There is a reason they found a way to win those close games. It's because the program turned the corner and players started to believe in themselves. You don't lose that belief in a year. A proud program like Penn State's needed a season like 2005 and proved to players the Nittany Lions could contend on the national stage.

No one is saying Joe Paterno will be back in a BCS bowl, but Penn State is good enough to win the Big Ten and that will get them in. A big game this season will be the first conference at Ohio State. The Buckeyes are still upset about last season's loss.

The loss of QB Michael Robinson will hurt and those fans who called for Robinson to sit on the bench two years ago will realize how much he meant to this team. RBs Tony Hunt and Austin Scott will get much of the work this season on offense.

Yes, Hali is gone, but Butkus Award winner Joe Posluszny returns. He needs to show he made it all the way back from a horrific knee injury in the Orange Bowl loss.

The mentality of the team is to maintain the momentum that was started a year ago. Paterno likes the attitude of his team and he still senses there is a hunger. If the Nittany Lions need to have a memory refresher, it was 2002, when they went 9-4 and then fell into oblivion with 3-9 and 4-7.

Paterno will know by the second week of the season if all that talent he has there is as mentally tough as the last group. Penn State heads to Notre Dame in the second week. It will be up to senior Posluszny and OT Levi Brown to make sure the 2005 attitude carries through the season. They were voted captains in the spring and the two All-Americans have great leadership qualities.

--This will be Paterno's 41st season at Penn State and could win his 360th game.

--Posluszny had a very limited spring, but said he felt like he could play in a game if need be. RB Tony Hunt and Brown were held out of the final spring scrimmage.

--More than 18,000 fans came to the Blue-White scrimmage. That doesn't seem like a great number, but consider it rained the entire day and the Nittany Lions were playing themselves, that's special.

2007 DRAFT PROSPECTS: RB Tony Hunt can help his stock with another solid season. He is 6-1, 220 and has great lateral movement. Levi Brown is an earth mover at tackle. His 6-5, 324-pound body is made for the pounding of the NFL ground game. If Posluszny returns to form he will be a first-round pick. He needs to show that two partially torn knee ligaments are 100 percent.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I am deeply saddened at the sudden loss of Randy Walker. He was one of the best and brightest the Big Ten and the coaching profession had to offer. His competitiveness and ingenuity on the field were matched by his character and integrity off it. It is a terrible loss for Northwestern, the Big Ten and the coaching profession. Our thoughts and prayers are with Randy's family and the Northwestern players, fans and community." -- Coach Joe Paterno on the death of Northwestern coach Randy Walker.

QB Anthony Morelli will replace Michael Robinson at QB. Morelli and Robinson are cut from very different cloths. Robinson was an athlete; Morelli is a drop-back passer and was a fan favorite when Robinson struggled. Morelli is unproven and has a wide open shot to prove he is as good as the hype that followed him to Penn State.

WR Jordan Norwood impressed in spring camp and in the scrimmage he was the team's best receiver. He caught 32 passes for 422 yards. PSU can be very good at WR is Derrick Williams returns to form.

ROSTER REPORT: DL Ed Johnson played with the first-team defense in spring. He is back on the roster after being expelled by the school for the fall semester. There were allegations that he violated school policy on sexual conduct.