Jordan Norwood is OK with being referred to as being part of the three musketeers.
But please, don't call Norwood a smurf.
"Thank you for bringing that to my attention," Norwood said jokingly after hearing some refer to the Lions receivers as the smurfs.
Later on, Norwood conceded that shots at his size -- or lack thereof -- are appropriate.
No matter his 5-foot-11 height, Norwood can also be called another word that begins with "s": successful.
Norwood is fourth on Penn State's career receptions list with 117.
And a sizable chunk of those receptions have come when the State College product has gone over the middle of the field, setting himself up for a nasty hit.
"Whether I drop it or catch it, I'm gonna get hit," Norwood said, "so I might as well go ahead and catch it."
True enough.
Norwood wasn't worked too hard in Saturday's season opener against Coastal Carolina with four receptions for 74 yards.
In typical Norwood fashion, one of those catches was over the middle.
Penn State faced a third-and-13, and Norwood nearly leapt out of his shoes to come down with the 23-yard reception.
This time, Norwood avoided a clean hit.
"I knew he was gonna get it," quarterback Daryll Clark said. "I wanted to make sure I dropped it in on time, not too high, not too low, not to the left or not to the right. ... Jordan is a guy who runs very good routes, and he gets himself open almost all the time."
He was there for Pat Devlin when Devlin lofted a 40-yard pass for the first completion of his collegiate career.
"Nothing better than Jordan running wide open," Devlin said.
He was also there for Joe Paterno when Penn State desperately needed playmakers.
Penn State was coming off two consecutive losing seasons, lowlighted by poor skill position players. Receivers Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Norwood were all freshmen on the 2005 team, and the trio that has been the core of the offense the past four seasons infused ability.
Penn State is 29-9 since.
Williams' exploits out of high school were well known, but Butler's and Norwood's talents were hidden.
Butler was a walk-on. Norwood took a grayshirt, enrolling after Paterno convinced the staff to take Norwood.
Paterno watched Norwood play point guard on State College's state championship team and was impressed by Norwood's hands, vision and vertical.
"I suggested we go after him because he was a great student and a good kid," Paterno said. "So we went back after him, and it's turned out to be really good. I thought he would be."
