STATE COLLEGE — Joe Paterno wants some more love for his top players.

Defensive tackle Jared Odrick? Unappreciated, JoePa says. Standout linebacker Navorro Bowman? Overlooked because he was hurt early this season.

And don't get Paterno started on star quarterback Daryll Clark.

"I don't think Clark's gotten anywhere near the kind of credit he should have after the season he had last year and the kind of season he's having this year," Paterno said this week.

All three players have been instrumental on a Penn State team playing its most inspired ball of the season. The No. 12 Nittany Lions (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) ride a four-game winning streak into Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game at Northwestern (5-3, 2-2).

The Hall of Fame coach tries not to overpromote his players, so his recent pleas have stood out.

It could be part public relations ploy as national postseason award nomination lists get narrowed. Or the chatter could serve as motivation to players as they prepare for the regular season's stretch run.

Penn State lost some national luster after a 21-10 loss to Iowa at home in Week 4 dropped them out of the BCS title chase. But the offense has rebounded behind improved line play and a potent run-pass balance that keeps defenses guessing.

The Nittany Lions have overwhelmed their last four foes since Iowa by an average of four touchdowns (that includes a 52-3 rout of FCS school Eastern Illinois in Week 6.)

Clark bounced back from the subpar performance against the Hawkeyes, when he threw three interceptions, to toss eight touchdowns and one interception over the last four games. He's also rushed for four 1-yard scores in that span.

Clark riddled Michigan's secondary last week, going 16 for 27 for 230 yards and four TDs.

Much of the talk from reporters going into that game was the need for Clark to have a good outing in a big game, or about Wolverines freshman quarterback Tate Forcier, who Penn State tried to recruit last year. The Nittany Lions shut down Forcier and the Wolverines' dangerous spread offense.

Paterno said afterward that Clark wasn't getting his due. He reiterated the point on Tuesday — the day after it was announced that Clark was named a semifinalist for the O'Brien Award for the nation's top college quarterback.