September 22, 2012 at 9:41 PM

Bill O’Brien has worked with Matt McGloin for less than a year. Luckily for the coach, he only has to tell the quarterback something once, and he gets it.

McGloin completed 66 percent of his passes for 318 yards Saturday in Penn State’s 24-13 victory over Temple. He also rushed for two touchdowns in what he called one of the best games of his career.

“I’m doing what I know about the game of football, and that’s take what the defense gives me and control the game and throw to the open guy,” McGloin said. “I don’t feel like I have to force myself to stay out there.”

McGloin spread the ball out all over the field as he hit nine different receivers, four receivers for three completions or more. O’Brien said his decision making skills have improved.

“I really like the way he keeps his poise,” O’Brien said. “He kept his poise today a lot better than I did. That was really good to see. It was just a good ball game by that.”

McGloin added that he doesn’t feel like he has to force passes anymore to keep his job. The days of Rob Bolden and Kevin Newsome peaking over his shoulder are long behind him.

Now, he said he can use his experience to help slow the game down.

“When you’re splitting time with anybody, you try to impress,” McGloin said. “But that’s in the past. I definitely think today was one of the better games of my career.”