Maurice Evans is feeling good.
"You just gotta have the swagger," he said. "You can't go on the field scared. You gotta go out there with a sort of swagger."
Confidence, so far, has translated into success for the smack-talking sack artist.
Evans, a defensive end who had two sacks in a breakout performance against Iowa, should be vital again this weekend against Wisconsin's multifaceted offense. The Badgers have one of the conference's most punishing tailbacks, P.J. Hill, and a passing attack that fits anything but the Big Ten's three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust image of yesteryear.
The sophomore has taken up a bigger role this season, adjusting to his responsibility among the eight-man rotation on a young defensive line. So far, Evans has stood out. In fact, he's currently tied for fifth nationally in tackles for loss (1.38 per game). And he's done it with supreme confidence.
An admittedly quiet kid off the field, Evans has developed a bit of a reputation around teammates for his playful banter.
"He reminds me of, like, a [defensive back] mentality, like the arrogance or swagger mentality," cornerback Justin King said. "He talks with the best of them."
He'll go as far as to announce to teammates exactly what he's going to do on the next play.
"He's quick. He's fast," King said. "He's a very, very athletic defensive lineman. He knows it. He knows how athletic he is."
Evans was among a handful of big-time prospects who committed to the Nittany Lions after the 2005 season, a recruiting class regarded as a coupe for Penn State. Evans was a gem in the class, a speed rusher from Joe Paterno's old stomping grounds.
"He tells me how he used to run Brooklyn back in the day," Evans said. "How the area was tougher than mine things like that."
But it's clear that Evans is coming into his own.
He shredded the Iowa offensive line, impacting plays even when he wasn't responsible for making the tackle because he's been disruptive in the backfield.
This weekend might be different, given the strength of Wisconsin's offense. In particular, the Badgers have a talented offensive line, which has done well cracking gaps for Hill.
In large part, it will fall on Evans to once again be a difference-maker among the front four. He's currently the fourth leading tackler on the team, making him first among defensive lineman.
He leads the defense in total sacks (5) and tackles for loss (11).
His play has even drawn comparisons to Tamba Hali, a former standout Lion defensive end selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. He said he's not exactly comfortable with comparisons just yet. But that didn't stop teammates this week.
"He's going to perform every single game," linebacker Dan Connor said of
