PASADENA, Calif. -- Video camera lights illuminated USC quarterback Mark Sanchez in the USC locker room while Daryll Clark stood in relative darkness in the hallway outside of Penn State's.
Sanchez -- who had a career day against Penn State and was named offensive player of the game -- could not definitively discuss his future in college football.
Clark could.
"You've gotta take control next year," Clark said. "I'm taking full responsibility for next year. I'm well aware of what has to go down and I'm ready to handle the business."
Despite his team's loss in the Rose Bowl, Clark played well for the Nittany Lions. He threw two interceptions -- one was tipped by a defender, the other a desperation heave in the final seconds -- but completed 58 percent of his throws, the majority of them while under pressure.
When he rolled out on bootlegs, Clark was often forced to set his feet quickly or throw off balance. USC linebacker Rey Maualuga said earlier in the week that he would shadow the Penn State quarterback throughout the game.
Despite the pressure, Clark threw for two touchdowns, rushed for another score and set a bowl record for Penn State with 273 passing yards.
After the game, Clark -- who will return next season for his final year -- talked about trying to duplicate the success he had in his first year as starter without the supporting cast next season.
On the offensive side of the ball, Clark will be without three-fifths of his line, including tackle Gerald Cadogan and guard Rich Ohrnberger who protected the quarterback's blind side. A.Q. Shipley will also not be back.
Shipley won the Rimington Award, given to the nation's best center, and acted as close counsel to Clark at times the quarterback struggled this season.
"I'm going to miss all the seniors, man," Clark said. "A.Q., Rich, Gerald, those guys. I've never been closer to another senior class than that one man, so I think those guys being around is what I'm going to miss."
Sanchez said he would also miss his Trojan teammates if he decides to leave the program. After throwing for 413 yards and four touchdowns, Sanchez improved his stock with NFL scouts and could enter April's NFL Draft. As his teammates celebrated in the locker room, Sanchez said he is still undecided about his NFL future. The quarterback has another year of eligibility left with the Trojans.
If Sanchez does decide to return, he will also be without a few teammates, but said his biggest losses would be offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and quarterback assistant coach Yogi Roth. Neither will return to USC.
Sanchez said he knew his coaches would have a hard time saying goodbye to the USC program and admitted he would too.
"I'll leave that until later," Sanchez said of his decision to enter the NFL Draft. "I'm going to go celebrate. I've got to go shave immediately, my family wasn't happy about that. It was something special to be a part of."
Clark said he is hoping next year will be a special year, even without senior wideouts Jordan Norwood, Deon Butler and Derrick Williams, who all played for the final time
for Penn State on New Year's Day. The quarterback relied on each receiver almost equally throughout the year.
Butler caught 47 balls, Williams 45 and Norwood made 41 grabs.
"Those guys did a great job making sure we were ready each and every game," Clark said of the seniors. "And those guys have done a great job of keeping everyone together, working hard. When we didn't feel like working, we worked anyway. I'm just going to miss them being around, the laughs, the jokes, those guys were very vocal out on the field."
