So he wasn't Joan of Arc.

And he wasn't Moses, and he wasn't a wizard.

For that matter, he wasn't the swashbuckling, improvising comeback kid that re-energized the Penn State offense, which last season was as lively as an 8 a.m. chemistry lecture until he came in and started making plays.

But on Saturday against Virginia, Penn State quarterback Zack Mills was something he hasn't been in weeks and something he wasn't against the Cavaliers last season --sharp.

Of course, no one else was saying that he was any better than he had been.

"I constantly said Zack is doing fine," Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said. "I thought his receivers didn't do a good job ... I think Zack has been playing really well. I thought today that they [the receivers] did a better job for him."

But Mills knew better. After completing just 50 percent of his passes for just 98 yards and throwing three interceptions against Ohio State, Mills publicly took responsibility for the loss.

On Saturday, he felt like he had it again and it showed. Mills completed 19 of 30 passes for 227 yards in the Nittany Lions' 35-14 win, making up for his performance in Columbus, and last year's three-interception showing against the Cavaliers.

"It's a whole different world being out there when you're feeling comfortable," he said. "I felt like everything was clicking and everything was going well. I didn't feel totally comfortable the last two weeks."

It was obvious early on that Mills had it back together. He completed seven of his first eight passes, including a 13-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to tight end Casey Williams. He struggled a bit in the second quarter, but he was 8-for-11 in the second half.

He looked much more accurate on the deep crossing patterns to his wide receivers than he had in weeks. Though wide receivers Tony Johnson and Bryant Johnson each dropped catchable passes early in the game, Mills kept them involved with three receptions each. He spread the ball around to his other offensive weapons as well. His 19 completions went to seven different receivers.

Mills also improvised well. He moved the ball on the ground, picking up 24 yards on the seven occasions when he called his own number. He lost eight on a sack to finish with 16 net yards rushing.

He also timed his option pitches well and worked the shovel pass to perfection, finding fullback Paul Jefferson for a 10-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

While his play was a little better, his teammates said it had nothing to do with a change in demeanor. Mills didn't have to pick himself up for this game because he had never been down.

"Zack is just Zack," wide receiver Gerald Smith said. "He's just a clutch player and he always has been. He keeps everyone together. He can't be rattled. He didn't do anything today that he hasn't already done."

Though some of his comments might have caused concern as to whether he had lost confidence, they just further convinced his teammates and coaches of his leadership capabilities.

"When [former Nittany Lions quarterback] Kerry Collins came up in the spring, he told Zack, that being the quarterback you can't point fingers because you'll lose the team," quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno said. "He really took that to heart. He's the first guy to blame himself when things go wrong. He's a competitor."