Two games into the season, Deon Butler only has four catches. But because just two games have been played, Butler's not worried.
"I don't think we've opened up the whole playbook," Butler said yesterday, adding the coaching staff wants to keep the plays simple to minimize mistakes. "We missed some blocks or routes or reads. ... That being said, the offense can be explosive with the playbook we have now if we just minimize our mistakes."
Butler is among three Nittany Lion wideouts who caught at least 40 passes last season, the first trio of Penn State players ever to do so. Butler led with 48 catches followed by Jordan Norwood (45) and Derrick Williams (40).
Butler knows an offense designed to spread the ball around is a good thing, and those receptions will come eventually. If Anthony Morelli sometimes finds a wideout besides him, it's fine.
"Teams are definitely taking notice of our wide receiving corps," Butler said. "We have guys like Terrell [Golden] and Chris Bell. Once we get our whole offense clicking and in tune, you'll see the talent this receiving corps really has."
Golden, a tri-captain, has seen increased playing time so far in his senior season. He has six catches, two less than he had all of last year.
Bell, a sophomore who Penn State coaches and players said in preseason was poised for a productive year, caught Morelli's longest completion against Notre Dame, a 51-yard laser that set up a Norwood touchdown grab.
And Golden and Bell are merely the Lions' backups at wideout.
Starting last week, the athletic department began listing three wideout starters -- Butler, Norwood and Williams -- on the Penn State depth chart instead of the traditional two. Gone from the listed starting lineup is fullback Matt Hahn.
"Everybody has to pay more attention to the receivers," Williams said. "There's so many weapons out there. You can tell some [opponents] are worried about our speed."
Through two games, Norwood has eight catches for 112 yards. Williams has six for 45 yards and Butler's four catches have covered 82 yards.
Now, the Lions will add talented tight end Andrew Quarless to their lineup after Joe Paterno ended Quarless' indefinite suspension this week.
"I was just joking with him," Butler said of Quarless. "He's going to come steal all our passes now," before adding that Quarless also took touchdown opportunities away from him last year.
Quarless and Butler each scored twice last season. Against Buffalo on Saturday, Butler is looking for anyone and everyone to find the end zone.
"I'd like to see us score early and often," Butler said. "We just gotta learn to be patient. But with the talent we have we can put up 20 points in the first quarter and not have to wait to the fourth quarter."
