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P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >> ow's this for a first-world problem: Penn State's punter wants more to do. Last season, the Nittany Lions punted only 54 times, fewer than every Big Ten team except Ohio State, which played one more game than nearly everyone but still punted just 51 times. Jun- ior punter Blake Gillikin admitted recently that staying mentally sharp is "probably the biggest challenge" he faces on those afternoons when Trace McSorley and company are zipping up and down the field as if unopposed. "It's hard when it's 32 degrees outside and you're standing over there and the offense keeps scoring," Gillikin said. "But it comes with the territory of the position, and you really have to have the right mindset about it to overcome those challenges." Punting with insufficient frequency might not seem like the worst problem that a team could be saddled with. It might seem like the kind of prob- lem that Rutgers (79 punts in 2017) or Indiana (86 punts) would love to take a crack at solving. But for the punter in question, it's a problem nonetheless. As Gillikin noted, "When we get in the big games, we're punting four or five times a game. It's really a matter of having to maintain that focus. Obviously, when those opportunities come around, they can make or break a game." Gillikin pointed to the Ohio State game last year, in which a blocked punt in the fourth quarter shifted the momentum 180 degrees. Denzel Ward came sprinting unblocked off the edge, leaving Gillikin with no chance to get rid of the ball. The play set up a short-field touchdown, and Ohio State dominated the game from that point on, ral- lying for a 39-38 victory. But Gillikin's sophomore season was mostly one big success story, as he averaged 43.2 yards and won second-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media. And one of the reasons for his success was that he adopted the right attitude – not just toward the mechanics of punting a foot- ball but toward his place in the bigger picture. Even though he didn't get on the field as often as he might have if he were playing for a team with a less-proficient offense, Gillikin relished the op- portunity to punt for a Big Ten title contender. "I've been a competitor my whole life," he said. "I love to win. I've got no problems sitting on the sideline and punting one time per game and win- ning a national championship." That willingness to put team goals ahead of indi- vidual priorities is not unique to Gillikin. All the available evidence seems to suggest that it's widely shared, and it's one of the more impressive aspects GOAL TO GO H Championship aspirations are central to the program James Franklin is building at PSU. The team-first attitude that he and his assistants have instilled has been a key component of their success so far

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