As football coaches go, Penn State's Joe Paterno is pretty adept when it comes to quoting great thinkers.

Virgil, Thomas Browning -- count them all in his repertoire, but one of his favorites is a Teddy Roosevelt adage that reflects his oft-criticized hesitance to play young players.

"Youth is a disease," Paterno will so often say. "But it can be cured."

If it is, in fact, a disease, consider the Lions' lineup an outbreak in desperate need of quarantine. Six true freshmen have already seen playing time, with two of those players already seeing significant action. Wideout Mark Rubin and linebacker Dan Connor have looked like two of the better players Penn State has on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, respectively.

In the last two games, Rubin caught a combined eight passes for 81 yards, and Connor totaled 13 tackles and a sack. Throw in running back Matt Hahn -- who had two catches for 21 yards against Minnesota -- strong-armed quarterback Anthony Morelli, tight end Jordan Lyons and defensive tackle Elijah Robinson, and you have a pretty large number of Penn State football players who have earned the right to play as true freshmen.

It seems that the only affliction these guys have, however, is talent.

"These guys -- they're players," fifth-year senior safety Andrew Guman said. "It seems like they have ice in their veins. We need these guys, and they're stepping up for us."

But as cool and composed as they are, don't expect to hear much outside of their on-field exploits; Paterno still doesn't let freshmen talk to the media. If what their parents say is any indication, however, this group is hopeful it can turn around a dismal losing stretch at Penn State.

But, strangely, few of these freshmen expected to play this fall, particularly Connor, Rubin and Hahn -- the true freshmen who have been the most prominent in Penn State's plans.

"I was contemplating getting out of high school coaching to get out to the [Penn State] games to watch Dan," Connor's father, James, said. "But I didn't think he was going to play, so I didn't."

Connor graduated from high school early and arrived on campus to begin working with the team in January. He's probably been the most impressive freshman this year, pushing Derek Wake for the strong side linebacker spot and seemingly getting more playing time, though he's yet to start a game.

Rubin and Hahn, too, expected to redshirt this fall, but were surprised to find themselves in Paterno's plans when he decided his anemic offense needed a boost.

"Going into the first game [Matt] was scheduled to play, but something happened, and we figured he would redshirt," Hahn's father, Kevin said. "He was on the travel roster for Wisconsin but didn't play. But we knew it was a matter of time before he played."

The time finally came last week against Minnesota, but the Hahns were at Matt's brother's high school football game on Staten Island, N.Y. When Matt had a 16-yard reception in the second quarter, Kevin Hahn's cell phone started ringing non-stop, and when the family got home, there were several messages on the answering machine.

"There seems to be a lot of excitement around these young guys," Kevin Hahn said.

And why not? The Lions have lost 12 of their last 17 games and it's more encouraging to look toward the future with hope than at the present gloom.

Paterno has even hinted this week that fans may see a few more contagiously youthful freshmen taking off the redshirt and playing Saturday.

"I think you may see some others," Paterno said Tuesday. "I said earlier in the year that I thought the group we brought in was a good one."

It's also clear that Paterno is using this young group to challenge his older players. "Him saying that is challenging the older guys who should be leaders," Guman said. "We were at a point where it's now or never. If we're going to do it, it has to be against Purdue. He just wants guys to step to the front."

Everyone said this group -- along with last year's class -- brings a new attitude, one that indicates a welcome change. "I know what I see in these kids in the last two classes," said James Connor, who is the defensive coordinator at Strath Haven High School, where Dan Connor played. "I see the throwback kind of kids that Penn State used to have. The Friday-Night-Lights [high school football] kind of kids that play football and love doing it.

"What Penn State has in these last two classes right now are performers."

Huh? Talent, youth and dedication, despite a lack of experience?

What a wonderful disease to have.