PASADENA, Calif. -- He only caught two passes.

Just a pair. Fewer receptions than Bobby Engram, Freddie Scott and Mike Archie had. Just as many as Brian Milne and Kyle Brady grabbed.

But the circumstances under which he made his receptions were perfect for redshirt freshman Joe Jurevicius to grab a share of the spotlight in the No. 2 Lions' 38-20 Rose Bowl win over the Oregon Ducks on Jan. 2.

It was certainly a change for the better for a receiver who hadn't caught a pass since the season opener, almost four months earlier.

"Usually when I get in I'm blocking or the ball's not thrown to me," Jurevicius said.

But with less than four minutes remaining in a deadlocked first half, the Lions faced third-and-12 from the Oregon 45. Quarterback Kerry Collins looked off his primary receivers and found Jurevicius streaking ahead of Oregon defensive back Herman O'Berry down the left sideline.

Jurevicius said his eyes widened as he watched the ball leave Collins' hand and soar in his direction.

"I wasn't going to let anything get between me and the ball," he said.

And he didn't. The Chardon, Ohio native made a diving catch and landed at the 1-yard line. The play brought the Penn State faithful in the Rose Bowl to their feet and set up Brian Milne's one-yard touchdown run.

That play earned Jurevicius praise from Coach Joe Paterno.

"Jurevicius is going to be a great athlete," Paterno said. "(He) showed what kind of football player he can be."

Midway through the third quarter, he showed that potential again. With the Lions facing a third-and-seven situation at their own 35-yard line, a sprawling Jurevicius grabbed another ball, this one for nine yards and a Lion first down.

"He's such a great athlete and he's been working hard," Collins said of his latest target. "I'm not afraid to go to him. I expect some big things from Joe Jurevicius in the future."

His only other catch of the season was a rather meaningless nine-yard gain in the later stages of the Lions' 56-3 rout of Minnesota. It seemed that Jurevicius might not touch the football again this season.

But the athletic ability that Jurevicius had shown sparks throughout the season exploded against the Ducks. And that ability, when added to his 6-foot-5 frame, made him a perfect target.

"Basically, every cornerback out there looks short to me, I'm pretty tall for a receiver," he said. "I'm bigger than a lot of the cornerbacks . . . and maybe Kerry saw that . . . and gave me a chance to get the ball."

And from all the accolades his coach and quarterback have heaped upon him, Jurevicius might find himself on the receiving end of many more passes in his Penn State career.