Penn State QB Clark, Illini QB Williams each know what other is facing

He'd just thrown three interceptions and failed to lead his team to a touchdown in the final three quarters.

Penn State senior quarterback Daryll Clark was feeling the blame thrown on his shoulders after the 21-10 loss to visiting Iowa last weekend in State College, Pa. Then Clark received a text message from someone who knew what he was going through:

Illinois senior quarterback Juice Williams.

"He said, 'Call me when everything calms down, because I'm feeling how you're feeling right now,' '' Clark recalled.

In a world getting smaller because of the Internet, Facebook and Twitter, Williams went to the aid of a friendship formed during the Elite 11 quarterback camp last summer in Southern California. In the process, he might have propped up the opposing team’s star quarterback before Illinois (1-2 overall, 0-1 in the Big Ten) hosts No. 15 Penn State (3-1, 0-1) in the conference home opener Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC).

"Off the field, we're friends,'' Clark said. "I don't see it as being awkward.''

Yet just as Williams must shake off a 30-0 loss at Ohio State and look to score his first touchdown this season – rushing or passing – while avoiding the fingers pointed in his direction for Illinois' disappointing start, Clark is also trying to rebound.

He threw a 79-yard touchdown pass to Chaz Powell on the first play from scrimmage, and the Nittany Lions led Iowa 10-0 by the end of the first quarter. Clark finished the game 12-for-32 passing for 198 yards with the one early touchdown and three interceptions. Suddenly, Penn State's great expectations were snuffed, and Clark took some of the heat.

The call from Williams "was really, really helpful,'' Clark said. "After the football game, a lot of things are in your head. What did you do wrong? Why'd this happen? Why did you throw it here? Why did you throw it there? He contacted me and let me know to keep my head up because he's been in situations like that before. He's been in tough losses like that before.

"He took it upon himself to let me know that as leaders, as quarterbacks of the football team, it's important that we have a short memory. Do what you have to do to forget about it. He said, ‘You've got to keep on playing. You still have a lot to play for, and so do we.' ''

In his first four games, Clark completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 958 yards with nine touchdowns and six interceptions, thanks in part to a light non-conference schedule – home games vs. Akron, Syracuse and Temple, dubbed three "tomato cans'' by one Pennsylvania columnist. Penn State fans weren't happy when hopes for the school's first national title in 23 years were doused in the team’s first real test.

"I can't do anything about that,'' said Penn State coach Joe Paterno. "What do you want me to tell them? I think people that have those kinds of expectations every year, obviously, have to be ready for some disappointments. Did Florida win the championship-losing one game last year? Won the national championship, didn't they? I think you've got to be realistic.

"So I would hope they just would not lose interest and their enthusiasm for our football team and see what happens. We've only played four games. We'll see what happens. Sometimes you've got to be a psychiatrist when you're a coach. It's tough to be Sigmund Freud.''

He got some help in that department from Williams.

John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com.

A look at Penn State

Record: 3-1 overall, 0-1 in the Big Ten.

So far: Def. Akron 31-7, def. Syracuse 28-7, def. Temple 31-6, lost to Iowa 21-10.

Coach: Joe Paterno, 386-128-3 in his 44th year at Penn State and overall.

Players to watch: QB Daryll Clark, RB Evan Royster (305 yards, 3 TDs), WR Derek Moye (15 catches, 252 yards, 2 TDs), LB Josh Hull (41 tackles, 4 TFL).

Did you know: Penn State senior linebacker Sean Lee, who missed last season with a knee injury, is questionable against Illinois with another knee injury. He missed the game against Iowa, when he was on the sidelines in a knee brace.

Quote: "First, I want to be alive when I'm 82. If I'm 82, I hope I'm retired on a beach in Hawaii.'' – Illinois tight end Michael Hoomanawanui, on 82-year-old Penn State coach Joe Paterno. Since Paterno became Nittany Lions coach in 1966, major-college programs have made 838 coaching changes.