Due to Penn State's usual ban on true freshmen talking the media, when Sports Information Director Jeff Nelson paraded Jordan Norwood into the miniscule tent that served as Ryan Field's visitor's media room, the eyes of the every scribe in the area locked onto the young receiver.

Interviews already in progress were hastily concluded, folders on recorders were changed and, within seconds, Norwood was surrounded by a crowd of media anxious to know just how he, all of the sudden, broke out of his relative anonymity to make five catches for 83 yards.

Then Nelson returned with Norwood's classmate Derrick Williams, and the crowd cleared like they suddenly found out that Norwood had some contagious disease.

Norwood just smiled and laughed.

"We knew he could play," cornerback Anwar Phillips said. "He just established to everyone else that he could play."

The baby-faced Norwood's performance proved his worth beyond any reasonable doubt, and heading into this Saturday's game against Minnesota and its high-powered offense, the Nittany Lions will need all of the offensive weapons it can get.

"He brings a lot. He just adds another receiver that can come in and make clutch plays; you can't have too many receivers making clutch plays," Phillips said. "It helps our offense because that's another guy that Minnesota and teams that we play will have to scout and figure out all of his techniques."

Entering the season, all of the hype about the freshman class centered on Williams and Justin King.

The first three weeks of the season suggested that redshirt freshman Deon Butler was a capable playmaker who would be able to complement his more hyped counterparts.

Last weekend it was Norwood's turn, and the youngster who enrolled last spring with Williams and King didn't disappoint.

"He's a great route runner; he's always gonna be at the same spot where you practice at," quarterback Michael Robinson said. "He's deceivingly fast, and that's why he's been making plays. He brings a lot to us as far as getting open."

Norwood saw much more playing time last weekend than he had in the first three weeks of the season and showed that in addition to running crisp, precise routes, he also has a pretty good set of hands.

On one play, Norwood nearly dropped a pass along the sidelines but recovered and reached behind himself to snag the ball while showing the poise to keep his feet in bounds.

Norwood also showed an uncommon amount of poise for a freshman by making his catches in the timeliest of situations.

Of Norwood's five catches, four went for first downs, and two came with the Lions facing third down-and-long.

Derrick Williams wasn't surprised.

Penn State's first four games have all been marked by freshmen playing beyond their years.

"With me and Justin and all the other freshmen like Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood, we came here, and we're making plays," Williams said. "We're catching the ball."

Norwood may have shown that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as his classmates, but admitted that his first big game was still a thrill.

"I'm just excited," Norwood said. "We've got a lot of great receivers, and I'm just glad that I had a chance to be on the field. It felt good."