Bryant Johnson's 2000 season was in many ways a microcosm of Penn State's — opportunities slipping through fingers.

The Nittany Lion wide receiving corps was inconsistent to say the least a year ago. Penn State wideouts missed blocking assignments, ran wrong routes or — the most common misdemeanor — dropped balls. No receiver on the team perhaps embodied the Lions' struggles more than Johnson.

But Saturday, Johnson showed that he and the rest of the Penn State wideouts are not willing to let this season be a repeat of last year. Johnson had five catches for 103 yards on the afternoon and looked nothing like the player who so often struggled during 2000.

"I just knew I had to find a way to get out of the rut that I was in," Johnson said.

Johnson's first reception came during the White squad's opening drive. Penn State quarterback Matt Senneca hit Johnson with a pretty pass on a post route for a 23-yard gain. Johnson's next catch, in the second quarter, also went for 23 yards, but his best catch of the day came in the third quarter.

Johnson ran a flag pattern and broke open down the left sideline. Senneca's pass was a bit underthrown, but Johnson leaped high above the defender to haul it in for a 37-yard completion, the longest of the game.

"That long one, he went up and got the ball," Senneca said. "And that's what they've been doing all spring, all the receivers. We've focused on them having go up and get the ball and be more aggressive."

Johnson credited the extra hours put in by Senneca and the Penn State receivers with the sudden sharpness of the passing game.

"During the offseason we practiced a lot together — the little drills that quarterbacks and receivers do," Johnson said. "And we built that chemistry."

Johnson's solid play seemed contagious — with the exception of tight end Sean McHugh, who dropped two passes, Lions on both squads were sure-handed, even with a steady April rain causing less-than-perfect receiving conditions. If it seemed like the Penn State receivers were playing as though they had something to prove, it very well may have been.

"They took it to heart last year that people said we had a weak receiving corps," Senneca said. "And they worked their butts off this spring and it's showing now."

Johnson had no easy answer for the contrast between Saturday and last season, but said that the main cause of dropped passes is concentration. He also credited his teammates and coaches for sticking by him through thetough times.

"Sometimes it happens, you can't explain it," he said.

"My teammates and my coaching staff tried to help me out. They told me they knew what I could do and I just had to go out there and do it."

It should have come as little surprise then when, at halftime, Johnson received the Red Worrell Award for the most improved player during spring practice.

"And he caught the ball very well."