Joe Paterno's 2010 Big Ten Media Day Press Conference Video & Transcript

This is pretty close to verbatim, but if a word or two is off, please forgive me.

In case you missed it, or couldn't get the live feed where you were, here is a transcript of Joe Paterno's press conference from the 2010 Big Ten Media Day today.

[begins]

Paterno: I'm all set, I hope. It's good to be here, and I don't want to get into a long statement. I'm sure you got some questions you'd rather get the answers to than to hear me talk. So I'll just take questions.

Q: (USA Today) I followed your career for a long time. And I'm thinking you're going to be Penn State's coach until the day you die. What do you think about that? (laughter from the press corps)

Paterno: Is that wishful thinking or what. No, I really don't think about that. I just... I'm enjoying it. I like to coach. I had a little bout earlier in the year. I made a big deal out of it. But I feel really good, and as long as I enjoy it I'll continue to coach. Unless I don't think I could do a good job, or someone else. But we could talk about that later. But now I have no plans whatsoever whether I'm going to go another year, two years, five years. We're just going to hopefully have a good year this year.

Q: That was intestinal issues, is that right?

Paterno: Pardon me?

Q: You had intestinal issues this past spring?

Paterno: Oh, I won't get into that.

Q: I understand that you weren't on the road as much...

Paterno: It was a little below the intestines. (laughter from the press corps) I really don't want to get into it.

Q: I understand that you were on the road less for recruiting. At what point do these things hurt recruiting for your program.

Paterno: Well I don't know that it's hurt our recruiting, to be frank with you. Because we're still in the middle of trying to get a couple of key people that would make a difference. Our problem is with numbers, and that's what people look at, and we don't have that many scholarships available. As you look at our roster, you'll find out that we have a lot of walk-on kids, but as of... as far as scholarship kids, we font' lose a lot of kids so we really can't... couldn't go out and get 18, 19, 20 kids this year. So we want to go get people fill in where we need them, and hopefully make ourselves a little better. I think we're doing alright. I really do.

Q (new reporter): Joe, I'm sure you remember your first Big Ten Media Days as the new kid on the blog with Penn State. I think Tom Osborne is here. What are your thoughts on Nebraska coming in with the conference expansion, and your thoughts on them. You have a bit of history with Nebraska.

Paterno: We have played Nebraska before we got in the big ten, and had some great games with them. and i have a lot of respect for tom and the university of Nebraska. so i think it's a really good addition to the big ten, and we're looking forward to being a part of it. i actually coached as an assistant coach long before, not long before, but when (name) was coaching out there and they beat us out there. they had a great running back, i think this name was Billy Reynolds, was one of the best backs in the nation. but that's going back in the 50s some time in there. so we've had a good relationship with them. so it was good to see them get in the big ten. and I'm looking forward to spending some time with tom, since he's here, maybe we can visit a little bit.

Q: Joe, do you remain hopeful that the big ten will add a couple more teams from the east coast, some of the teams that were mentioned earlier.

Paterno: Well, I could get up here and have a little fun with Commissioner Delaney and tell'em where exactly we aught to go. after all, i have all the answers. I think, really, that the Nebraska thing was a real good move for the big ten. now, whether we need a few2 more schools, i think we leave that in the hands of Jim and the people who are going around talking to different people and some investigating. Obviously, if they find that it's in the best interest for the Big Ten, i would hope that we would be looking at the schools maybe in the east. Because it would certainly be a good move for us, particularly help us in recruiting, television, and all those kinds of things that are pluses when you expand as we have with Nebraska. but i think that's up to some other people right now.

Q: Coach, do you expect to have to change your preparation for fall camp, given your health over the summer, and do you expect to be on the sidelines for every game this fall.

Paterno: You know, I can't... what did mark twain said, "rumors of my death has been over-exaggerated?" I used to know more about that, but I didn't lose any time, as I said. The problem I had was not having control of some things I had to be careful that i didn't get myself in a position where I would embarrass myself. but as far as looking at tapes and talking to the kids, and knowing what getting ready for different things, there was really no difference, except that I couldn't make as many public appearances because of the fact that I could be standing here and have to get up and leave. nobody obviously would want to be in that position. so I don't... I don't see it being any different. I think I'm... I hope I'm ready to go. I think I am.

Q: Coach, the Sept. 11 game against Alabama. that's a game you don't have to play, but you scheduled it. fans are very excited about it. can you tell us how you fell about playing that game.

Paterno: About playing Alabama at Alabama. well, we've been down there a couple times. In fact we've had some luck down there, when we've played them in-season. obviously, every year is different. the Alabama team is a good football team. if not the best team around. I don't' know. but I think its' a good game early. I have a young team. obviously we've got some growing up to do. And I think to be able to go with a bunch of kids to go down there an play the defending national champion on the road before a very hostile crowd, it'll be a good experience, and I think we'll be a better football team for it. So I'm not... we had to open up with Youngstown. I know some people will make some remarks about that,it's still a tough opening football game when you have a young football team and you've got a quarterback that hasn't played much football. So it's going to be interesting, and A hope we'll be able to play well and learn from it.

Q: What's your opinion as far as divisions go, if the big ten chooses to do that. and where Penn State would end up in a division.

Paterno: Oh boy, you know obviously when Nebraska got in the big ten and we started talking about a championship game. and i think they're talking about trying to have a championship game as early as a year or two from now, you start saying well "who's going to be here, you got some traditions like that." I'm just glad i don't have to make that kind of decisions. i think there's a lot of different combination that would be good and which put us in a position where we could have a team that would be a champions of the big ten and be in a position to be national champs. but what the makeup of each division, i haven't been able to give it that much thought. and there again, you know... we're actually the new kids on the block in this thing. and there are some old rivalries and some traditions and things that have to go into this. and i have a lot of confidence that the people who are going to make the decision will you know do a good job and come up with something that works for the big ten.

Q: Coaches seem to keep getting younger and younger, particularly in college football. In an age where communication is so important, how do you communicate with these kids on campus. do you have much one-on-one still, or do you rely on your capable assistants for that?

Paterno: Well without getting into a recruiting schpeil, i think it's easier to do in a town like state college because you know I'm literally a 15 minute walk from the office, three blocks away from the campus. we're right down from one of the town parks, and kids walk by my house every day. I horse around with them a bit. and I've tried to stay active in the affairs, and my wife has stayed very active in the university with the affairs. I'm around young people all the time, so I horse around with hem, have a couple laughs with them, the whole bit. and that hopefully keeps you young, so I don't look at it quite that way. I think your point about the coaches being younger these days is probably true, but I don't think that's because the coaches want to be there. I think the fact that so many people have been allowed to have too much to say about who the coach should be--trustees and people who give you money-- when I first started, when i first became head coach--and i still do-=-i go around talking to people about money, and I'll tell them, you know "I want your money, but i don't want your two cents." (laughter) and I've tried to stick by that, and I think that's what's happened to a lot of young coaches, they Have to get some money raised and unfortunately there are people who want to have their two cents involved and the thing. so we've had to turn over some of the really good coaches.

Q: I've wondered it you've considered what it will mean to win 400, when you get there, just to be close to Eddie Robinson. I'm sure you knew him well, and what he would be thinking right now.

Paterno: well there against i really haven't thought about it. Eddie Robinson was one of the great people that I've known in coaching. Eddie and i were down in Washington some times to talk to some government people about some problems we had, and i always felt that the African American cultures, such as Jake Gaither and Eddie and some others, had never gotten the recognition, or have gotten the financial rewards so many of us have gotten out of it. so i... the Eddie part of it, I've thought some of. When I'm down and looking up, are they going to 399 on top of me, or are they going to put 401? Who the hell cares. I won't know. (laughter)

Q: I noticed you said to Richie a few weeks ago, when they named your successor that they come to you with maybe two or three names and ask you "what do you think?" Has any kind of framework been put together in that way. has Dr. Spanier come to you, and are you optimistic that they will ask you your opinion on the successor. what do you think will happen with that?

Paterno: I think they would. I'm not... the question is whether they would ask my opinion on a successor. i would hope they sit down. i don't expect to name it. if i decide to get out of coaching, whenever that may be, i would hope that when they stat looking at somebody to succeed me, someone to be head coach, if they did nothing but throw something out to "hey we're thinking of so and so" and give me an opportunity to say I think that's a good choice, or hey i think you better take a look at this,or I'm not sure he's the best guy, or have you taken a look at that guy. I'm hoping there's some kind of dialogue, but there's no commitment.

Thanks guys, we'll see you later.
[end]

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Big Ten Media preseason picks tab Buckeyes, Pryor, and Jones

The 2010 Big Ten Media Days begin this morning with a bang--well, in terms of shock-value, a thud more accurately describes this news:

"Park Ridge, Ill. - For the second straight year, Michigan State's Greg Jones and Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor were selected as the Big Ten's Preseason Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year, respectively, the conference announced on Monday. Ohio State was tabbed first in the conference preseason poll, followed by Iowa and Wisconsin. The Preseason Players of the Year and poll were voted on by media members attending the conference's football media days."

That was about as unexpected as the sun rising in the east. We picked that same order for the top-three, while you all picked the same top two, with the exception of Penn State at No. 3--you homers!

All-Day Coverage

If you'll be hanging around the internets today, find me/us on Twitter and stuff. I'll be watching the Big Ten Network and offering unsolicited commentary on every word that spews forth, @LBU_Tweet
and @ZombieNationPSU

Following the coaches press conferences, I'll have a post here. So check in later.

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Linkbacker U knows Penn State is the only 'Linebacker U'

Try telling this guy Penn State isn't Linebacker U...

If there is one thing that really ticks us off here, it's when someone claims another college football program has taken over the "Linebacker U" nickname from Penn State. When that happens, rest assured, because that person is an idiot.

I know this to be true for one reason--Dennis Dodd thinks Ohio State is the new Linebacker U, and Dennis Dodd is, now beyond reasonable doubt, an idiot.

Three times since 2002, Ohio State has played for the national championship, winning one. Best of all in this Buckeye company town: It has eviscerated Michigan lately, stuffed the remains in a 55-gallon drum and hidden what's left out in the woods. Along the way, it arguably has lapped Penn State as Linebacker U. in the last decade, produced a Heisman winner while fervently following the precepts of a bookish man who believes that the punt may be the game's best weapon.

Let's be clear on this. Ohio State could not have even arguably lapped Penn State as Linebacker U. That is because there is no argument to be had. I'll make this short and sweet. No matter how hard Dennis Dodd, or anyone else, tries to change college football history and culture, Penn State will always be Linebacker U. This is not like Miami as Quarterback U, or USC as Tailback U, as those programs have only a modest working relationship with those monikers. No, the Linebacker U nickname to the Penn State culture is on the level of Bear Bryant to Alabama, the "Blackshirts" to Nebraska, or the "Script Ohio" to the Buckeyes--it's ours. Dodd can say otherwise all he wants. But nothing will change it: Penn State is Linebacker U, end of story.

Jay Paterno takes us back to a time when Coca-Cola was served in Beaver Stadium.

"In the early 1970s I sat in the open end zone bleachers. After the 1978 expansion I sat in SK -- the “Kids’ Section,” where kids sat at the price of (I hope you’re sitting down for this) $4 a game. The price jumped to $6 a game. Adjusting for the rate of inflation, that 1978 ticket would cost just over $20 today.

I sat in the end zone all the way until the 1983 season, when I started working in the press box for Sports Information.

Working at the stadium was something a lot of my friends did. Whether it was selling Cokes (Coca-Cola was the official PSU drink then) or programs, parking cars or scalping tickets, there were a lot of jobs that State College kids worked on game days."

As always, JayPa gives us a good read.

Jared Odrick signed a deal this week with the Miami Dolphins. And it's quite nice at that. From CFT:

"Jared Odrick's deal has $7.133 million guaranteed and max package of $13 million over 5 years, according to league source."

This kid deserves everything he gets, because he's sure earned it. Congrats, Jared!

The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon is next week, with all the hoo-ha that comes with it. Time to get excited, folks, cause FOOTBALL is just around the corner. Adam Rittenberg gives us the rundown for next week:

"I've been told that division alignment and scheduling are the top two priorities and should be resolved before Sept. 1. The Big Ten will present data and proposals to the athletic directors, who expect to reach a consensus, like they have on other major topics in the past. Although divisions and a championship game are very likely, nothing is guaranteed. Don't expect any resolution on a championship game next week, although the league certainly has no shortage of options. The Big Ten could go with a rotation or a permanent site, as Roy Kramer advocates. Venues like Detroit's Ford Field, Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium, Chicago's Soldier Field, Cleveland Browns Stadium and Green Bay's Lambeau Field all have expressed interest in hosting the event."

And so much more! Can't wait.

Ex-Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli has enrolled at Ole Miss, proving that the SEC will take anyone if it means the chance to win even one more game. But if you're looking for the dramatic side of this story, worry not, because SI.com's got you covered.

You probably recall my little rant on Ron Musselman's July 22 recruiting article, in which he deliberately drove the storyline to infer that Joe Paterno is dooming Penn State recruiting, forever and ever. Well, I'm back talking about Ron again, but this time it's not going to be a rant, or a fisking, or anything else.

But first, a little background on today's PPG circus. On Tuesday, Ron Musselman went on 1250 ESPN in Pittsburgh talking about, as one FOS($) poster described it, "how much of a down year this will be and that Joe will get his 400 wins and then go. He cited that the offense will be terrible and that Newsome might have the ability but lacks experience and leadership skills. He said Paul Jones is the best athlete and called Matt McGloin starting a joke. He also predicted a '...smackdown by Nick Saban and Alabama'"

Now, I'll buy the idea that Penn State could have a down season this year--if by "down" you mean nine wins--or that Alabama might be able to beat the Nittany Lions by more than a touchdown or two. But for Ron to trash Penn State like it was his cheating ex-girlfriend seems to be a bit over the top here.

There is no way I could possibly sit here and counter every negative thing Ron writes or says about Penn State. There simply aren't enough hours in the day for that. So, seeing how the internet is probably the single best STFU tool every invented, let's take a quick look at Ron's analytical track record on Penn State football, shall we?



I said good day, sir!

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Thursday Question: 2010 Preseason Big Ten Rankings

Be sure to vote in the polls at the end of this post, where you tell us your No. 1, 2 and 3 teams!

Next week begins the annual Big Ten Kickoff festivities. Each year, the Big Ten media votes on its preseason top-three teams in the conference, which always draws a ruckus from the message boards and (ehem) blogs. So, naturally we thought here at Linebacker-U.com to give our own preseason top-three teams. That's the topic for this week's Thursday Question, and should be a fun one.

But first, here is the consensus vote from all five of your favorite LBU writers. It was very close for first, as the Hawkeyes got one more vote than the Buckeyes.

Linebacker-U.com 2010 Preseason Big Ten Rankings

1. Iowa
2. Ohio State
3. Wisconsin

Our individual picks...

Galen

I know this is probably going to rub some of the avid readers of Linebacker-U the wrong way but my top three does NOT include Penn State. When the dust settles I see the Big Ten race finishing like this:

1. Iowa
2. Ohio State
3. Wisconsin

Iowa – last season was a great season for the Hawkeyes and I don’t know why they would slip. The offensive line is supposed to be a weakness but when was the last time Iowa couldn’t plug in a couple of their corn-fed road graders and be at least an above average line? The defense will be outstanding with one of the best defensive lines and defensive backfields in the Big Ten. Adrian Clayborn will destroy people and Tyler Sash is always in the right place at the right time. They get their toughest opponents (Penn State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State) all at home.

Ohio State – I would have put THEosu at the top but they have a few more weaknesses than Iowa including the schedule; they have to travel to Wisconsin and Iowa. A lot of Ohio State’s success will be determined by the passing of Terrelle Pryor, if he can continue to improve they may run the table. Unfortunately that’s a big “if” and I think he’ll slip up once or twice, especially against good defenses like Iowa’s. The secondary is a concern and while the offensive line has experience and talent they haven’t lived up to Big Ten champion status. The Buckeyes will win a lot of games, I just think Iowa will edge them out.

Wisconsin – I know expectations were high for the Badgers last season and they really didn’t meet them but they still had a great season. They return 18 starters and, once again, a smash-mouth offensive line and a deep backfield. If QB Scott Tolzien can continue to improve they will have an offense that will wear opponents down. The defensive line is a tad suspect and the linebackers aren’t fantastic, although they are experienced, but they should be rested with their ball controlling offense. Just like Penn State the Badgers are suspect on special teams but they don’t play PSU and they get OSU at home for a night game. A trip to Iowa and a late season jaunt to Michigan could be the difference between a top 3 finish and a middle of the pack season.

Nick

At the top of the Big Ten I'm going to have to go somewhat against the grain and name Iowa my favorite to win the conference. Why Iowa, when the popular opinion is Ohio State?It's as simple as I've got more confidence in Stanzi leading a team than I do in Pryor at the helm. Both defenses should be stout and while Ohio State should have the more potent running game, Ricky Stanzi is the chip that puts Iowa over Ohio State.

After that, I'd have to say Wisconsin probably takes the third spot, but if a lot of unknowns fall into place Penn State certainly could be in the mix. The Badgers didn't take the losses at so many key positions from last year, however several teams could realistically be in play here. It's always dodgy looking at things this early when a down has yet to be played and injuries and breakout players have yet to emerge, that being said, the top two seem to be a level up on the rest of the conference.

Mike

1. Iowa
2. Ohio State
3. Wisconsin

I was so incredibly concerned putting Iowa on top, but as much talent as the Buckeyes have going into the season, I'm just staring at Ohio State's trip to Kinnick Stadium on November 20. If Iowa wins that game, does it mean overall for the season the Hawks are the best team in the conference? Not really. But Iowa is returning eight starters on a defense that just got better last year. As a Penn State fan, I'm actually more concerned about Iowa's defense than Ohio State's defense, considering both those games are away.

So Iowa and Ohio State are a draw for me, but that's kind of a cop-out; I pulled the trigger on Iowa, and I'm sticking with it.

As for Wisconsin, I was going to try another cop-out here, putting Wisconsin and Penn State as "tied" for third place. But again, that's stupid. Wisconsin is returning 10 offensive starters, including all five starting offensive linemen. The defense isn't better than Penn State's but the offensive line alone will win the Badgers a few games this season.

Ryan

Top Three Big Ten Teams:

1. Ohio State -- As much as it may pain me to say it...this is the year we really regret not signing Terrelle Pryor. His third season as a starter, this is the year he lives up to the hype and delivers for "The University of Ohio State." They bring back the overwhelming majority of their starters on both sides of the ball, and are the clear favorites to win the conference.

2. Iowa -- We saw how good the Iowa running game could be last year, and Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher were only freshmen. Now sophomores, the ground game should be even better this year. Combine that with a senior quarterback and beastly Adrian Clayborn, and this team should be a BCS contender yet again.

3. Wisconsin -- Third one is a tough one. Penn State could be in the mix, but I'm counting them out. John Clay is back for his third season in Camp Randall, and if last year is any indication this is the year he can push Wisconsin over the proverbial hump. But like here in Happy Valley, strong quarterback play is a concern in Wisconsin as well. Scott Tolzien returns as a second year starter, but he's going to have to improve on his 16/11 touchdown to interception ratio to give the Badgers a chance at the title.

Tim

1. Ohio State
2. Iowa
3. Penn State

I believe I deserve props for thinking outside of the box on this one…Terrelle Pryor turned a corner towards the end of last season and his solid performance in the Rose Bowl only helped to solidify my beliefs. The Buckeyes also return defensive end Cam Heyward, who made life a living hell for Daryll Clark and the Penn State offense in last year's embarassment at Beaver Stadium. The Buckeyes are loaded at just about every key position and until somebody can prove otherwise on the field, I see no reason why they should be ranked anywhere but #1 in the Big Ten.

Sure, Iowa returns most its key players including punter swallower Adrian Clayborn, safety Tyler Sash, all of their tailbacks including newly healthy Jewel Hampton, and yes dare I say it - Ricky Stanzi. With that being said, if Iowa plays as many tight games as they did last year, especially due to numerous 'Stanziballs''being thrown, they will not be as fortunate as they were last year and will likely suffer a couple more losses than many of us expect.

I'm just not sold on Wisconsin being in the top three at season's end. I admittedly haven't been reading my Phil Steele magazine as of late so this is coming off a total hunch and can't back it up based on which starters are returning, but I feel very hesitant to put them in the top three. To be fair, Penn State is a shaky top three prospect as well, especially given the brutal schedule plus the quarterback situation which has been documeneted more than Tiger Woods and LeBron James combined.

I know I predicted an 8-4 season for PSU in an earlier TQ segment but I feel when push comes to shove, they will emerge in a distant third. The senior-laden offensive line will gel together rather quickly which means everything depends on that QB situation getting settled. If in fact, a decent QB emerges from the pile, a nine or perhaps even a ten-win season is possible. Plus, who else besides PSU or Wisconsin is worthy or a top three preseason ranking? Michigan State will be improved but they just don't have the horses to win 9 or 10 games, especially with one of the worst secondaries in college football, and the rest of the Big Ten teams that I haven't mentioned all have fatal flaws of their own that will prevent them from being anything more than a middle of the pack team this year.

2010 Preseason No. 1 Big Ten:

2010 Preseason No. 2 Big Ten:

2010 Preseason No. 3 Big Ten:

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Royster, Wisniewski, Lynn picked for Big Ten Kickoff Days

It's a no-brainer that Wiz will be one of the 2010 captains, but going into late July, nothing has yet been made official by the team.

Seniors Evan Royster and Stefen Wisniewski, and junior D'Anton Lynn have been selected to represent Penn State at the 39th Annual Big Ten Kickoff, August 2-3 in Chicago.

In case you're not familiar with what goes on at these things, here's the lowdown:

The Kickoff activities will include news conferences with every Big Ten head coach and players from each squad. Interviews with print and electronic media will take place on both days. The Kickoff Luncheon is August 3, with a crowd of more than 1,500 expected to attend.

The Big Ten Network will provide extensive coverage of Big Ten Kickoff activities. The network is available to 75 million households on 300 cable and satellite providers in the United States and Canada, but is not available on Adams, Armstrong, Blue Ridge and MetroCast cable in Pennsylvania.

So now you know.

But there's something else of interest in this announcement...

Penn State still hasn't announced its team captains for 2010. It's kind of odd, as usually we know some time between April and June. So is today's announcement able to help us predict which players will get voted in as team captains this season? Possibly, as there is a very strong correlation between the team captains, and which players go to Chicago for the Big Ten Kickoff activities. Let's go to the video tape...

2005: Paul Posluszny, Alan Zamaitis, and Michael Robinson are voted captains on May 11; those three go to Chicago with Paterno.

2006: Paul Posluszny and Levi Brown voted captains on April 22; Poz and Brown go to Chicago with Paterno.

2007: Similar to 2010, captains aren't named until late in the summer. Dan Connor, Terrell Golden, and Anthony Morelli attend the Big Ten meetings with Paterno; on August 20, those three are voted captains by the team.

2008: Josh Gaines, Anthony Scirrotto, A.Q. Shipley, and Derrick Williams voted captains on April 29; Shipley, Williams, and Gaines go to Chicago with Paterno, but keep in mind that Scirrotto was still finishing up his legal issues from the 2007 off-campus brawl, so it seems logical that he would be left behind.

2009: Sean Lee and Daryll Clark are voted captains on May 19; Paterno then picks Jared Odrick to join Lee and Clark for the Chicago trip.

So only one of those years, 2007, can we directly compare to this year's situation. That season, Joe picked his players for the Big Ten Kickoff before the team voted in its captains. But whaddya know, the same three players are named captains three weeks later.

But in all those other years, Paterno has taken the very players who would be later voted in as team captains. Coincidence? We will find out, when the team takes it captains vote, whenever that may be.

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