Penn State's Quarless finding his way downfield

Quarless, the 6-5, 253-pounder from Uniondale, N.Y., with surprising speed for a big man, has been an enigmatic figure almost since he arrived in Happy Valley in the summer of 2006. He caught 21 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman that season, flashing potential so tantalizing he has been named to the John Mackey Watch List every year since. But for whatever reason, Quarless has not lived up to his early promise. He caught 25 passes - combined - for only 322 yards and three TDs as a sophomore and junior, in part because of off-the-field behavior that occasionally drew coach Joe Paterno's ire.

Little wonder then that Quarless returned to campus for preseason practice determined he would stay on JoePa's good side and finally play a more integral role in the passing game.

But if Quarless' plan occasionally goes awry - he had a 70-yard scoring reception against Temple erased on a block-to-the-back penalty against true freshman wide receiver Curtis Drake, on a play away from the ball - all was made right in last week's 35-10 romp at Michigan. The Wolverines, perhaps unwisely, elected to isolate outside linebacker Obi Ezeh on Quarless, leaving the middle invitingly open.

"Defenses scout me and know my speed, so we don't get it as much as I would like," Quarless said of those instances when responsibility for shadowing him falls to a linebacker. "But it's like I've told Daryll, 'Show me a receiver that doesn't want the ball and I'll show you a receiver that's not good.' "

Clark's 60-yard scoring strike to Quarless gave the Nittany Lions a 19-7 lead in the second quarter and was Quarless' first touchdown reception since Sept. 27, 2008, an end-zone drought of 16 games. His 91 receiving yards in a game (his only other catch went for 31 yards) also was a personal best.

"It does get frustrating, not getting to the end zone," said Quarless, who with five more games (including a bowl date) already has surpassed his single-season highs with 23 catches for 315 yards. "But for me personally, I want to score on every play."

Next time Quarless offers his opinion in the huddle that he can beat his man deep, it's likely Clark would be more apt to take him up on it. Then again, it might be difficult to get that message heard with all the yammering from receivers who will be asking for their number to be called on Saturday.

The good news for Northwestern (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten) is that coach Pat Fitzgerald's team overcame the biggest deficit in school history last week, coming from 25 points down to beat Indiana, 29-28, on Stefan Demos' 19-yard field goal with 21 seconds left.

The bad news is that the Wildcats' patchwork secondary, which had figured to be one of the team's strengths, has more holes in it than a tree with nesting woodpeckers.

"I guarantee you, there will be 10 deep balls," Fitzgerald said in anticipation of Penn State (7-1, 3-1) going downfield early and often.

Maybe even one or two will be sent in the direction of Quarless, who was a high school senior watching on television on Sept. 24, 2005, when the Nits last played at Northwestern. Penn State tight end Isaac Smolko caught a 20-yard pass from Michael Robinson on a fourth-and-15 play in the fourth quarter, keeping the game-winning drive alive in a 34-29 thriller that ended with Robinson's 36-yard bomb to freshman wide receiver Derrick Williams.

"I do know the pattern that he ran," Quarless said in appreciation of Smolko's clutch grab. "I've seen it many times, in the film room.

"It goes to show the tight end can be very effective over the middle."

Nit-picking