Paul Posluszny never heard the whispers. Last year's Butkus and Bednarik Award winner didn't hear the rumors that he's lost a step, that he's not the same player he was a season ago.

And, until yesterday, neither had his teammates.

"I disagree with that," fellow linebacker Dan Connor said of the allegations. "I wasn't aware that the criticism was out there."

The speculation began in the press box at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, and spread to Penn State's campus as many students and supporters began worrying that the leader of last year's dominant defense was not the same player he once was.

Some say he's still hurt. Some say he'll never be the same. Others say he's not cut out for Penn State's new defensive system that has him in the middle instead of the outside, where he shut down opposing running backs and receivers the last three years.

All of it is pure speculation, and all the doubters, if Posluszny has anything to say about it, will be silenced in the coming weeks.

"Last year I felt great and this year I feel great," Posluszny said. "I definitely don't feel any different. No one from inside the Penn State football program or my family has said this to me... I don't feel like I've lost a step."

Here are the facts:

-- Posluszny, after playing outside linebacker for three years, is now playing on the inside.

-- The inside spot is, by the admission of Connor and former middle linebacker Tim Shaw, more difficult to adjust to than the outside.

-- With youth around him, Posluszny no longer has the same defensive line and secondary he played with the past two years.

-- Posluszny insists, as he has for weeks, that his knee is fine, and he will be cleared to play without a brace in the near future.

Though Brady Quinn and the Notre Dame offense torched the Nittany Lions in the first half of last week's loss, the defense is not entirely to blame. Time of possession numbers were well in Notre Dame's favor, and Penn State's defense was out there far too long to remain effective against one of the most potent attacks in the nation.

A lasting image for many Penn State fans, though, is of Posluszny, the Lions' captain and leader, taking himself out of the game to catch his breath.

"Against Notre Dame, I'm not gonna lie, I did get tired," Posluszny said. "But that'll happen during the course of the game."

In addition to covering the Fighting Irish backs and tight end John Carlson, Posluszny also had to call out directions for the entire defense before every play, read the offense and make checks in the span between Notre Dame breaking the huddle and snapping the ball.

That, in addition to calling plays in Penn State's huddle, leaves, on average, no more than a moment or two for the All-American to catch his breath in between plays.

"He has a young line in front of him," Connor explained. "His job before was to concentrate on linebackers, but now he has to know every position on defense. Now he has to make checks for positions he has no business making checks for. He's so smart that he can pick that up right away."

If to some it seems as if Posluszny is a step slower physically, it might also be that he now sees increased attention from blockers (especially with only three down linemen in front of him most of the time) and that his pass coverage assignments are completely different.

"All this criticism is very incorrect," Connor said yesterday. "If you watch games, they know Paul's a playmaker, they're gonna double team him in blocking, which will tire you out. If you watch tape and see what he does, you know he makes big plays."

Posluszny recorded 12 tackles on Saturday, tying him with Connor for best on the team. But it was the success of Carlson and Irish running back Darius Walker catching passes in the middle that concerns many.

Whereas he would have helped out on a receiver or a running back coming out in the flat as an outside linebacker, Posluszny must now cover a wide area in the middle and look out for receivers running crossing patterns.

Although it wasn't the case at Notre Dame, in a very short time that may mean very bad things for opposing players coming into the middle.

"This year, with the change of position, it's just a little bit different from what I had to do last year," Posluszny said. "I'm getting more and more comfortable every week. The more you practice, the more you play, the more comfortable you get at the position."