It's not in any medical textbook, but the disease is definitely lurking among the Penn State football team.

It is called high school superstar syndrome, a condition in which people believe they will be as successful, respected and glorified in college as they were in high school.

Remember your high school valedictorian? They did it all. They were in every club from student council to knitting. They earned varsity letters in at least three sports and were managers for all the others. And they had a grade point average somewhere in the range of 4.584.

Then they get to college. And they get their first B on a test. After that, they write themselves off as a failure.

Well the same applies to football. The majority of the Nittany Lions came from successful high school programs of which they were the heart and soul.

When James Boyd was asked to name the worst team, record wise, that he ever played for, his answer was simple.

"This one," the defensive back said.

Boyd and the rest of the team is drifting in the doldrums of 1-4 and riding a two-game losing streak. Since their first loss against USC, they're ability to rebound has been nearly nonexistent.

Coincidence? About as much as the events that led to Bob Knight's firing at Indiana.

"The worst part is that most of us come from winning programs," offensive lineman Josh Mitchell said. "It's not because of lack of talent. The worst part is that we see the talent and what happens in practice. We go out on the field and pull it all together. We're missing the team aspect. We have the individual aspect."

It is not a case of big men running around with enormous egos. This team wants to win -- badly.

The players remember their glory days in high school. They remember the success they had last year. But certain team members are realizing a few things.

"You are not going to have a good four years of football," tailback Larry Johnson said. "If you do, you are playing against nobody."

Granted, that's hardly a consolation when you're on the road to playing during Joe Paterno's third losing season of his career. It's still difficult to lose. And it's difficult not being the greatest thing at your high school since pizza was added to the lunch menu.

Most of the Penn State football players were in this position. If they were mediocre, Joe Paterno wouldn't have been knocking on their doors for recruiting.

Like Mitchell said, the individual talent is there. It would be extremely unwise of an opposing coach to think he's facing a physically deficient team.

And it would be equally unwise of Penn State to think that they can turn things around by working as individuals. The losing can stop Saturday, regardless of Purdue's offensive firepower.

It can be stopped, but only if the whole team, coaches included, gets on that proverbial same page.

"It's always difficult to lose no matter where you come from," offensive lineman Imani Bell said. "We just haven't had that click and getting us on one page. Hopefully, it will come by and we can keep it."

If the gifted individuals can come together as a team, it is the only cure for high school superstar syndrome.