Sales

STATE COLLEGE— Penn State has been known as "Linebacker U," and Butler graduate Tyrell Sales is the only returning starter at the position as the Nittany Lions look toward the 2008 season.

Does that thrust Sales into the spotlight? Not as far as he's concerned.

""Sure, I feel like I want to have a big year, because if I have one, the team benefits from it," Sales said. "I'm the only starting linebacker back, but we have a lot of linebackers who have seen the field and who are capable of stepping in."

Sales was sixth on the team with 50 tackles, including 19 solo, from his weak-side spot last fall. Fellow starting linebackers Dan Connor (145 tackles) and Sean Lee (138) ate up most of the stops.

Carolina selected Connor in the third round of the NFLdraft and Lee suffered a knee injury during spring practice and will not play this season.

Penn State's defense also lost cornerback Justin King, who was selected in the fourth round by St. Louis.

"We're only losing Dan, Sean and Justin from our defense,"Sales said. "They're all great players, but our whole defensive line is back, along with myself, three corners and three safeties.

"Our goal is to win the national championship. We're all focused on the same thing. We have loads of confidence in our offense. If we limit the opposition to two touchdowns, three at the most, we're going to win a lot of games."

The Nittany Lions finished 9-4 last year, defeating Texas A&M24-17 in the Alamo Bowl.

Penn State's defense ranked among the top 15 in numerous categories: seventh with 93.8 yards rushing allowed per game, seventh with 17.5 points allowed per contest, 11th with 308.2 yards allowed, second with 46 sacks and 10th with 102 tackles for loss.

Head coach Joe Paterno has seen a difference in Sales since Lee's injury.

"If you've got a good organization and somebody goes down, somebody comes to the front,"Paterno said after his team's spring Blue-White Game. "That's the way I feel about a kid like Tyrell Sales, who has really hung in the back.

"All of a sudden, he's a real gung-ho guy. He had taken a back seat to Lee. ... Sales has come to the front," he added.

"I'm eager to get started,"Sales said. "Sean and I are good friends and we talk all the time. He never felt he had to talk to me about assuming a leadership role. I already felt that way.

A senior in football eligibility, Sales graduated with a degree in marketing two weeks ago. He's working on a second degree in media studies this year.

Sales' goal when he signed with Penn State was to play in the NFL. He still wants to get there.

"Of course," he said. "That hasn't changed. No doubt I have to show I belong there. I'm still progressing as a player."

But Sales is taking nothing for granted.

"Everybody's competing right now. Nothing is etched in stone," he said. "The best guys will be on the field come fall. Now's the time to earn it."