To hear Penn State linebacker Dan Connor tell it, getting back into Joe Paterno's good graces after a precipitous fall is not that hard.

All one has to do is work hard, take it game by game, stay focused on football and things will work out.

Funny, that's a refrain that has been heard a lot around the program in the aftermath of the Nittany Lions' last second loss to Michigan.

"There is definitely a parallel," Connor said. "When I got into trouble I think it's going to help me on the field, off the field, in life. It will help me get through tough times, a loss, an injury, things like that."

The Lions would be fortunate to come back from their loss with the same passion and intensity with which Connor returned from his offseason suspension. In fact, even on a team rich in senior leadership, a revitalized Connor could be one of the biggest factors in make sure that Penn State does just that.

Various players have said this week that the Michigan game taught the team a number of lessons, most notably that even after facing adversity, it has to keep is collective head up and claw back.

Connor knows all about that.

Entering the season, Connor was expected to team with Paul Posluszny and Tim Shaw to make up one of the best linebacker units in the Big Ten, if not in the country. But after an offseason that was generally sunny for Penn State football, the athletic department announced that Connor had been suspended indefinitely for his involvement in a series of prank phone calls that escalated into harassment.

The same day, it was announced that wideout Mark Rubin would miss the season with a dislocated ankle. Three days later, in another release, the athletic department announced that senior defensive end LaVon Chisley was academically ineligible and was no longer on the roster.

As the team attempted to move on and get past losing three key players, Connor attempted to move on and face the consequences of his actions, which included an undesirable vacation from football.

"It was tough not being able to play, having to watch the games on TV and stuff like that," Connor said. "But it was really a learning experience for me and it made me stronger. I think it made me a better player."

Paterno was mum on the Connor situation all throughout fall practice, but made it clear that he was disappointed in the former prep star from Wallingford, saying that Connor would have to re-earn his spot in the starting lineup.

"I'm not sure he's better than the guys ahead of him," Paterno said at the time.

Connor was in trouble with more than just his bespectacled coach, though. Penn State's Office of Judicial Affairs finally handed down its punishment for the incidents which took place during the spring semester, deciding on a deferred 10-day expulsion and 20 hours of community service.

After Connor submitted a written apology to the prank call victim and completed the prescribed community service before the 10-day period ended, the university modified his sanctions so that he could resume practice.

Connor returned to practice Sept. 13, prior to the Central Michigan game, but was not permitted to publicly represent the university until the lapse of his expulsion on Sept. 18.

He made his return to competition during Penn State's come-from-behind victory over Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., making five tackles, but didn't look completely comfortable.

It was obvious that Connor's adrenaline was running a bit too high, as he overran numerous plays and was caught out of position by the Wildcats.

It was only a week later, in Penn State's mauling of Minnesota, that Connor started to resemble the aggressive, ball-hawking dervish that endeared himself to Penn State fans with his excellent freshman season last fall.

"I felt good at Minnesota, I felt my legs were back and I felt back in the flow of the game," Connor said. "Each game I feel more and more comfortable and I'm making more and more plays."

Connor looked even more comfortable the next Saturday during Penn State's upset of Ohio State, where he was second on the team in tackles with 12, including an emphatic sack of Buckeye quarterback Troy Smith.

"It's a huge asset for us to have him back. He's such a great playmaker and he played one of his best games in one of the toughest circumstances," fellow linebacker Paul Posluszny said of Connor's performance in last weekend's loss to Michigan. "He can do so many things on the field, he's a playmaker and he's always getting to the ball."

But now, in the wake of his team's first defeat, Connor is trying to help his teammates deal with a situation that in some strange way resembles the one he found himself in this fall.

"I think he definitely handled it like a man, he didn't complain about it or anything. He took his punishment and waited his turn to get back on the field," Posluszny said. "Even though it's unfortunate what happened to him, he's playing great football right now."

Connor being back on the field has certainly been a boon for his defense, and there is no doubt that following the events of last weekend, the Lions are anxious to get their turn on the field come Saturday against Illinois.

It shouldn't be too hard for them to get back on track -- all they have to do is follow the blueprint that Connor followed to get back into his coaches' good graces.

"Going through a lot of turmoil, people being disappointed in you and having to persevere," Connor said. "That is the main thing, learning to persevere through tough times."