As he jogged out of the Beaver Stadium tunnel for his final time there was a mixed reaction.

It was the quietest cheer for any senior that has seen a significant amount of playing time and some of the 106,465 fans even booed.

Maybe some of them felt Tony Johnson deserved it for the poor play early in the season combined with his off-the-field problems. But regardless of the reasons why it happened, Johnson made sure he put it out of his mind and had the best game of his senior season.

Johnson said that he did expect the reaction that he received from the Beaver Stadium faithful.

"I told my teammates on Monday that I thought I was going to get booed," Johnson said.

"When that happens you can't do anything about it."

But there is something to do -- and he did it.

Johnson went out and caught three touchdown passes, a feat no Penn State player has accomplished since Joe Jurevicius had three touchdowns against Louisville in 1997.

Johnson only had three catches, but scored on all of them. Before the game, he had one touchdown, which came in the season opener against Temple.

He was suspended for two games after being charged with drunken driving on Oct. 17.

His father, defensive line coach Larry Johnson Sr. said that after the off-the-field incident that it was even more important to support him.

"There is a point in everyone's life when there is a crossroads," Johnson Sr. said. "After that point it's important to focus and show him support."

Prior to the charge, Johnson was benched in the second half the week before against Purdue. Johnson's difficulties were compounded by his trouble catching the ball early in the season.

With so much to deal with both on and off the field, a game like Saturday against Indiana was needed.

"I wouldn't call it redemption," Johnson said. "I just proved to myself that I can be that playmaker."

He partly blames his previous on the field woes on the pressure he was putting on himself.

"It wasn't mental," Johnson said. "Receivers have a short memory and you just have to work through that."

Johnson turned to his father, and the elder Johnson would throw passes to his son after practice because his son didn't feel he was catching enough passes during practice.

Saturday, he caught the passes thrown his way, and the first one was probably the toughest as he had to dive in end zone.

The easiest catch was his final touchdown catch. Indiana double-teamed Maurice Humphrey and Michael Robinson, and found Johnson by himself at the three-yard line. Johnson caught the pass and back-pedaled into the end zone.

"At first I didn't see him," Robinson said. "He blended in with the end zone. The line blocked and Austin [Scott] picked a block and I found him."

Johnson had a day that most seniors would only dream of having for their Beaver Stadium finale.