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Moreover, Penn State's defense has al- ready undergone a stress test by virtue of the o;ense's failure to deliver more than 24 points per game in either of the past two seasons. The defense has been called on to make decisive fourth-quar- ter stops in many games throughout Franklin's tenure as head coach. Some- times, it has delivered, sometimes it hasn't, but that experience has no doubt helped steel the returning players for the challenges that await. And if Moorhead's o;ense can convert more than 28 per- cent of its third downs and deliver more than 24 points per game, that'll help, too. More than a little. 3 Is the Nittany Lions' o-en- sive line ready to turn the corner? We asked this question a year ago, and the answer, as it turned out, was a pretty emphatic no. In 2015 the Nittany Lions improved their rushing average by 32 yards per game, thanks in large part to the arrival of a dynamic new running back, Saquon Barkley. But they still 9nished 12th in the Big Ten in rushing o;ense, averaging 133.9 yards per game, and they scored only 15 touchdowns on the ground to rank 13th ahead of only Illinois (13). What's more, the Lions gave up only 9ve fewer sacks than they did in 2014 when they surrendered a school-record 44. For an indication of just how shaky the team's pass-production was last P E N N S T A T E S P R I N G F O O T B A L L Limegrover puts emphasis on accountability | N ew offensive line coach Matt Limegrover has watched film of every Penn State game last season, including the TaxSlayer Bowl. He's also seen each practice from the fall, as well as the team's bowl preparations. If that sounds like a lot of screen time, well, it is. "With my family not being here, I've been able to spend a lot of time in the of- fice," Limegrover said. He's withholding any public assess- ment of his pupils until he sees them play live this spring. But he has made it clear that he's going to hold each one "accountable" for his performance from here on out. "There aren't going to be any free passes," Limegrover said. "I told them the very first night that I got in. I had a meeting and I told them I loved them all. All I've ever played or coached is offen- sive line. I was an offensive coordinator for 15 years, but to be honest with you, I've always been an O-line coach. I told them I love them all, but the best five are going to play. It doesn't matter to me [if they're] a redshirt senior or true fresh- man, five-star or zero-star. I'm going to get their best every day. … Then we'll find the best five." Through his film sessions and discus- sions with head coach James Franklin, Limegrover said he's developed an un- derstanding of the circumstances that Penn State faced the past two years. He knows it wasn't easy to develop a culture of accountability when there weren't any backups capable of unseating a starter. "To try to run a program at the highest level with only nine scholarship linemen is almost downright scary," he said. Limegrover, who spent five seasons at Minnesota before being hired in January to succeed Herb Hand, noted that Penn State is getting its numbers back up but added that the scholarship distribution isn't necessarily ideal. "We're going to have a lot of scholarships tied up in the program with first- and second-year players," he said. "That just means we'll have to lean a little heavier on those who do have the experience and then really work to cultivate" the first- and second- year linemen. While the situation is still far from perfect, there's hope. In addition to a new offensive line coach, Penn State also hired a new of- THE LIMEGROVER FILE HOMETOWN Pittsburgh, Pa. ALMA MATER University of Chicago, '91 COACHING EXPERIENCE Has been in collegiate coaching for 25 years with stops at the following schools: Minnesota (2011-15), Northern Illinois (2008-10), Southern Illinois (2001-07), Emporia State (1999-2001), Ferris State (1997-98), North- western (graduate assistant, 1995-96), University of Chicago (1991-94) PLAYING CAREER Was a member of the University of Chicago's o5ensive line from 1987-90, winning honorable mention All-University Athletic Association notice as a senior FAMILY Wife, Ann; children, Emma and T.J.

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