Penn State's Lynn worth watching now, too
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Illinois running back Daniel Dufrene runs against Penn State defensive back D'Anton Lynn during the first half of Penn State's 35-17 win in Champaign, Ill., Oct. 3.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- When Penn State sophomore cornerback D'Anton Lynn was in elementary school, he used to tag along to football practice with his father.
It was not your ordinary practice.
Anthony Lynn was a reserve running back and special-teams player with the Denver Broncos and earned two Super Bowl rings in 1997 and '98.
The younger Lynn had numerous opportunities to watch Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway and running back Terrell Davis, a Super Bowl and regular-season MVP, perform in the Mile High City.
"That was definitely really cool," Lynn said yesterday. "I was in elementary school back then, so I don't think to me it was as big of a deal as it is now. Looking back, it was definitely a blessing to grow up around football and be able to see Terrell Davis and John Elway and watch them up close.
"I was always in the locker room, and my dad was always real good friends with them, so it was fun."
Lynn's father is currently the running backs coach for the New York Jets after serving in a similar capacity with the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars.
"My dad works a lot, but we still talk about three or four times a week on the phone," said Lynn, a Texas high school star who chose the Nittany Lions over Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
Lynn, 6 feet 1 and 198 pounds, has started all six games for No. 14 Penn State (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten), which will play Minnesota (4-2, 2-1) Saturday at Beaver Stadium. He has 11 tackles and has broken up three passes. Lynn also has been credited with a half a sack.
"He's been playing really well," defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said.
Lynn, one of four true freshmen who played last season, and the secondary are about to face one of their toughest assignments yet.
Minnesota's record-setting wide receiver Eric Decker not only is a big target at 6-3, 220, he is the Big Ten's leader in receptions (46) and yardage (689). An All-American candidate, he is averaging 114.8 yards per game and has caught five touchdown passes. Decker snagged 67 passes in 2007 and 84 for 1,074 yards last season.
"He's just so big and strong and he's real aggressive going after the ball," Lynn said. "You have to be aware of where he is because he will line up in so many different places. He'll line up as a receiver, he'll line up in the backfield and he'll line up at tight end.
"He's the top receiver in the Big Ten, so it will be a good test for myself. But you can't really put one guy on him because of all the places he lines up."
Decker, also an outfielder on the Gophers' baseball team who was selected in the 27th round of the Major League draft this year by the hometown Twins and in the 38th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008, is coming off one of the worst games of his career. He was limited to three catches for 50 yards Saturday in a 35-20 win against Purdue.
Penn State's secondary has surrendered only three touchdown passes and is allowing 173.8 yards per game passing. And, when the Lions go to a nickel package, true freshman Stephon Morris comes in at cornerback and Lynn shifts to strong safety.
"I think our secondary has been good, solid," coach Joe Paterno said. "They haven't come up with the football as often as I'd like to see them do it. They've made one or two mistakes. Two big passes on us, and that's about it. The rest of it's been pretty good. We've not given up a lot of scores. But, there again, we really haven't been tested. I think we'll know a lot more after this week."
NOTE -- Quarterback Daryll Clark said yesterday that he expects fellow co-captain and outside linebacker Sean Lee to play for the first time in a month against Minnesota. Lee, from Upper St. Clair High School, has missed the past three games with a sprained left knee. Clark said Lee practiced Tuesday for the second day in a row, but he was wearing a white cross, meaning limited contact. "But there's a huge, huge possibility that he's going to play Saturday," Clark said.
"Looking back, it was definitely a blessing to grow up around football and be able to see Terrell Davis and John Elway and watch them up close."
First Published October 15, 2009 12:00 am
