JoePa optimistic about 2005...

[Jim Johnson]

Upbeat Paterno feels positive about next season

 

TREVOSE, Pa. -- Joe Paterno isn't going anywhere.

"I haven't even thought about getting out," Paterno, entering his 40th season as Penn State's head football coach, said Friday. "Now that doesn't mean I'm going to coach another 15 years."

It was a jovial Paterno who met with reporters Friday before dining with Nittany Lion fans and athletic boosters at a suburban Philadelphia hotel.

Drink in hand, Paterno, 78, cracked jokes, reminisced about growing up in New York and said he felt energized this spring by the task of improving a team that finished 4-7 (2-6 Big Ten) last year.

It was Penn State's fourth losing record in the last five years. While the defense stood out, much of the blame fell on an offense that finished 110th out of 117 Division I-A teams in scoring.

"We were a very, very bland football team," said Paterno, adding that he is optimistic about this year's squad, which will return nine starters on defense.

Athletic quarterback Michael Robinson appears to be the full-time signal-caller, and Paterno hopes that some youngsters, led by freshman phenom wideout Derrick Williams, will add some needed speed on offense.

That's put any talk about retirement on the back burner.

Paterno said he hopes his eventual exit is "nice and easy ... when everything seems appropriate to come out and I can do it and feel comfortable and believe I will leave the situation in good shape.

"You've got to like what you're doing and if you don't like what you're doing, you're not going to be any good. And I like what I'm doing," Paterno said.

"That doesn't mean I've done a particularly good job the last couple years. But it's not because I haven't had the enthusiasm, energy or the physical ability."

Paterno also reiterated his opposition to a school playing 12 games, which the NCAA recently approved.

"I am absolutely against it. It's not fair for the kids."

Penn State, though, has reached a verbal agreement with Temple for the Owls to be its 12th opponent and seventh home game for 2006, the first year of the extended schedule.

"We are playing a 12th game for strictly one reason -- to create revenue so we can support the other programs. That's fine, but let's say it," he said.

Reinstating the in-state rivalry with Pitt doesn't appear to be on the horizon, though, for Paterno. Neither does retirement.

"Like (playwright) Tennessee Williams said, he said he knew no man was immortal, 'but somehow I thought I was the exception."'

AP NEWS

The Associated Press News Service

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/8530917

[smazza]

starting off with usf he should be

[beastiebull]

As far as him being against the 12th game.  Whatever.  He's been doing this way too long.  12 games is nothing when you consider how long basketball season is with preseason tourneys/postseason tourneys/holiday tourneys/march madness etc.

If anything is too long it's the OFFSEASON!  I'm dying here!  This is ridiculous.

[PSU_Nut]

beastiebull it obvious that you probally never played a down of college football in your life.  11 game season is very long and then add in a bowl game the season can be really abusing to you, not to mention as a player there is no real off season.  Eliminating the OFF-Week with 12th games is a killer.  As a college player we always looked forward to tat week to get caught up on everything else and get the bumps and bruises healed.  It not like the NFL where you have practice squads and barely any contact in practice.

[Guest bullman33]

Just shorten practice a week.  The guys are dying to play a game against real opponents.   Practice is grueling when you arent playing against another team.  Players are also upset at the ending of the season, so the excuse of it being a long season in bs.  This gives them an extra game.  An extra home game must bring in at least 5 million bucks or so for psu.

[beastiebull]

What are you saying?  The only week off players get is the week that they are trying to replace with a 12th game?  I doubt that considering NCAA regulations as to when a team can and can't practice.  

Maybe PSU practices at full speed all year round.  That's probably why they've been so good the last 5 years or so.   :