Penn State's incoming defensive linemen learn quickly about Larry Johnson's expectations.
He is the defensive line coach and preaches "Coach Johnson Speed," which is a unique, non-negotiable standard for all of his linemen.
"Well, 'Coach Johnson Speed' is full speed all the time," he said at preseason media day. "I tell them all the time, 'It's not your pace, it's my pace. When I'm satisfied. It's when I think you're playing full speed that I'm good.' "
The linebacker corps is veteran. The secondary has a number of key returnees. But this year's defensive line is young. Penn State will likely rotate seven to eight players on the line, which is why players and coaches shied away from naming a starting four.
Coach Joe Paterno said he's concerned with the defensive line's youth, in addition to the youth of the entire team. Each step has been a learning experience for the untested unit.
And Lesson No. 1 has been keeping up with Johnson.
"Yeah, that's one of the hardest things to do here," defensive tackle Ollie Ogbu said. "Once you get to his level, you're pretty much set. You know how to work hard, you know how to push yourself to get to the next level because Coach Johnson is a very passionate, hard, tough coach."
Ogbu must be a quick learner. He was one of the summer's most impressive performers, coaches and players said. Citing his quickness and pash-rush ability, Johnson compared Ogbu to former Lion Anthony Adams, who plays for the Chicago Bears.
"I don't want to jinx him," Johnson said, "but he's really had a special preseason that we haven't seen from a guy who hasn't played a snap yet."
That's the catch: Ogbu's never played a down of college football; he redshirted last season.
Defensive end Josh Gaines is the only returnee who started a game last year. While players like Jared Odrick and Maurice Evans have seen game action, Johnson still has had a lot to teach.
Johnson wakes at 6 a.m. and downs vitamins and water. No coffee. He leaves his office at 10 p.m. And in between, he exudes enthusiasm, hoping it will be contagious.
"The energy that I have is the energy that they're going to feel," he said. "I walk out every day with high energy so they don't have a chance to say, 'This is the kind of day I'm going to take off.' Well, no, no. This is not one of those days."
That's what he means when he harps on "Coach Johnson Speed."
By the time the season opener rolls around, Johnson hopes the defensive line has met his expectations. But few, he said, understand what he means when they're new in the system. For example, he said, Tamba Hali was one of the few who arrived with the tenacity to get to the ball on every play.
Johnson tries to extrapolate that lesson to life. He'll sometimes pull players into his office and offer an inspirational quote or passage from a book. Anything for motivation on and off the field.
"It's about life," he said. "That's the most important. You can't just feed football. It's got to relate to life."
Something seemed to stick with Ogbu, who said, "You gotta attack every small task you do 100 percent."
Well, he was asked, "What else in life do you attack 100 percent?"
"Attacking it 100 percent?" said Ogbu. He paused, then cracked into laughter and said: "I would say, going out, hanging out at the pool. Relaxing. Yeah, I guess you attack it 100 percent."
Injury report
Defensive tackle Abe Koroma, who was competing for a starting role, broke the fifth metatarsal in one of his feet and is likely out four to five games, he said yesterday.
Koroma, a 6-foot-3, 312-pound redshirt freshman, was being doubled-teamed in practice when the bone snapped, he said.
The fifth metatarsal is a small bone connected to the pinkie toe.
Assuming Koroma returns after four or five games, he will not qualify for a medical redshirt. To qualify for the NCAA's medical hardship waiver, he cannot play in more than 20 percent of games in a given season.
Weighing in
Defensive tackle Phil Taylor missed time with a sprained knee earlier this spring.
Coaches want him down to about 320 pounds; the closest he's been tis summer is 327.
Defensive end Aaron Maybin gained 22 pounds this summer and is up to 251.
On the inside
Odrick has seen reps at the three-tech position, which is a defensive tackle often shaded to the strong side.
Unlike the nose guard over center, or one-technique, the three-technique lines up against either offensive guard and often has more space inside.
