STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -Joe Paterno wants some more love for his top players.

Defensive tackle Jared Odrick? Unappreciated, JoePa says. Standout linebacker Navorro Bowman? Overlooked because he was hurt early this season.

And don't get Paterno started on star quarterback Daryll Clark.

``I don't think Clark's gotten anywhere near the kind of credit he should have after the season he had last year and the kind of season he's having this year,'' Paterno said this week.

All three players have been instrumental on a Penn State team playing its most inspired ball of the season. The No. 12 Nittany Lions (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) ride a four-game winning streak into Saturday's game at Northwestern (5-3, 2-2).

The Hall of Fame coach tries not to over-promote his players, so his recent pleas have stood out.

It could be part public relations ploy as national postseason award nomination lists get narrowed. Or the chatter could serve as motivation to players as they prepare for the regular season's stretch run.

Penn State lost some national luster after a 21-10 defeat to Iowa at home in Week 4 dropped them out of the BCS title chase. But the offense has rebounded behind improved line play and a potent run-pass balance that keeps defenses guessing.

``I don't think we feel disrespected,'' said left tackle Dennis Landolt, another player singled out by Paterno as not getting enough credit. ``We just know some games we're not as good as we need to be. I feel that we're making progress on that.''

And then some. The Nittany Lions have overwhelmed their last four foes since Iowa by an average of four touchdowns (that includes a 52-3 rout of FCS school Eastern Illinois in Week 6.)

Clark bounced back from the subpar performance against the Hawkeyes, when he threw three interceptions, to toss eight touchdowns and one interception over the last four games. He's also rushed for four 1-yard scores in that span.

Clark riddled Michigan's secondary last week, going 16 for 27 for 230 yards and four TDs.

Much of the talk from reporters going into that game was the need for Clark to have a good outing in a big game, or about Wolverines freshman quarterback Tate Forcier, who Penn State tried to recruit last year. The Nittany Lions shut down Forcier and the Wolverines' dangerous spread offense.

Paterno said afterward that Clark wasn't getting his due. He reiterated the point on Tuesday - the day after it was announced that Clark was named a semifinalist for the O'Brien Award for the nation's top college quarterback.

Paterno claims he doesn't read press clippings about his team, though he doesn't like some of the questions he hears at his midweek media briefings.

``I come to these meetings and you guys start asking me about a lot of other people and I get the feeling that, just as we went into Michigan, that our guys had to show, Clark had to show, that he could compare to a couple of freshmen,'' Paterno said. ``Whether you guys know it or not, you guys have a little bit of prejudice and it shows.''

Defensively, the disruptive play of Odrick (five sacks) often earns him a double team, opening things up for teammates such as promising end Jack Crawford (team-high 5 1/2 sacks) on one of the Big Ten's best lines.

Bowman has been a force at linebacker since returning from a right groin injury that sidelined him for much of the season's first three weeks. He and middle linebacker Josh Hull have played well as team captain Sean Lee eases back into the lineup from a left knee sprain.

Now the nation's stingiest defense (8.9 points allowed per game), Odrick, Bowman & Co. have given the offense more than enough cushion to get going after a slow start to the season.

A rebuilt offensive line has improved. Royster, who was slowed early by a flulike illness that he says he has shaken, has averaged 109 yards rushing during the win streak.

Working with a young receiving corps, Clark has led the way - much as he has done since taking over as starting quarterback in 2008. His 36 career touchdown passes are five short of tying the school record.

``Whether we're being recognized nationally or not, as long as we're winning it's fine with me,'' Clark said.