The Penn State football captains are in the middle of some of their most important work -- even with the football season still more than two months away.

Examples must be set in the weight room.

Troublemakers need to be straightened out.

Team unity must be built.

So these five new Nittany Lion captains have a lot of work to do, considering the mediocre records and rash of off-field problems the past two years.

And considering the vast possibilities that exist for this fall.

Last week, these senior leaders -- receiver Derrick Williams, center A.Q. Shipley, safety Anthony Scirrotto, defensive end Josh Gaines and injured linebacker Sean Lee -- said all of the right things when talking to reporters.

Often, they made comparisons to the 2005 team -- the 11-1 Orange Bowl team -- that was spurred on by some of the best leadership the Lions have received in years.

The group featured the smoldering, intense Alan Zemaitis at cornerback. The lead-by-example Paul Posluzny at linebacker. The sunny, upbeat Michael Robinson at quarterback.

The three used their differing personalities and approaches to bring that team together, almost always rising to their best at key moments.

Now it's time for guys like Williams, who learned under them.

Their turn to lead.

A big step is this summer with the monotonous 6 a.m. runs and lifting sessions and drills that get little fan attention but are critical, nonetheless.

A building block to preseason practice

"People who have been on great teams say it's really ... what you do off the field with your teammates, how you develop, how your chemistry is off the field," Williams said. "If you feel like you can trust the person beside you, you'll do anything for them.

"I feel like this is a great team because we've done more things off the field that people really wouldn't know about like go bowling, go to the movies ... every championship team had that relationship off the field."

So who are these captains?

Williams was the nationally prized recruit, the one who came to Penn State confident and unafraid to speak his mind to older teammates.

He earned his credibility by making impact plays as a true freshman.

"Derrick has always been loud and vocal, ever since he got here, that's his personality," Lee said. "Before games, during practice, during runs, he's always trying to pump guys up, get guys going.

"All of us work really hard during that, but I kind of don't like to yell and scream. I just like to get the work done. He likes to push people by screaming at them."

Shipley is the anchor of an offensive line that some believe could be Penn State's best in years. There are hints that he may be growing into one of the team's best locker room enforcers -- confronting players who stray from team rules.

Gaines is the talkative, always-smiling type who has played in the shadows of others, such as Tamba Hali and Maurice Evans.

"You're only as strong as your weakest guys, so me being a captain, I try to help the weakest guys out, the slowest, try to make them quicker," Gaines said. "Me being a senior, I've been through a lot, I've seen a lot. I've seen the 4-7 season, and I've seen the Orange Bowl season. We're trying to bring back that same work ethic from the year we went to the Orange Bowl.

"They stressed the little things and getting the little things done."

Scirrotto was a surprising captain choice to some. The all-league performer at safety also was fingered as one of the leaders of an apartment fight that allegedly involved several team members.

In February he was sentenced to probation and community service and must pay fines as part of a plea deal in the case.

"I think guys saw the way I handled it. I wasn't really vocal about the whole situation, but they saw what I went through," Scirrotto said. "They went through it with me as well. I guess it (was) a learning process and a lesson for everyone. Hopefully, we don't have to go through that again.

"I'm more of a quiet guy. A guy who just tries to do it on the field."

And then there's Lee.

He was the future All-American who injured his knee during spring practice that required season-ending surgery.

He will not play, but he will still lead.

Will all of that, though, produce similar results to the 2005 team? The one these guys compare themselves to. The players they learned under.

"What makes this season a lot different (than the past two) is that a lot of people have grown up," Williams said. "We have more experience. A lot of guys know what it takes.

"We feel it's our turn."
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