SAN ANTONIO -- Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli completed a hat trick yesterday.

The last three times the senior tri-captain has been scheduled to meet with the media, he has been a no-show.

He also was not available following Penn State's season-ending collapse at Michigan State.

Suffice it to say, Morelli has been elusive since last addressing reporters following a 31-0 victory against Temple Nov. 10.

He was one of eight Nittany Lions players listed to appear for a question-and-answer session yesterday at the Alamodome. But Morelli called an audible at the last minute and did not attend.

"All I can figure is that he missed the ride over here today," receiver Jordan Norwood said.

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Alamo Bowl

• Who: Penn State (8-4) vs. Texas A&M (7-5)
• Who: Penn State (8-4) vs. Texas A&M (7-5)
• Who: Penn State (8-4) vs. Texas A&M (7-5)
• TV: ESPN

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Morelli, a graduate of Penn Hills High School, has been a lightning rod for criticism throughout his college career, which concludes Saturday against Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl.

Despite being the only quarterback in Penn State history to throw for more than 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, and having his name near the top of several key passing lists, Morelli is just 17-8 in two years as the starter.

In his 17 wins, he has thrown 26 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. In his eight losses, he has just three touchdowns and nine interceptions while eclipsing 200 yards only once.

Morelli also has finished 11th each of the last two seasons in the Big Ten Conference in passing efficiency.

"No one expects him to make a mistake," offensive coordinator Galen Hall said. "That's a part of the thing that goes with being a quarterback. You lose a game and you got to blame it one someone.

"Everyone has this high expectation of Anthony ... He's had a bunch of pressure on him, and I think he's handled it very well."

Hall, who quarterbacked Penn State to its first postseason win, a 7-0 victory against Alabama in the 1959 Liberty Bowl, was asked if Morelli set a bad example for his teammates by refusing to show up for the question-and-answer session.

"I hadn't thought about that," Hall said. "That's probably a good question that you people would have to answer in your own opinion. We don't think so. He's been a leader for us. He's a leader on the field, a leader in the football games. He's a leader of this football team. We're very happy with Anthony. There's not anything else there to even be discussed."

The knock on Morelli has been his inability to perform in the clutch.

Against Illinois, he threw three interceptions and lost a fumble on the final four possessions of a 27-20 loss.

And he failed to rally the team for a win against Michigan State, throwing four incompletions from the Michigan State 24-yard line in the final two minutes of a 35-31 setback.

"Anthony Morelli has not lost a game for us," Hall said, bristling.

"We've lost games as a group, an offense, a defense, and in the kicking game."

Norwood believes Morelli, who will play in the Hula Bowl Jan. 12 and has been invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game the following week, is misunderstood.

"I have a different relationship with Anthony than the fans and the media," Norwood said.

"He's a soft-spoken guy. He's kind of shy. He's not as outgoing as people probably think he is. That's just the way he is. Most people can't accept that."

A year ago, during a pre-Outback Bowl news conference, Morelli accused his old Penn Hills coach, Neil Gordon, and former quarterbacks coach Steve Russell, of spreading rumors about his ability to read defenses and his level of intelligence.

Morelli also said Gordon kept college recruiting letters from him and tried to sabotage his recruitment while he played for the Indians.

Now, nearly four years after changing his mind and signing with Penn State instead of Pitt, Morelli is cramming for his final assignment.

How will he be remembered?

"I'm sure there are lots of mixed emotions," center A.Q. Shipley said.

"I think if you look at all the things he's done, and all the stats, I think people, years from now, are going to say he did a heck of a job for us.

"He also had his ups and downs, just like all of us."