The Skinny

Penn State	The Skinny	Akron
Quarterback
	Akron quarterback Luke Getsy is fifth in the nation in career passing yards among returning signal callers. “He can do a lot of things,” Joe Paterno said. Anthony Morelli makes his first start for Penn State, which is expecting big things out of the junior with what has been described as a cannon for an arm. Akron coach J.D. Brookhart says Morelli throws the ball as hard as anyone he’s ever seen. Will Morelli throw to the appropriate targets for a positive result? On this day, yes.
Running Backs
	Senior tailback Tony Hunt returns to carry the bulk of the rushing load for the Nittany Lions. Reserve backs Austin Scott and Rodney Kinlaw were both dinged up during preseason practices. Kinlaw will play today, but as of Tuesday, Scott’s status remains up in the air. Scott’s mobility was limited in Monday’s practice, as his injured ankle has not yet fully healed. Dennis Kennedy will start in Akron’s backfield, though his backup is injured — leaving a true freshman as his top reserve.
Receivers
	Akron lost two of the most productive pass-catchers in its football history during the offseason. Jabari Arthur is the top returning receiver for the Zips, coming off a breakout game in the Motor City Bowl in which he collected eight catches for 180 yards. The Lions return Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood to create one of the most talented groups of receivers in the Big Ten. Akron’s 3-5-3 defense will keep smaller, quicker “hyrbid linebackers” on the field to combat Penn State’s slot receivers.
Offensive Line
	Including the tight end position, Penn State will feature five new starters on the offensive line. All-America tackle Levi Brown returns, but Paterno is still nervous. “I think they’re all going to have troubles,” Paterno said of the new starters, who must go up against an unconventional odd-man front with plenty of stunts. Akron, on the other hand, returns all five linemen as well as starting tight end Kris Kasparek.
Defensive Line
	Akron plays with three down lineman, the best of which might be Kiki Gonzalez, a 300-pounder who mans the middle. “They come at you from every direction and every way,” Paterno said of the three-man defensive front. On the Penn State side, Ed Johnson and Jay Alford should be solid at stuffing the run and disrupting Akron’s plans up the middle. The question mark is at the ends, where Jim Shaw and Josh Gaines must make Getsy uncomfortable.
Linebackers
	The Lions have one of the top few linebacking units in the country with Paul Posluszny, Tim Shaw and Dan Connor returning. The linebackers could make tomorrow a long day for Getsy, Kennedy and Kasparek — especially if the defensive line keeps the Zips blockers occupied. The Zips, with their “hybrid linebackers,” may do well in coverage, but their limited size will not help in defending against the Penn State rushing attack.
Defensive Backs
	Akron’s pass defense was No. 16 in the country last year, and returns four of its five starters from its unconventional secondary. Penn State’s defensive backfield has undergone a makeover from last year, with no starters returning from one of the most experienced secondaries in the nation. Even so, Tony Davis and Justin King should be able to stick with Akron’s receivers, while Derrick Williams and Deon Butler might just blow right by Akron’s secondary — regardless of what defense it employs.
Special Teams
	Akron’s kicker, punter and main return man from 2005 are no longer on the squad, while each of those positions for Penn State brings back an experienced player from last year. Kevin Kelly has put his Orange Bowl troubles behind him. Jeremy Kapinos returns as one of the unsung heroes of the Lions defense, ready to pin opponents deep in their own territory. Derrick Williams, Rodney Kinlaw and Anthony Scirotto will be back to return kicks and punts.
Coaches
	Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley has been working for months to get his new starters along the defensive line and secondary prepared for action, and the West Coast offense of the Zips should be good preparation for the type of attack that Charlie Weis wil be using next week as the Lions take on Notre Dame. Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart is entering his third season and will try to take advantage of Akron’s experience on offense against Penn State’s inexperience on defense.
Intangibles
	Everyone has great things to say about Akron and how far its program has come since the last meeting between these teams two years ago. Penn State, though, has also come a long way from September 2004, and, despite some inexperience, should use its superior size and talent and the Beaver Stadium crowd to its advantage. The Lions have won 13 of their last 15 season openers, and 33 of their 40 under Joe Paterno.