Bernard Fernandez: The Nittany Line: Clark could find spot on Heisman list

IF THERE IS a lesson to be learned from this week's elections, it's that it isn't always possible to spend your way into high office. Several multimillionaire candidates who sank sizable chunks of their personal fortunes into their campaigns were observed giving late-night concession speeches to comparatively underfunded victors.

College football should have come to that realization in 2001, when Oregon splurged for a 10-story, $250,000 billboard in midtown Manhattan to hype the Heisman Trophy prospects of quarterback Joey Harrington. The award that year instead went to Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch.

Heading into this season, the prevailing wisdom was that the 2009 Heisman would go to one of three highly accomplished quarterbacks: Florida's Tim Tebow (the 2007 winner), Texas' Colt McCoy or Oklahoma's Sam Bradford (the 2008 winner).

But things haven't gone quite as expected. Bradford twice injured his passing shoulder and is out of contention. McCoy and Tebow continue to perform well for undefeated teams, but their personal statistics are down.

That has opened the door for some preseason longshots, among them Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore, Houston quarterback Case Keenum and even Pitt freshman running back Dion Lewis.

Should Penn State senior quarterback Daryll Clark go crazy in tomorrow's nationally televised game against Ohio State, leading the 11th-ranked Nittany Lions past the 15th-ranked Buckeyes, it could have the effect of getting his name more into the conversation, too.

In an online video blog, ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg suggested that the 826 media members who comprise the Heisman electorate take a longer look at Clark, who already has or soon will set several school single-season and career passing and total offense records.

"The more I look at the numbers and the more I look at a race that really no one seems to want to take charge of, I think Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark deserves some consideration," Rittenberg said.

Even Penn State coach Joe Paterno, whose idea of lavish praise is to describe someone as a good football player, has come out as much as he ever has for Clark.

"I've said time and again that Daryll Clark has been an outstanding performer for us," Paterno said this week when asked about Clark's Heisman chances. "But I don't see all the other guys people are talking about. Every week it's a new list.

"Daryll Clark's one heck of a football player. He's been a great leader, a great competitor. I'm not sure he's getting the kind of acclaim he should. Where does that put him in the so-called Heisman race? I don't know. We've got some games to play, and so do the other [contenders]. At the end of the year, whoever does the deciding can vote and make that decision."

For his part, Clark is downplaying any Heisman talk.

"Whatever happens, happens," he said. "I've never been a guy to play for national accolades. As long as our team is winning games, and I'm doing everything I can to help, I'm fine with that."

Don't expect Penn State to hurriedly pony up a quarter-mill for a Harrington-sized billboard in New York. That's not how they do things in Happy Valley.

"Primarily we e-mail notes and information to voters on the various selection committees," said Jeff Nelson, Penn State's assistant athletic director for communications. "Now that we're getting deeper into November, we'll make more of a push for our guys we think should be considered for All-America.

"It's all part of the way coach Paterno has run the program through the years. If we feel we have someone we want to actively promote in some fashion, we will discuss that. But, really, the most effective way is for our guys to play well, and to play well in big games on TV."

Penn State's sole Heisman winner is tailback John Cappelletti, the Monsignor Bonner High product who rushed for 1,522 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in winning college football's most prestigious individual award in 1973.

Clark has been projected as a sixth- or seventh-round NFL draft choice, but Cappelletti, in an interview several years ago, said the likelihood of pro stardom should not be a consideration for the Heisman.

"It's not about the next level," Cappelletti said. "It's a college award, for the college game, which is different and always has been. The Heisman is not the NFL draft award."

* The team that commits the fewest (or the least costly) turnovers will win.

* Favorable field position will be huge, which puts an emphasis on special-teams play.

* Daryll Clark will outperform Ohio State sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who is nursing a variety of nagging injuries.

Who: No. 15 Ohio State at No. 11 Penn State

When: Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m.

Where: Beaver Stadium, State College

TV: Channel 6

Radio: WNTP (990-AM); WPNV (1440-AM)

Records: Ohio State 7-2, 4-1 Big Ten; Penn State 8-1, 4-1 Big Ten

History: The series is tied, 12-12. In last year's game in Columbus, the Nittany Lions took advantage of a late fumble to drive for the winning touchdown in a 13-6 victory.

Coaches: Jim Tressel (ninth year at Ohio State, 90-21; 24th year overall, 225-78-2); Joe Paterno (44th year, 391-128-3)

About Ohio State: By winning out against Penn State, Iowa and Michigan, the Buckeyes will claim at least a share of their fifth straight Big Ten championship and secure a berth in the Rose Bowl . . . It was a big blow when senior placekicker Aaron Pettrey was injured in last week's rout of New Mexico State, which will cause him to miss at least the remainder of the regular season. Pettrey was the highest-rated kicker on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s 2010 NFL draft board . . . Backup quarterback Joe Bauserman is a former righthanded starting pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system . . . The Buckeyes' defense has registered three shutouts this season, against Toledo (38-0), Illinois (30-0) and New Mexico State (45-0).

About Penn State: This will be the 300th game at the current Beaver Stadium, which opened in 1960. The Nits are 241-58 there . . . Quarterback Daryll Clark is 19-3 as a starter, but he might not be disposed to count his role in last season's 13-6 victory at Ohio State. Clark suffered a concussion late in the third quarter and wasn't on the field for the winning drive, which was scored on a 1-yard sneak by backup Pat Devlin, who is now at Delaware. "From the start of the fourth quarter to the middle, I really can't remember," he said. "I blacked out after the two series that I had [after taking a hit to the head]" . . . After rushing for only 102 yards in the first two games this season, tailback Evan Royster is up to 95.4 yards per game, second in the Big Ten to Wisconsin's John Clay (104.9). Royster has rushed for 100 or more yards in five games.

Penn State 20, Ohio State 10