Cornerback Alan Zemaitis has a memo for the offense: show me a little something I like in these last two games, so I can be excited about next fall.

"If they come out these two games with execution, I'm gonna be real optimistic for next year," he said. "If we only score seven points, that's not gonna have me feeling good about next year."

He has a right to be concerned, of course, because in Big Ten games, Penn State's offense scores, on average, less than a touchdown. And even though these last two games are, in many ways, meaningless, they are important in the sense that any type of offensive success would provide some semblance of confidence heading into the offseason.

The converse -- a winter of discontent -- is a poor fate the team knows all too well, as it ended the 2003 season with a demoralizing 41-10 defeat at the hands of Michigan State.

"We need to let the team know that the hard work has paid off and to continue to work hard and hustle and do things right," utility player Michael Robinson said. "One of the things that hurt us last year was having a big loss to Michigan State at the end; the morale was down."

Not that the morale isn't down now -- a 2-7 record will do that to a team. But in terms of regrouping come springtime, though the players give the line that they have to be upbeat, it's hard when there's nothing off of which to thrive. And that was clear when sophomore linebacker Paul Posluszny was asked if trying to be positive gets hard.

"If things don't work out, regardless, we still have to be really positive," he said. "I'm not sure. It's going to be difficult as it is with the amount of games we lost this year."

Of course, there are the practices in which, reportedly, the offense looks good -- Zemaitis was sure to note that senior wide receiver Ryan Scott was "catching every ball with a lot of zip out there" during practice this week. But until that translates into gametime performance, under all the pressures of a football Saturday, including a watchful public, it's hard to say that means anything.

"I'm not optimistic 'till I see something different on the other side of the ball," Zemaitis said. "On defense, there's no shadow of a doubt, we'll handle our business. I'm not saying anything 'till I see something that's gonna change my mind."

And of this much the offense is aware. While the players assert that there haven't been any locker room blowouts, there have been the half-serious jabs -- Robinson, who lives with Zemaitis and defensive end Matthew Rice, acknowledged these.

"You would think some defensive guys get mad at offensive guys," Robinson said. "I live with two defensive guys, and sometimes they give me the business like, 'Hey, get the offense to step up.' I know its mostly joking -- but not all."

To get the digs to stop, he should know, there is one simple key: grant Zemaitis' wish.

"I wanna see something that's gonna turn my head," Zemaitis said. "I just wish, and I hope."