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J unior tight end Mike Gesicki has no- ticed a new and improved Penn State offensive line this season. Often work- ing hand-in-hand, he says the biggest difference from a year ago is the physical edge with which they play. "That's kind of something that Coach [Joe] Moorhead has instilled into our of- fensive line," he said. "He's been been building them up from the moment he got here, telling them what they're capable of, and I think it's gotten to a point where they believe what they're actually capable of. I think they're showing it every single Saturday, playing really physical football up front. It starts with them and it ends with them." The offensive linemen aren't the only ones who are playing with a little more aggression these days. Count Gesicki in that category as well. Through nine games, he was second on the team with 32 re- ceptions for 411 yards and a pair of touchdowns – totals greater than his first two seasons com- bined. They were also the sec- ond-most among tight ends in the Big Ten after the first nine games. Three of those catches came on a single touchdown drive against Iowa, one that lifted Penn State to a 21-0 lead in the second quar- ter. On the first, Gesicki faked a block on a play-action pass before quarterback Trace McSorley tossed it out for a short pass. Thanks to Gesicki's collision with the incoming tackler after the catch, he was able to turn the dump-off into a 13- yard gain. "The safety came down pretty hard, and I just kind of lowered my shoulder, got through him and continued going for- ward to get a few extra yards," Gesicki re- called. After a 5-yard connection on the next play, McSorley hit him for a third time when he was wide open on a broken play. Gesicki went 43 yards, and it was originally ruled a touch- down before the call was overturned on review. McSorley punched it in from the 1-yard line one play later to give the Lions a commanding lead before half- time. What helped open up those three plays, Gesicki said, was what he had done before – not just in that game but in the weeks leading up to it. His willingness to be more physical in all aspects of the offense, not just when he's finishing off a reception but also when he's blocking for a run, opens up a series of plays for him. In Moorhead's of- fense, the goal is to target the tight end at least five times per game. "It helps a lot," Gesicki said. And the team's blocking scheme causes defenses to "respect me in the run game. "I think that can also help me in the pass game," he added. "Sometimes I block a linebacker, so I can be as physical as I can be on that and that helps get me open [on the next pass]. Sometimes I'm on corners or safeties – same thing. If I'm being [physical] with them, I wear them down as the game goes on and get a chance to run by them and get a chance to work on my route running. It comes down to the aspect of blocking and appreciating my role on this team and buying into every- thing in this offense." ■ OPEN MIKE NIGHT Gesicki heads upfield against Min- nesota. The jun- ior tight end had five catches for 70 yards in Penn State's overtime victory over the Gophers. Photo by Steve Manuel Gesicki plays major role in Lions' resurgence |

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