Heading into the 2006 season, the big question surrounding Penn State was whether a defense that lost an entire secondary and three-quarters of its defensive line could hold up through an entire Big Ten schedule, not whether the Nittany Lion offense could provide enough firepower.

After all, the Lions supposedly had all the parts necessary for an explosive offense. Rocket-armed Anthony Morelli could throw to any receiver in a heralded group that includes Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood, and senior running back Tony Hunt was back to punish defenses once more.

Now, nine games into the season, Penn State ranks ninth in the Big Ten in scoring offense at just 22.6 points per game. Meanwhile, the defense ranks fourth in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 16.8 points per game.

The scenario has brought comparisons to the 2004 season, when the Lions boasted a dominant defense but an offense that mustered just 17.7 points per game.

But what exactly is wrong with the Penn State offense? After watching the unit struggle for nine weeks, The Daily Collegian has detailed five areas of concern.

PLAYCALLING

Penn State's conservative playcalling has proven to be its most pressing concern, as it fails to effectively harness the team's talents. The coaches haven't utilized Anthony Morelli's strong arm, nor have they taken advantage of their receivers' capabilities. Passes downfield have been few and far between, and the middle of the field is a virtual wasteland with this offense. Through it all, the Lions' offense has become a predictable machine.

Key Statistic: Against Purdue, in 3rd-and-short (two yards or less) situations, there were seven plays and seven runs. In 3rd-and-long (five yards or more) situations, the Lions passed nine times and ran once -- prior to running the clock out.

Quotable: Williams talking about opposing defenses before the Michigan game: "It's more focused on me. When I line up in the backfield or go in motion, they yell, 'Watch No. 2.' "

RED ZONE OFFENSE

It's a combination of many things, but the Lions' success inside the red zone has been severely limited. With their predictability and passing struggles, Penn State only goes as far inside the 20 as Hunt can take it. Morelli has thrown just two touchdown passes inside the red zone.

Key Statistic: Penn State has scored two red zone touchdowns in the last three weeks, during which it played Illinois and Purdue.

Quotable: Joe Paterno on red zone struggles this week: "I don't know what we can do besides do what we have done. We have made mistakes, and it is kind of discouraging."

RECEIVERS

While Penn State's receivers haven't been given the best opportunities to succeed, they have not caught all the passes thrown their way. Drops have been frequent, as even the sure-handed Norwood has had difficulty catching the ball recently. Morelli was forced to throw the ball away several times against Purdue, as his wideouts failed to escape Boilermaker defenders.

Key Statistic: Only once this season have two or more wideouts had more than 50 receiving yards in one game. That came against Minnesota when Williams had 95 yards, Norwood 76 and Butler 66.

Quotable: Norwood on dropped passes: "If anything, it's more trying to make plays. Everyone is aware that it's uncharacteristic. It's not a matter of concentration as it is that we really want to make a play."

OFFENSIVE LINE

Nearly 10 weeks into the season, Penn State's offensive line has proven to be inconsistent, turning in a shaky performance one week and a gem the next. Constant shifts in the starting lineup have factored into the Lions' struggles, but the core group has been unable to develop a sense of cohesion.

Key Statistic: In the passing game, Penn State's offensive line ranks 49th nationally in terms of sacks allowed. But in the running game, the Lions are ranked No. 110 out of 119 teams in terms of allowing tackles for a loss -- the nine teams under them are 5-31 in conference play.

Quotable: Brown on the offensive line's performance against Illinois. "We came out flat in the first half and they came with a lot of blitzes early. I didn't feel like most guys out there -- including myself -- were making the second effort to get on blocks and things like that. You can't have that if you want to win games."

QUARTERBACK

At times, Morelli has been criticized for focusing on his primary target, failing to run through all his options. That's led to Morelli making several questionable decisions. His accuracy has also been an issue.

Key Statistic: Morelli has thrown six interceptions and just seven touchdowns. That's good for the worst touchdown-to-interception ratio in the conference.

Quotable: Paterno prior to Penn State's game against Ohio State: "Anthony's biggest problem is that he has so much confidence in his arm, that we hit a couple of big ones and then he wants to throw the ball deep. The big thing we have tried to do is to get him to concentrate on getting the ball underneath a little bit more ... "