All Of The Lions’ Special Teams Have Really Extra-special Day

Sunday, November 04, 2001 Page: 1C

UNIVERSITY PARK – Larry Johnson looks at his role on Penn State’s punt block
team as a chance to make something big happen.

Johnson’s attitude has caught on with the rest of the Nittany Lions’
special teams.
The redshirt junior from State College collected his second touchdown off a
blocked punt this season in his team’s 38-20 victory against Southern
Mississippi Saturday at Beaver Stadium.

Johnson’s efforts were part of an exceptional afternoon for Penn State’s
entire special teams.

The Lions also turned a fake field goal into an 8-yard touchdown run by
holder Zack Mills; Johnson’s younger brother Tony downed a punt at the

punter David Royer averaged 42.3 yards on seven tries.

“We spend a lot of time on (special teams),” said coach Joe Paterno.
“When you’re struggling you’re trying to figure out a way to just get
something going for you. Knowing that we were not going to be a great football
team early, we felt we were gonna have to have some luck with the kicking
game.”

Johnson’s third-quarter block, which he scooped and carried untouched to
the end zone to complete the 40-yard play, was the sixth blocked kick by Penn
State this season. Johnson also returned a blocked punt by Omar Easy for a
short score at Iowa in September.

“I like playing special teams,” said Johnson, who picked up 23 rushing
yards against the Golden Eagles. “It’s the only time I get to play in a
defensive role. Every time that you make a big play on special teams, it turns
the whole game around.”

Johnson, however, said he was much more impressed with the effort of his
brother, who downed one of Royer’s booming punts without stepping on the goal
line.

“He has good awareness,” said Larry Johnson, who called the feat amazing.
“He has a knack for that.”

Tony Johnson seized the opportunity to rib his sibling.

“Anybody can block a punt,” he said with a smile. “We take a lot of
pride in what we do. A lot of credit has to go to David Royer.”

Paterno made sure his punter got it.

“Dave Royer is a guy that I don’t know whether we give him enough
credit,” the coach said. “I was scared to death, in preseason practice he
really was struggling, and he has really turned out to be an excellent punter,
not only in distance but by the way he places that ball down in there and the
whole bit.”

As for the fake field goal, Paterno gave the credit to offensive coach Fran
Ganter. Taking off to the right, Mills made it to the end zone with ease on
the play.

“That thing looked like it was set up against them,” Paterno said. “We
just talked on the sideline and Fran said, `What do you think?’ I said, `Go
ahead, try it.’

“If it hadn’t worked, I would have blamed it on Fran.”