Blue White Illustrated

LAST WORD TIM OWEN | OWEN.TIM.BWI@ G M A I L . C O M Following the leaders N ot often does a college football program boast a senior class like the one Penn State had in 2012. And luckily for the Nittany Lions, that senior leadership asserted itself at the most opportune time, during the most challenging off-season the program has ever endured. Graduation has since taken those players, with several headed off to the NFL. Their departure has raised concerns that there will be a void in leadership this year. All of which puts the Class of 2013 under a microscope with a disproportionate level of scrutiny. It's a smaller, less star-studded class, with only seven seniors among the 22 full-time starters. For some people, the lack of fanfare has been a matter of concern heading into this preseason. Which upperclassmen will step up in year two of the Bill O'Brien era, when the roads potholed by NCAA sanctions will certainly be more difficult to navigate? Who's going to be the authoritative voice of the players – a role that Michael Mauti and Michael Zordich embraced last year? You never replace guys like those, or Jordan Hill, Gerald Hodges, Matt McGloin, Matt Stankiewitch or Stephon Morris. The list goes on, and like a copyright, there's no duplicating their leadership and their production both on and off the field. But just because they've gone onto other ventures doesn't mean the Nittany Lions will be aimlessly floating through their 2013 schedule. The leadership style that fans see will just be a little different around Penn State this season. Although the senior class is the smallest on the roster, its competitive drive is anything but. Its leadership might take a different form than last year, and players might use dif- ferent methods to guide their peers. Maybe there won't be rah-rah guys like Mauti or Morris. And the Lions certainly won't have a fifth-year quarterback to lead that comeback victory. But there are seniors in this class who are playing for a reason – to prove that success can still be achieved with only 66 scholarship players and no chance of making the postseason. Their attitude will have a ripple effect on the juniors and sophomores who sense their urgency and don't want to let the seniors down. Heck, they want to prove it, too. And you have to think these incoming freshmen will have enough motivation on their own – simply to prove that they made the right decision when they signed with the Nittany Lions in the face of sanctions that will affect them deep into their careers. One redshirt junior told me that he could sense the widespread camaraderie – freshmen through seniors – during spring practice and into summer workouts. "Everybody tries to assume a role of leadership," defensive end C.J. Olaniyan said. "Everybody sees you out there working hard, and if you're getting the job done, it motivates the next person to say, 'Hold up, he's not slacking, so I have to make sure I'm not the one that brings the team down.' " But if everyone's taking a leadership role, who is the voice? That will likely depend on which players are chosen as captains. Though they might not be as vocal, there will be individuals like linebacker Glenn Carson who will certainly take charge. He might have been overshadowed by Mauti and Hodges the past couple of seasons, but 2013 will be his turn to take the wheel. Or maybe it's DaQuan Jones as he tries to fill in for Hill in the middle of the defensive line. Or John Urschel. I mean, who wouldn't be eager to follow the lead of an All-Big Ten teacher-athlete? But then there are other, less obvious options forming behind the scenes. Take Ty Howle, for instance. After toiling as the second- or thirdstring center and dealing with injuries since he arrived on campus five years ago, he finally has captured a starting opportunity. And he's trying to be sure that his first and only season as a full-time starter is as successful as possible. Underclassmen have taken notice. "Ty's a great leader, an absolutely awesome leader," sophomore linebacker Ben Kline said. "Even though this is going to be his first year starting in a major role like that, guys just gravitate toward him and love him. He's just an awesome dude, and because of that he's developed a leadership role." Maybe this year's team leaders won't have a Braveheart speech to recite at the first sign of adversity. (Mauti and Zordich certainly won't be forgotten for theirs.) And maybe they don't have the accolades of Hill and Hodges, but there's enough personality on this team to set an example worth playing for. Having a coaching staff with a nearly 24/7 devotion to their jobs helps a little bit, too. In the past, the team leadership might have been centralized, confined to the efforts of a few. But this year it sounds like it's going to be more of a group endeavor. Last year Penn State fans grew accustomed to seeing the team leaders at the forefront, earning all the postseason awards and appearing on highlight reels. This year's senior leadership may not be as visible. But just because you can't see it, I doesn't mean it's not there.

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