the offense whatever we want it to be. We're going to be able rink-a-dink around a bit, but we also have the ability to go deep. We're going to be able to get it 40 or 50 yards down field, and you have to take shots like that four or five times a game to keep the other team aware." -- QB Zack Mills.

-- Jon Spencer and The Associated Press