Joe Paterno. Larry Johnson, Sr. Mike McQueary. The Lion Scouts.

Which of these does not belong?

Well, none of them actually.

In fact, all of them can be given some credit for the resurgence of Penn State's football program this season.

Before every home football game, the Lion Scouts meet with prospective Penn State football players and their families to share the student angle on campus life, and, especially in the last few seasons, the results have been overwhelmingly positive.

Impact freshmen such as Derrick Williams and Justin King have been lured to Penn State, bolstering the Nittany Lions to the 8-1 dream season they're having.

"The smiles on their faces, they're all in awe of the sheer volume of fans here," said Kevin Fyock (sophomore-healthy policy and administration).

Fyock said the recruits were blown away by student section response when the Lion Scouts led them onto the field to watch the Nittany Lions warm up before Saturday's win against Purdue.

"Fans scream, 'Play for us!' " he said.

Prior to observing warmups, the recruits on official visits and their families are treated to lunch, where the Lion Scouts assigned to recruiting for the day are present to answer questions and alleviate any concerns the families might have, even before they meet with the coaches.

It's a small-scale step in the recruiting process that is very often overlooked, but could be very crucial.

Although she admits she gets nervous when talking to the families, Michelle Rochkind (sophomore-broadcast journalism) said that the process is really no different from her regular Lion Scout duties.

"I enjoy conveying my enthusiasm and love for this university to others that may not have had the chance to witness it yet," she said. "I feel very lucky."

Brendan Bergquist (junior-animal bioscience), who is in charge of the football recruiting for Lion Scouts, said some of the smallest things can impress a recruit and his family.

As the recruits watched the Penn State team enter Beaver Stadium before the game, the families were amazed by the support of fans -- both young and old -- cheering the team on.

"I was talking with a father, and he said [his family was] down at the University of Virginia, and being here at Penn State was so much better and so much more intense," Bergquist said.

Big recruits for Penn State in the past few seasons -- Williams, King and recent recruiting Class of 2006 commitment Chris Bell -- have all met with their peers before committing to Penn State.

And players such as touted tailback LeSean McCoy and defensive tackle Jared Odrick, who have not committed yet, walked away from Penn State impressed and a little more knowledgeable about the Penn State student section's loud cheers.

Bergquist said it's a great feeling to have such a direct impact on the school, but he also gave most of the credit to the fans.

"The fans played a huge role in making it such a positive experience for them," he said. "They were treating [the recruits] like celebrities."

"I enjoy observing the change in the recruits," Rochkind said. "At the beginning of the game, they don't really seem to care who wins, but typically, by the fourth quarter, they'll be standing up, trying to learn the cheers, participating in the 'Zombie Nation' bounce, and overall becoming a part of the Penn State football experience."