Freshmen inspired by Penn State seniors' leadership

STATE COLLEGE - For Kyle Carter, Penn State's redshirt freshman tight end who has yet to play a down in his college career, they're role models.

For Bill O'Brien, Penn State's first-year head coach, they set the leadership standard.

They, the seniors of the Nittany Lions, are ready to lead their team into battle this season, perhaps now more than ever.

The 2012 group of Lions has been a close one throughout. During this training camp, they've played paintball together, bowled together and joked about one another's antics to the media.

But as O'Brien said in his Media Day news conference, the strong leadership that has been displayed by the senior class has trickled down through the rest of the team, making leaders of even the freshmen.

"We have a really strong senior class. That's where it starts," O'Brien said.

Two of the most recognizable faces of this senior class are redshirt linebacker Michael Mauti and redshirt running back Michael Zordich. When the NCAA announced its sanctions against Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal in July, the two long-haired leaders stood side-by-side at the Lasch Football Building and proudly proclaimed their loyalty to their program.

Mauti said it was a chance to create their own legacy.

"Guys like Mauti, Zordich, and all of them, they're great to have," Carter said. "Those guys are going to fight for you through whatever. I really believe that if something happens on the field or whatever, they'd be right there to have my back, and if something happened off the field, they'd be right there to have my back. It's great to have guys like that on the team. That's really what I aspire to be when I'm a senior."

Of the 23 seniors, eight are listed on the depth chart as non-special-teams starters for Saturday's season opener against Ohio in Beaver Stadium. Another five are listed as possible starters.

Senior center Matt Stankiewitch, who has become another one of the team's visible leaders, said the class is united after the events of this summer.

"I think it definitely made us tighter as a senior class," Stankiewitch said. "Dramatic events definitely make people tighter, and that bond is going to be a bond that lasts a lifetime."

Overall, the seniors have been some of the most vocal players about the NCAA sanctions and support of Penn State. For instance, at the team's Media Day, redshirt quarterback Matt McGloin said Penn State is "the greatest place on earth."

As one would expect, O'Brien has been grateful to have such a strong group behind him.

"They really have a great understanding of what we need to do as leaders both on the field and in the community," he said. "It really is a pretty neat group of guys to be around.

"I wish we had them for longer, that's for sure."

On Monday, Penn State released its depth chart for the Ohio game. It had no huge surprises, but there were a few positions of interest.

As head coach Bill O'Brien said last week, there is a position battle at right tackle between senior Mike Farrell and redshirt junior Adam Gress. The depth chart says one or the other will start Saturday. Meanwhile, O'Brien noted last week that redshirt sophomore quarterback Paul Jones needed more consistency, and now he and true freshman Steven Bench are listed together for the second-string position. Perhaps the most interesting position on the depth chart is defensive end, where either redshirt freshman Deion Barnes or redshirt senior Pete Massaro will start.