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season with just two tackles for loss and half a sack. But while his junior season didn't leave him with much of a statistical portfolio, it did provide him with plenty of offseason motivation. As he was shedding excess pounds, he was also hitting the weights harder than ever and developing into one of a growing group of Nittany Lion players who have bench pressed more than 400 pounds. Given his physical transformation, Jones' performance in the first month of Penn State's season came as no surprise to his coaches and teammates. "There are things that he wants to do, that he wants to do for his family, de" fensive line coach Larry Johnson said. "He wants to change their lives, and he understands that this is his best avenue to do that right now. I think that's what's motivating him. And let's be honest: He's motivated because he wants to be good. He really wants to be good. When you have that kind of desire, it comes easy." Guard John Urschel has gone up against Jones frequently in practice and said his fellow senior has developed into a player on par with some of the great Penn State defensive tackles of recent years. "I've been blessed to play against some talented guys, some first-round draft picks, Urschel " said. "I've played against Jared Odrick, Devon Still, Jordan Hill. DaQuan Jones is no different. " One of the reasons Jones has been so prominent this season is his move to the three-technique spot. The three-technique defensive tackle lines up on the outside shoulder of the guard, which means he's only taking on one offensive lineman in many blocking schemes. At his former position – the one-technique spot – he lined up on the inside shoulder of the guard, which meant he was being blocked by both the guard and the center. Among the reasons for Hill's All-Big Ten performance last year was Jones' willingness to perform one of the defense's least glamorous jobs. "DaQuan was very unselfish, defensive coordinator John " Butler said. "If he keeps playing the way he's playing, he's going to have a long future in football after Penn State. " There is, of course, nothing to stop opponents from adjusting their schemes to double-team Jones as they look to avoid Syracuse's fate. But if they become too preoccupied with him, the other defensive linemen will have more opportunities to create havoc. Said Jones, "I feel like if [opponents] do that, they'll be leaving the nose guard one-on-one or an end one-on-one. So more power to them. I hope they do it." After averaging only about 30 plays per game last season, Jones is anticipating that his enhanced fitness and endurance will enable him to play 60 to 65 this year. He's already been labeled the nation's top senior defensive tackle by NFL.com draft guru Gil Brandt, and a strong senior season would assuredly put him in position to join his All-Big Ten and All-America predecessors in the NFL. Hill, in particular, has been an inspiration. The former Nittany Lion, a third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks this past April, was Jones' host on his recruiting visit, and the two linemen roomed together last year. A pro career, Jones said, "would be something nice, but it's not something I'm thinking about right now." Nor is he dwelling on his life after football. He wants to work in law enforcement eventually, a career choice inspired by the problems he saw growing up in Johnson City and a belief that "the system itself – the government – is kinda screwed up in some ways. "I feel like maybe I can get in there and make a difference one day, after football, " said Jones, a criminal justice major who interned with the Spring Township Police Department this past summer. "That's what I want to do." But not yet. Not with so many quarterbacks left to chase and so much mayhem to unleash upon the rest of the Big Ten. Jones has eight games remaining in his college career, and with the Lions set to face the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin, it's no big secret what is on his mind. "What I'm thinking about now," he said, "is having fun with these guys and going out there and trying to win Penn State some games. " I Here's to their health PSU players focus on nutrition, sleep efore his first spring practice at Penn State, Bill O'Brien watched as wideout Brandon Felder walked into the Lasch Building while hurriedly downing a Snickers bar and a bottle of Coke. O'Brien was perplexed. Practice was about to begin, and the coaches needed everyone to be at their best physically. "What are you doing, Feldy?!" O'Brien yelled. "I didn't have time to eat lunch," Felder replied. "This my lunch. " Realizing how many demands there are on his players' time, O'Brien didn't chastise Felder. Instead, he began to think about how nutrition would figure into his efforts to revamp the Penn State football program. Coming from the ranks of the NFL, where a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner are all provided by the organization and made available to players at their training facility, O'Brien understood he would need to frequently emphasize the benefits of healthy living. "I think it's amazing what some of these kids do. They get up at 5:30, lift weights, go to class, O'Brien said. "I always ask " our kids if they got eight to 10 hours of sleep last night. I think that's really important. But it's impossible. If you keep reminding them and educating them, B

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