Tyler Reed wants Saturday to be the day Penn State proves it can run the football.

"Any offensive lineman will tell you they like to show they can run the ball at people," the senior guard said. "I think we might have a chance to prove it this week."

The Nittany Lions offensive line has been subject to a lot of criticism in the first few games of this season, but it has a chance to bloom against Minnesota on Saturday.

Finally, after pining away in the bowels of the depth chart for assorted offseason lapses in judgment, the starting line from last year is back together.

Reed was the first to return, during the second quarter of the first game of the season. He and center E.Z. Smith were the two starters forced to miss much of the spring (and, in Smith's case, summer) workouts because of disciplinary actions.

Smith finally saw game time last week against Northwestern, coming in shortly after the Lions were behind.

"He came in there in the second quarter and he got the job done," Reed said. "What he does really well is recognize the defense and little things that defenses are doing."

The line was markedly more consistent once Smith entered the lineup, too. On the final drive of the game, quarterback Michael Robinson was given ample throwing time in the pocket.

Coach Joe Paterno said that there is finally some depth on the offensive line, which is advantageous vs. Minnesota's defense.

"This week will be a challenge with a little different defensive scheme than we have been looking at," Paterno said.

The Golden Gophers' two most experienced defensive linemen are their two tackles, both seniors. Nose tackle Anthony Montgomery generates a massive push off the ball, thanks to his massive 6-foot-5, 310 pound frame, and the other tackle, Mark Losli, is taller at 6-foot-6, 295 pounds. That's a lot of Minnesota, run-stopping beef.

Everyone knows Paterno loves to run the football, but since Penn State got behind early last week, depending on the run wasn't really an option.

"We needed to catch up somehow," tight end Isaac Smolko said. "If we get a lead this week, I definitely see us trying to run more."

The Wildcats didn't try to blitz Robinson too much last week, choosing instead to rush the ends and contain the middle in order to prevent Robinson's happy feet from blowing the game wide open.

The result was plenty of time to throw, but more tipped passes than Robinson probably would have preferred.

"It's important to find throwing lanes on the underneath routes," Robinson said. "If the guy is open I have to be able to hit him."

Because Robinson gives the Lions option-running potential, this is the second week in a row the Gophers defense gets to play "assignment football." Last week, against Purdue the Gophers defense was able to contain running back Jerod Void, quarterback Brandon Kirsch and their version of the option.

"When you talk about option football the whole deal is to get one person doing the wrong thing," Gophers linebacker John Shevlin said. "And once that happens then that's when a big play pops. If one person doesn't dive, that's going to pop for 40 yards. It's everyone knowing who has the dive, who has the pitch and the quarterback. You just have to be disciplined and know that this is going to carry over from last week to this week."

Paterno wasn't going to say if the option was going to be in his game plan for Saturday, but he did say the Lions success on the scoreboard will depend on the offensive line.

"I think we are getting better," Paterno said. "But we will have to see."