This is getting old now.

Once again, Penn State looked like it was a team that could've been on the verge of winning its first game this season, much like they did against Wisconsin and Iowa.

While the defense wasn't dominant, it did its part by keeping the Nittany Lions in the game. When you hold a team to 20 points and allow just three yards a carry, you've done your job.

Sure the Lions missed a field goal and had their first punt partially blocked, but in general, the special teams played well enough to cancel out Michigan's. The punt return team in particular did a good job after holding the Wolverines to just eight return yards, recovering a muffed punt and downing Michigan deep in their own territory several times.

But there's a third side of football that the Lions have forgot to play Saturday — no wait, make that all year.

It's called offense.

Now freshman quarterback Zack Mills did a whale of a job Saturday against Michigan, considering it was his first collegiate start and that his offensive line resembles Swiss cheese while his receivers looked like they were handlling freshly caught herring before the first series.

At least the receiver settled down a bit as the game went on (except for Eddie Drummond's dropped pass, which wound up being picked off). The offensive line, on the other hand, continued its season-long frolic in the doldrums.

The Lions gained just 37 rushing yards on Saturday to bring their average down to (I can't believe I'm about to write this) to just 40.8 yards per game. And the Lions have still failed to score a touchdown on the ground this season.

Not even the patron saint of April Fool's Day could find humor in those numbers.

This is Penn State, everyone, and Joe Paterno is still the coach. If he can't run the football, he's not going to win a whole lot of ball games.

So what can he do? The trio of tailbacks he has is far too good to have a bunch of matadors blocking for them. So why not change the lineup?

I know Paterno feels an obligation to play the older guys who have worked hard for him since they came to Happy Valley, and he rightfully should. But there comes a time when you need to say 'enough is enough.'

Now I'm not necessarily saying wholesale changes need to be made, but a minor twinge here and there may be in order.

Let's start on the outside. Tackle Gus Felder looks like he may be much more comfortable at guard. He's obviously having problems on the outside with speedy rush ends. But he's too large and gifted to not have on the line.

On the other side, Chris McKelvy looks like he has the possibility of becoming a star. Leave him in, Joe.

If Nebraska wanted this kid, he's the real deal. It may take a few games for him to settle in, but he's tenacious and looks like he wants to hit someone, which is more than what we can say for regular starter Matt Schmitt.

I'm not trying to single Schmitt out, but he clearly had problems against Miami and Wisconsin, and frankly, he looked a little timid on some plays.

But the Lions may have more trouble on the inside, which is where Paterno loves to run the ball the most.

Starting guard Tyler Lenda is a converted tight end who is listed as a 280-pounder. I think it's a safe bet that he isn't an ounce over 260. Guys like Wisconsin's Wendell Bryant eat linemen that size for lunch.

Greg Ransom, the other guard, has been too-often injured to find his niche on this line. And when he is healthy enough to play, he seems to be doing something wrong since it seems every time Paterno is shown hollering on television, it looks like he's screaming in the direction of No. 55.

And maybe center Joe Iorio needs to be reevaluated. After all, the center is the anchor of the line and is called upon to make the blocking assignments. A crew is only as good as its captain, you know.

All of this questioning and finger pointing isn't going to do anything. And maybe I'm missing something that Paterno sees in practice.

But if I were in his shoes, this would be my starting lineup: McKelvy and redshirt freshman Nick Marmo at the tackles, Scott Davis and Felder manning the guard spots and, well, we'll keep Iorio at center since he's probably the biggest one the Lions have and because he has the most experience.

I know Paterno says he doesn't read the papers and even if he did, why would he listen to some college newspaper reporter who doesn't see this team practice.

I may not have seen the team practice, but I have seen it play. Making some changes can't make this unit worse.

It can only change a hole-ridden Swiss into hopefully a sharp cheddar.