LBU Video: OMG, You Mean The Latest Recruiting News Is Only a Phone Call Away? Get Out!!

Life really did suck before the advent of the Internet, and we have the video evidence to prove it. This particular commercial I found from my DVD copy of the 1991 PSU-Cincinnati game provides a stark reminder of just how fortunate we are to be only a few mouse clicks away from gathering information about JoePa's latest press conferences or to keep tabs on how the current recruiting class is shaping up. Twenty years ago, you had to dial a 1-900 number to obtain the very same information that we take for granted these days, and you paid a hefty price of $1.25 per minute in order to do so.

Think about how often your average PSU fan goes to Scout, Rivals, or 247 Sports. Now, imagine said average fan dialing said 900 number just as often...yeah, we're talking about quite the phone bill being racked up. For those of you who are old enough to recall 900 numbers, consider this a whiff of nostalgia. Also, if any brave soul out there is willing to dial the 900 number that the commercial flashes at the end, we would love to hear your story about whatever phone sex hotline that number probably leads to.







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Penn State Spring Media Day 2011 Recap: Depth, Injuries, and Quarterbacks

It's not really football season until Joe Paterno
blows off reporters in a press conference, right?

The weather is warming (unless you're in State College), the trees are budding (unless you're in State College), and football is in the air (especially if you're in State College). Joe Paterno gave his first press conference today for the 2011 football season, focusing on spring practice, injuries, the quarterback situation, and a few other topics. It was only the average 30-minute Q&A with reporters. But afterward, players were available, who also had some good things to say.

Outback Bowl '11: The Coaches Teleconferences

Both Joe Paterno and Urban Meyer participated in teleconferences yesterday. Here are some of the finer points to take from them. One of those, I want to mention now, is on the possibility that one or two Penn State players are thinking about leaving early for the NFL. Joe said that, not me. To any Penn State football players that just finished up that 7-5 regular season, I have but one name to tell you: Aaron Maybin.

Onward.

Outback Bowl '11: Matt McGloin will start at QB

F- it, let's go deep! Right?
(Photo: Mike/LBU)

Joe Paterno confirmed today what many had expected, that Matt McGloin will be Penn State's starting quarterback in the 2011 Outback Bowl.

"I think that Matt is the quarterback. Now the other kid has a lot of ability but he is a true freshman in the truest sense of the word- he wasn't even here for spring practice. He came in and unfortunately we had to start him a few games early until the other kid (Rob Bolden) started to show some promise. I think we are all right at quarterback. We are not great. We have had some problems with our offensive line early but we are getting a little bit better. I think that Matt has done a good job for us."

This isn't surprising, but it's definitely good to get it out of the way now. For all the pushing I've done for Rob Bolden to be the starter, I'd rather just see a deliberate confirmation like this that McGloin is the guy.

I'll have a meatier post tomorrow on Paterno's teleconference. It was pretty brief, but there were some neat things said.

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Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Michigan State Week

The long and short (but mostly the short) of Joe's presser from Tuesday.

• Joe Paterno will return next season. Why this is a big deal, I'm not entirely sure. But he said he wants to return next season, because this team is shaping up to be really good in 2011. Joe pointed to the injuries and the youth, which is all accurate. Joe wants to reinforce the fact that with the three academic all-Americans, the program is still doing things the right way. Joe thinks that it should be somewhat his call, but he doesn't run the university. 
• Andrew Dailey and Kevion Latham are listed as playing their last home game. So that's usually an indication that they won't be returning for their fifth year of eligibility. Joe said that's pretty much correct. But players have been known to come back after saying they're done.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Indiana Week

(Photo: GoPSUsports.com)

The long and short (but mostly the short) of Joe's presser today.

• Don't count out Indiana because of last week's 83-20 loss at Wisconsin. If you forgot, Indiana had Iowa on the ropes and lost the game late. Indiana has always given Penn State some trouble when PSU is down or up. Look at 1994 and 2004.
• Who knows what to expect playing on a neutral site. The field conditions are the only real concern when it comes to a foreign facility, as in not Penn State's or Indiana's fields.
• Michael Mauti probably WON'T go against Indiana. The shoulder injury (very vague) is pretty bad. 
• Nate Stupar will fill in for Mauti. Stupar was the original starter at the "Fritz" OLB spot this year.
• Evan Royster seems fine after a minor leg injury. He and Stephfon Green should be good to go.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Ohio State Week

It was a relatively short presser this week for Joe Paterno, heading into the tempest at Ohio State. The Nittany Lions are at a bit of a crossroads for the season. While there isn't much to lose going into Columbus, Penn State still wants this win, badly. Does Joe? And what about the starting quarterback issue? And that kid, what's his name, Pryor is it?

Yeah. That and more in this week's presser wrap.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: 400/Northwestern Week

It's a big week for Joe Paterno,
and Penn State football. (Photo: Mike/LBU)

Here's the rundown from today's press conference, JoePa-style.

• The quarterback position is wide open again. Though, this time it sounds (from what JoePa said) like it's only between Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden. A two-quarterback system is being considered, but nothing is set in stone.
• Chaz Powell played well, but still needs work. Stephon Morris is still a good corner, and will play again, but he will have to compete with Powell for the starting roll this week. They'll both play, regardless of what happens. 
• The defensive line is getting better. But the injuries have been tough on the young unit. Jack Crawford hasn't practiced yet, but he may have done something this afternoon (after the press conference). Crawford and Eric Latimore haven't done anything since the Illinois game or (Jack) before. 
• Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa is from Pennsylvania, but Joe Paterno and his staff decided not to recruit him. He's a good quarterback, good student, and has been the difference for Northwestern this season.
• Matt McGloin did play with a lot of enthusiasm. Joe likes that. They had a good practice as a team last week, and were feeling pretty good all week. Joe likes the way the team overall is improving.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Michigan Week

Here's what you need to know from today's press conference with Joe Paterno.

• Rob Bolden may play, he may not. Joe's no doctor, but if he had to guess by what he's seen/told so far, Bolden probably won't play against Michigan. Still, that was a very conditional statement from Joe. Later in the presser, Joe sounded very concerned that Bolden might not play. Bolden has had a very good year, "all things considered," like injuries at other key positions.
• Mike McQueary didn't exactly come across as caring (ed.-my take) when Bolden first came to the sidelines after the big hit. But Joe must not have seen exactly what went on right there, or remembered it slightly different. Because Joe thinks McQueary was trying to convince Bolden to sit down. McQueary was clearly seen pushing/shoving Bolden back ONTO the field.
• Matt McGloin did a good job in place of Bolden. McGloin didn't have a lot of preparation before the game, considering he was thrown in as the first team quarterback. 
• Silas Redd and Stephfon Green are essentially tied for the second string tailback position. Joe didn't want to grade them against each other or say if one was ahead of the other. He likes what both bring to the game.
• Kevin Newsome will go full strength this week, after dealing with a knee injury and illness last week. 

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Minnesota Week

Malcolm Willis (10) will probably
start at safety this week, while Chaz Powell (2)
moves back to defense at cornerback.
(Photo: Mike/LBU)

Gophers, Injuries and Weed, oh my!

Joe Paterno hasn't had such a range of questions to answer in quite some time. Minnesota's Tim Brewster was fired this week. Sean Stanley had been charged with pot possession. And half the defense is heading to the M*A*S*H*

With all that, let's round it up.

• [ed. - bumped this to the top b/c of interest] Paterno doesn't think he did a good job this year getting hist coaching staff or the team ready to play the games. That, combined with the big injuries to players that were supposed to be big parts of the team this year (Curtis Drake, Andrew Sczcerba, Brandon Beachum), have made this season "probably as tough as any time [Paterno's] been in coaching." Paterno said there was no one else to blame but him, as he's "the boss." But it's important to give the team time to rest up, so there was only three days of practice and a weekend off last week. There is still no answer as to why a great week in practice pre-Illinois translated into such a poor performance.
• Already covered yesterday, Eric Latimore and Jack Crawford are probably out this week, with Latimore out indefinitely. Crawford may be ready by Michigan. 

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Illinois Week

Penn State will start true freshman Kevin Haplea
this week, after Garry Gilliam tore his ACL against Iowa.

Kind of a "blah" week heading into the Illinois game. Sure, things are getting frustrating, but there were more questions this week about the Iowa game than the Illinois game.

Here's the highlights from JoePa's weekly press conference.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Iowa Week

Joe knows Iowa all too well, and what the
Hawkeyes have done to Penn State...

Joe Paterno and Penn State are getting ready for Iowa. Here's the highlights from JoePa's weekly press conference.

• Penn State can do better in the red zone, but that shouldn't take away from what Temple was able to do defensively. But the play calling could be a bit better, maybe throwing on earlier downs, stuff like that.
• Iowa is a well-coached football team that will jump on any opportunity you give it to win. Kirk Ferentz is a Pennsylvania guy, who's father-in-law was Joe Paterno's high school teammate. So the connections are there to make the game a bit more personal. 
• Iowa is still one of the best teams in the country. The Arizona loss was so unlike the Hawkeyes, with lots of mistakes. The Big Ten overall is greatly improved, and very, very tough this year all around.
• Chima Okoli was a former defensive lineman that was moved to the offense this off-season. He's more suited to play offense, because he's not great at getting under blocks and stuff. It's going to be tough for him at Iowa, going up against Adrian Clayborn, but it hasn't been easy for any team.
• The emphasis on special teams has obviously paid off this season. The spread punt was partly a move made to accommodate the personnel on this team (much faster players), and partly because of what happened last year against Iowa and Ohio State. 
• Chaz Powell will stay at wide receiver, and not move back to cornerback, where he was this past spring. He's going to be a good football player. Right now, he's more suited to play offense.
• Rob Bolden is a really fine young quarterback, with great maturity. He's a quiet leader who does pretty much anything asked of him. He just needs more experience.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Temple Week

Here's the long and short of what happened today at Joe Paterno's Temple game week press conference. With Mark Dantonio's recent heart attack, things took a much more perspectived tone this week from the start.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Kent State Week

Here's the long and short of what happened today at Joe Paterno's Alabama game week press conference. Joe was a bit testy this week, but nothing worth getting all riled up about. I'd be pretty pissed off too if my team, particularly the supposed bell cow defense, played the way it did down in Tuscaloosa...

• This team needs to grow up a little bit. The whole Alabama thing kind of maybe went to their heads a bit, as the first half was played just how Joe was dreading it would be played--poorly, tentatively, with no playmakers stepping up in the clutch.
• Rob Bolden is the No. 1 quarterback from here on out. No question whatsoever in Joe's mind. 
• Gerald Hodges broke his lower left fibula, but the return date isn't yet known. He's going to be out for a while.
  

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Alabama Week

Joe Paterno took questions from the media today,
as Penn State prepares to travel for its game
against the Alabama Crimson Tide, 2009 national champions.

Here's the long and short of what happened today at Joe Paterno's Alabama game week press conference. Let's just say, Joe is grounded going into this one...

Quick hits:

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Youngstown State

Chaz Powell could play offense
or defense this Saturday, depending on
some key injuries in the Penn State secondary.

Here's the long and short of what happened today at Joe Paterno's first game week press conference. The season opener against Youngstown State is four days away (!), and the quarterback situation isn't getting any better. But more on that in a minute.

Quick hits:

• Being a team captain is a lot like being an officer on Omaha Beach. Yikes.
  
• Andrew Szczerba's back isn't any better, and might not play for a few weeks. (I guess injury information isn't secret after all)
• Chaz Powell is moving back to offense. This is due to an unusually high number of injuries at the wide receiver position--Curtis Drake's broken leg, and Christian Kuntz's knee injury this past weekend. And with Szczerba's absence, they may take some time working in a sufficient gameplan for TE Garry Gilliam, meaning more WR sets.
• Linebacker will be a strength of the team, despite what the pundits are saying. Mike Mauti is fine.
• Stephfon Morris might be out, but it depends on how his neck injury heals. Powell can be moved back to defense if Morris can't go.
• Drew Astorino is doing alright, and should go.
• The offensive line is getting better. Joe and the staff are "very encouraged," which means they might actually be good. Joe doesn't praise units that aren't doing remarkably well. If they weren't, the wouldn't remark on them, right?
  
• Joe Paterno was asked about the quarterbacks, a lot. The gist of it all? Everything is fine, but unknown.
• Paul Jones was redshirted because of academics. Joe's worried about a few players, but wouldn't name them, and asked the guys not to ask about them.
• Both quarterbacks, Newsome and Bolden, can play. But they're obviously young.
• Hopefully a starter will be named tomorrow night.
  

So how many questions did Joe get about the quarterbacks? This many...

Penn State Media Day 2010: Paterno Press Conference Video & Transcript

At Penn State's annual football media day, Joe Paterno seemed in much better spirits back home in Happy Valley, speaking to a familiar rabble with which he knew he could be a bit more relaxed.

I think I'll try to post some reaction to this sometime tomorrow or this weekend. But for now, let's just say this one was much more comfortable to watch.

You've got to love the first line by Joe. Then again, anything is better than the first question from the Big Ten media day presser.



Via Penn State Athletics:

Coach Joe Paterno

Football Media Day News Conference

August 12, 2010

COACH PATERNO: I have one request -- Please don't ask me if I'm going to die tomorrow. (Laughter) Believe me, I've got a few more days left. (Laughter) Okay, let's talk football.

Q. I know you have some high expectations for Devon Still this year. Could you kind of tell me how he's coming along and your thoughts of what he'll be able to --

COACH PATERNO: Still is a good football player. He's worked hard. He's got a lot of ability. He's a big, rangy kid. He's probably 6-5, about 300 pounds. But I like him. He's a hard worker. When he first got here he was a little lazy, but he's really gotten to where he's a leader. So he's done very, very well.

Q. With Curtis Drake out now with a broken leg, what do you do to replace him and is there any thought of putting (Chaz) Powell back on offense?

COACH PATERNO: That's tough. Drake is one of the better football players we have. He's very versatile. I mean, he can do a lot of things. He can throw the ball; he was a heck of a high school quarterback. He's a really good receiver, good runner. It's a big loss for us, really is a big loss. But that's the way it goes. We've got to go without him. He'll be at least…they're talking six, eight weeks, so it'll be at least that.

Q. Any thought of putting Powell back on offense?

COACH PATERNO: Powell? Not really. Powell is doing very well on defense and likes it over there. Powell's biggest problem has been he's been -- you know, he's a kid that -- he's not been consistent in doing some things, but all of a sudden he's -- he looks like he's having some fun out there on defense, and he's really doing well. So I think -- I doubt it very much, unless there would be a disaster, we would not -- we'd keep Powell right where he is.

Q. You have several quarterback candidates with different attributes and different liabilities, and it's a little bit of a unique season because the offensive line has some question marks in it. So without naming names, do you have any templates you want to follow on what you want most out of the candidate who's ultimately the winning candidate?

COACH PATERNO: Well, it's a little too early. One thing that's changed, and I don't know whether you folks have been alert to it, but they changed the amount of time you have. They (NCAA) gave us an extra five days, (with) no more practices. You still can only get 29 practices, but you get four more days to get it in. So we've used the four days in order to get a little better feel for some of these kids.

So I told the coaches when we started, whatever you want to call it, preseason practice, but whenever we started practice, I said, since we've got the extra days -- we've never practiced for 29 days. I've always gone 26, 27, but we're going to take the 29, and we're using the extra days -- I'm using those to evaluate people. So we've spent more time trying to get to find out what some kids can do, who the leaders might be, whether we can come up with a couple of offensive linemen, because we've got troubles there, and to give all the quarterbacks a shot at it to see what they can do.

And now we took two days off. We took today off and tomorrow off, and I'll take two more days off down the road because I think we're going to work really hard now since we're -- as far as the class work. Right now we're taking finals tomorrow.

So once we get that over and once we get over the so-called tryout period, then we'll go to work, and we'll work hard the next week, take a couple days off, and again, hopefully we don't get banged up too much, and then get back in there where we start to get ready to play a football game.

Q. Considering what you have, though, is mobility more important than it has been, a grasp of the offense? Where do you think the winner is going to --

COACH PATERNO: I don't know. You know, I think it's a combination of things. It's not that easy to say, “this kid is going to play here.” I always go back -- every once in a while I tell the staff, years and years ago (Vince) Lombardi grew up in the same neighborhood I did in Brooklyn, and I used to go down when he was assistant coach with the (New York) Giants, used to be up in St. Michael's I think it was up in New Hampshire, I'd go up and spend some time. (Tom) Landry was in the secondary, was the defensive coach. Lombardi used to say all the time, the part of coaching you have to do is you have to get the right guy in the right spot doing the right thing at the right time.

Now, what combination that is, you don't know. I could not tell you what the makeup of this team is going to be because of the fact of what I just said. We've been trying people out. And we're trying to get the best combination of people to react to each other. A couple guys that may not be as good football players, there's a couple guys that we're not playing but who are good leaders and people that can do some things in the clutch, make some things happen when we got to make them happen.

So we're right in the process right now of we're trying to learn from them, really.

Q. Can you talk a little bit more about the quarterback competition? Has anyone stood out and any possibility that you might play a freshman?

COACH PATERNO: Well, there isn't anybody with any experience out there, so when you say you're going to play a freshman or what have you, we may be forced into playing a freshman. I think we have really -- the (Kevin) Newsome kid is really a freshman. He started in January a year ago.

I know you think I'm bagging the question maybe on this one, but I really don't know who's going to be the quarterback. I don't know right now. We're trying to put them in positions, situations I should say, not positions. We try to put them in situations where they have to make something happen. They have to be able to do some things in the clutch, get a little confidence, get the football team to get some confidence in them so that they can get in the huddle and say to their team, hey, come on, let's go. Let's show these guys we're a pretty good football team and go from there.

I think we're going to -- we'll probably, before it's all over, not right away, but before it's all over we'll probably have a decent quarterback. Whether we're going to have a great one this year, you know, that's maybe a long shot.

Q. Pete Massaro sat out last year with a knee problem. How is he doing so far in the practice and do you expect him to be in the rotation at defensive end?

COACH PATERNO: So far okay. Now, again, we've only had the pads on once. Yesterday is the only day we've put the pads on, so it's tough to evaluate how he's going to handle maybe being in there 15, 16 plays where we're scrimmaging and he's got a play tired and things like that. We have not tested that thing that way. But we'll get around to doing it.

He looks as if he's okay. He looks as if he's going to be all right. He's a good athlete, he's a hard worker, he did a great job with his rehabilitation. The doctors were very -- and trainers were very pleased with how hard he worked to get himself to where he could play, so we're optimistic about it.

But for me to get up here and tell you he's ready to go, I don't think I'm in a position to say yes to that yet.

Q. With all the talent you lost at linebacker, what are you looking for in the competition there this summer?

COACH PATERNO: Well, I'm glad we've got a competition. I don't know what -- you know, I'm looking for solid play. Hopefully they'll play up to their potential, that a couple guys will come to the front. But I don't have any, “this guy has got to make X number of tackles, this guy has got to make three interceptions,” that kind of stuff. Hopefully we have a couple of kids that are going to make some plays in the clutch because of their ability. But we do have four or five pretty good linebackers. You know who they are, so there's no sense me getting into their names.

Q. How has (Doug) Klopacz looked at center so far? What will the evaluation process be to see if he can handle that and maybe if you have to move (Stefen) Wisniewski back?

COACH PATERNO: Well, he's got ability. If he doesn't…he's got to get a little bit more consistent. He has a tendency every once in a while to take a blow, but if he gets a little bit more consistent, he'll be fine. But Wisniewski right now is the second center, and last year he was our first center. So obviously we think Klopacz is pretty good, otherwise we wouldn't move Wisniewski over to guard.

I like Klopacz. He's all business, keeps his mouth shut, works hard, been around. He's a senior. So I think he's going to be okay. Now, whether he's -- we'll see. But there's three or four kids on that offensive line that are pretty good, and he's one of them. Right now I think we could play with him and do all right.

Then there's a couple other guys that will have to come through.

Q. Continuing on the offensive line, just in general, how do you feel about it, and is there a chance that any of the younger guys like (Eric) Shrive could see action at some point this year?

COACH PATERNO: I doubt if Shrive can. I think a couple kids have to. Shrive one of these days is going to be a pretty good football player, but right now he's -- he's just inconsistent. He guesses a little bit. He's not quite the disciplined kid you've got to be in this league right now. The kind of people we have to play against. He's not a take-charge guy. We're looking for a couple guys that can go out there and dominate some people. He's not there yet. He's a big, strong kid and he's got a chance to be good, but right now he's probably a year away.

But he works hard. He's a good kid, a bright kid, and I think eventually he's going to be pretty good.

Q. During the summer when you were a little bit under the weather, were you relying on your assistant coaches maybe more, and are you delegating more to them at this stage of the game?

COACH PATERNO: I'm not sure whether they would agree that I'm delegating. I don't know. We go into staff meeting, and there are some things that I don't particularly like that I see on the practice field, and I make it known that I think we want to change this or we want to do this or something like that. But on the field, I don't coach on the field as much as I used to. They're doing most of the coaching on the field.

In the old days I used to grab a couple kids and shove them around a little bit. There's two things wrong with that these days: Number one, the first one and the more important one is I don't want to get like the guy at Texas Tech, if you know what I mean. And the second thing is I prefer to wait until I get them in a meeting and say, “hey, I don't like what we're doing there and I didn't like the way he handled that kid or do something like that.” But I try to stick my two cents in.

Q. Can you talk about Evan Royster? We didn't get to see him in the spring game. Can you talk about how he's been preparing to get ready to handle the load and how will you use some of the other talented running backs you have to get them in the game with Royster, as well?

COACH PATERNO: Yeah, we were in practice. I don't know whether there's a point that you're making. I apologize for not being able to go along with what you're trying to get.

I think, as I tried to say earlier, spring practice has got to give way to preseason right now. I think the thing I have to do, and that's one of the advantages I have, I've coached so long and I've been around a lot of football players, a lot of football teams, is that I think I can sum up -- I don't think maybe I'm answering your question. I can sum up where are we this week, “where are we, does this kid have it, how long can we wait, let's put him in a situation where we test him.”

I mean, there's a lot of things you've got to do in the putting of a group together. You know, just remember this: We have to put together a group that has to play most of the time before massive crowds, 100,000 people. A kid makes one, two, three mistakes and he's cost you a football game, and you're always trying to -- in the back of your mind you're trying to get across to your guys that are going to have to make the plays and the guys that are going to be in that, hey, don't be stupid, don't put the ball on the ground.

You take the (2009) Iowa game; we let them block that punt. We fell asleep. I mean, you would have thought we never practiced punting the ball. So I don't know. That doesn't answer your question, I know that.

Q. Brandon Ware is listed at 337. Did he come in the in the kind of shape that you've wanted? I know he's been sort of a little bit in the doghouse in the past because of weight issues, and you've got 13 players over 300. Is there anyone else that when we reported maybe was a little heavy, too heavy?

COACH PATERNO: We had a couple of kids that were too heavy and I wouldn't let them practice until they lost some weight. I won't get into who they are because I don't think that's fair because they've lost the weight. Ware has got other problems. Ware's problems are academic. Ware has been a goof-off academically. But he's straightening himself out a little bit. He's not home-free yet. Ware is not home-free yet. Ware is a guy that can be a really good player. He's about 330 but probably ought to be about 320.

But he knows what he's got to do, but he hasn't done it yet. And it's not necessarily the physical part of it, it's really his -- he's got to do a better job in the classroom.

Q. Have you found a punter yet?

COACH PATERNO: We've got three kids out there punting, and I think we're going to have a punter, but there again, you never know until he goes out there and punts the ball before a lot of people. It's like the kid taking the foul shot; some guys go out here and can't do it. But I think we're going to have a punter. I think we'll be all right. I'm not sure, but they have potential. The three kids all have good leg…a little erratic right now. We'll get them settled down a little bit and a little bit more consistent, and I think we'll probably end up with a decent punter, maybe not a great one but a decent one.

Q. Your Thursday night radio show, I think you said in Chicago you were cutting back on appearing on that. Just curious, what was the reason behind that, and are you cutting back on any other similar responsibilities?

COACH PATERNO: Well, the Thursday night show is a tough show for me because of the fact I've got to come right off the field and go into that radio show. That's always been a problem for me because of the fact that I go in there and -- you know, well, you guys have seen me. If we have a lousy practice and somebody wants to ask me, I feel like telling them, “go jump in the lake.” It's making the adjustment all the time.

And it's a pain in the rear end. I want to get home. I want to start doodling. I want to figure out what we didn't get done so that maybe I can figure out a couple things for the game on Saturday.

So it's really -- annoying is probably not the best way to put it, but it's something that I would really -- when I was in a situation where we had to build up the program a little bit, I figured it was something I had to do. I don't really feel as if I have to do it right now, and I may not be -- I may be overstating that case, but I just don't -- it's not a -- it's a tough thing to come off the practice field on a Thursday and hustle over there and get on the radio, and I didn't like it. You know, and I don't get paid a lot of money. (Laughter.)

You know, I do that; I do the Quarterback Club on Wednesdays; I do a pregame (radio) show. There aren't a lot of coaches that do all those things. I do a show with Steve Jones before the game; I go to Quarterback Club every week and get up and answer questions and the whole bit. So I mean, it wears on you a little bit. I'm anxious to just concentrate on trying to make sure we put everybody -- get the best arrangement we can in order to have the best football team we can have.

Q. Earlier you talked about the linebackers. I know you've only had one practice, but what are you expecting? Is there any way to know what to expect from Michael Mauti this year, and would you expect him to lead the linebacker corps pretty much?

COACH PATERNO: Well, I think Michael Mauti has a chance to be really good. Now, whether he comes off that knee operation, there again, you don't know. He's like Massaro. He had a tough knee operation, and I've got my fingers crossed that he's going to be fine because he is a very, very fine athlete, as is Massaro. You keep your fingers crossed and hope he's going to be okay, because if he's okay, he's pretty darned good.

Q. Without looking past the opener, can you talk about what it's going to be like to take your team to Alabama and walk on that field down there?

COACH PATERNO: You know, I'd be dishonest if I told you I have not looked at tapes of Alabama; I have. It's pretty tough these days not to turn on the television set and see three, four football games every night almost. So I've seen a lot, and I've looked at a lot of Alabama tapes. But I can't rewind it, I can't do some of the things I will do once we get to the week before we play Alabama.

But right now, if you said to me, “how good is the right offensive tackle of Alabama?” I couldn't tell you, not right now.

Q. Talk about going to Alabama and being involved in an Alabama game.

COACH PATERNO: I'm not quite sure what you mean, but I -- Alabama is obviously a very gifted football team, and Nick has done a really good job coaching it. When we get around to it, it's going to be a tough football game.

But you mentioned the fact that we open up with Youngstown. A couple years ago Michigan opened up with -- who did they open up with? (Appalachian State) And they got -- they blocked a punt and got licked -- I mean, blocked a field goal and got licked. So I'm really not -- I'm trying not to get that involved in that. The time will come when I -- it'll be 14, 15 hours a day looking at them, but I have really not given them a lot.

I'm sure the assistant coaches have looked at more than I have.

Q. What's the latest with Stephon Morris? I heard he got shaken up in practice? Is he practicing? Is he out?

COACH PATERNO: Morris wasn't hurt that badly, but we've had some tough injuries. I don't know why. We've got four or five concussions. We are going to keep some people out, and I'm talking about two or three really good players, and I'm not sure -- we're trying -- the medical people and I have spent some time trying to figure out, you know, whether it's the helmet, whether it's some type of blocking. I don't know.

But Morris is going to be all right.

Q. Earlier you were asked about the radio show. You talked about the Quarterback Club and the Saturday pregame show. Do you still plan to do those, the Quarterback Club and the Saturday pregame show?

COACH PATERNO: Well, very few people have the -- let me put it a different way. You know, I've been through it when we didn't have a fan call, but when you go to the Quarterback Club, and I don't know if any of you ever go, more than half of them are women. Really, there's an awful lot of people who have an interest in it, and I feel a little obligated to respond to that. Whether I want to do it every week, I'm not sure anymore.

Q. There's a lot of guys on this team who haven't proved themselves or haven't had a chance to prove themselves yet. As a coach, do you relish those seasons where it's more you're teaching and you might not know what you have, or is it more frustrating than when you have a team come back that has eight or nine seniors starting?

COACH PATERNO: Well, I like the team. And obviously I'm confident in our coaching staff. I think we've got a really big-league coaching staff, and they've done a great job. Somebody had asked me earlier about are they carrying me; yeah, they probably are carrying me. So I'm looking forward to it. I really am. I think we've got a long way to go. I think we've got a tough schedule obviously. We've got to play some good people on the road. And we've got to play some good people, period.

So I think it's -- you know, you like the competition. If you didn't like it, you ought to get out of it. I mean, that's the way I've always felt about it. I've always felt, hey -- when I recruit kids, I tell them, “hey, don't be afraid of competition. If you're afraid of competition, don't even look at us because you'll never get good if you don't play against good people and you'll never get good if you don't practice against good people.” Until somebody knocks you on your rear end, and pardon me ladies, but unless somebody knocks you on your rear end, you're never going to learn. You get knocked on your rear end, you get back up and you figure out, “how did he knock me down?”

So I like the competition; it doesn't bother me. Now whether we're going to be good enough, you know, that's what it's all about. But it certainly doesn't bother me, competition.

Q. What are your concerns with the offensive line?

COACH PATERNO: Well, we're not very good right now, our offensive line. We've got two or three guys that -- three anyway, that are -- that I think can play right now. The others we're going to have to work hard with, and they're going to have to work hard in order to be good enough to handle some of the people we have to play.

Whether they get good enough, that's what we -- so we've got to coach. We've got to go to work and we've got to get a bunch of guys that kind of -- we can get them to come together and feel good about themselves and look forward to being a tough bunch of kids. Right now we're not really tough. I think we've got to get tougher, and I think we will. I don't think it's -- I don't think they know right now how to be tough.

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Reaction to Joe Paterno's 2010 Big Ten Media Days Presser

Note: You can read the full transcript, and watch the video of Joe Paterno's appearance at the 2010 Big Ten Media Day RIGHT HERE.

Here's my two cents on what we saw today.

First off, that lead question. What the hell was that!?

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?

Tell you what, pal. You keep what you're thinking to yourself, and save the real questions for sportswriters that aren't incapable of completely embarrassing themselves on national television.

Mind you, most of the questions asked all day weren't exactly earth-shattering. But to lead off with that question for Joe Paterno was, well, practically irresponsible. There was bound to be an overarching theme for what questions were thrown Paterno's way. I would have asked them, too. But to begin with a distasteful jab at the man's death... that's just a terribly sad display of sensationalizing something that needs none of it to make a good story.

But it got worse, actually. Terribly worse, on a personal level for me. Joe mentioned his battle with illness this off season. Again, that was a very relevant topic to address. But did the reporter really need to confirm it? Like this, no less?

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.

Jesus frickin' Christ! The man had diarrhea, alright!? You want him to call you the next time his toilet is full?

Then you wonder why fewer people each year take the main stream media seriously.

Moving on.

Joe was asked about Tom Osborne, Alabama, getting 400 career wins, and what other teams he would like to see join the Big Ten. Now I felt like we were getting some interesting commentary from Poopterno. (Oh, did that slip out? Sorry, I'm still in shock that the first question Joe had to answer was so specifically about liquid fire coming out of his butt.)

I thought the best line of the day came from Joe in response to reaching 400 wins this year. The reporter referenced Eddie Robinson, which was a very smart move. Joe likes when people talk in a more personal way, and you can surely do that by talking to Joe about stuff that happened 50 years ago. Joe usually bullshits the media on questions about records, retirement, etc. But this time, I genuinely think Joe meant what he said today.

"...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."

You know, as crotchety and stubborn as Joe Paterno can be, you didn't really hear any other coach give a presser quite like he did today. Not only were there no questions about the actual football team taking the field this year, Joe seemed to take every dumb question about illness, retirement, and death right in stride, even more so than previous years at Big Ten Media Days.

I might end up posting something else later about Joe's comments from today; I might not. But there was no way that first question was going to get away from my keyboard.

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Joe Paterno's Big Ten Spring Teleconference

Sick'em, Joe!

Penn State's patriarch gave his second formal press conference of the spring football season, this time as part of the Big Ten Coaches Teleconference rounds. Every Big Ten head coach gave their own, meaning this was probably viewed even less favorably by Paterno, who has standing personal orders to despise reporters and their questions to begin with.

The full transcript is below the main part of this post. But I'll give you the quick rundown in case you don't feel like reading the whole thing.

• Joe still hates freshmen. Those little pip-squeaks think they can mosey on down to Tuscaloosa and play a football game, never mind Iowa City and Columbus. Unless the kid is the next Derrick Williams, they ain't playin'.

• Freshmen shouldn't even be allowed to enroll early, like the can, and do now. But, "I am a voice in the wilderness..."

• If the Big Ten and the rest of college football doesn't get off its collective asses and expand the conferences, there's going to be heck to pay. Heck! I tell you!

• Joe hates this team. They're scum. Crap. Lousy. Not very good. Average. Terrible. A lot of work ahead of them... all words actually used (ok, maybe not all those words) by Joe to describe this team.

• It's going to be a loooong off-season for the Nittany Lions.

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Q: Coach, I know you say that your bottom line is that the freshmen do not exist much early. With guys coming in early, does it change your perspective of what they might be able to offer you in the fall as opposed to someone who shows up in June or August?
"Not really. There may be a kid every once in a while who comes in during January and is just that good. But in this league, and with the schedule we have to play - we have some pretty tough games on the road early in the year - I think we would make a mistake to put any one of them in a position where they've got to do a job that is too tough for them. We have Alabama in the second game. We have to go to Iowa in our fifth (game). I have always believed that you bring the young guys along and you try to encourage them, take a look at what potential they have and take a look at if they are in the right spots and the whole bit. Basically, you better get the guys who have been in some tough football games ready to play."

Q: What do you think about this growing trend of players coming in early?
"I think it is a lousy trend. I think kids ought to finish up high school. You are only young once. I am not happy we are doing it, to be honest with you. You get pressure all the time because there are kids you are recruiting, and you are recruiting them early. Other people are talking to them about starting early, so you end up (getting them early) to be competitive. But, I don't like it. I really don't. I think the best thing is to finish up high school, go to the prom, have memories of what high school was all about, start in college as a freshman when the rest of the kids do, and go from there. I am a voice in the wilderness..."

Q: What are your thoughts on the expansion talks? And how big of a deal in your mind is that six-week wait between the final game of the season and the bowl game?
"I think the Big Ten has put itself in a big disadvantage. When you play people who have played games three weeks after you finished playing, I think you are at a disadvantage. Having said that, even the television exposure has been a disadvantage for us. I think expansion is coming. Now, in what form...There is a lot about the Pac-10 is going to try to get two or more teams in their conference, somebody else is doing something else, and so forth. I'm not privy to that. Unfortunately, the athletic directors and the conference commissioners forget I've been in this thing for 60 years, so I don't get a lot of input. They don't call me and say, `what do you think of this and what do you think of that?' But, I think the trend is that there is going to be bigger conferences. I think there is going to be 12 or 14-team conferences, and even maybe 16-team conferences. Do I know what I am talking about? Who knows? But, I do think, with the television situation the way it is and the great impact it has on exposure, and what that exposure does, as far as recruiting, I think that we are naive if we, when I say we, I mean the Big Ten, and anyone else involved with a BCS championship, I think we are naive if we can sit back and watch everyone move ahead. They are going to move ahead. We better start thinking about where we are going."

Q: If you did get a say in expansion, what would you advocate? Do you want to see 12 (schools)? Do you want to see 16?
"When all of this happens, I will probably be out of this thing. All I have tried to do is push. I would like to see our particular conference, the Big Ten, move East a little bit. I would like to see at least one team in the East. I think it would give us a little broader television market and a little bit more exposure. And if we had 12 teams, it would give us a chance to get into some kind of championship thing (game). Division one would play division two in a championship game. Whether that means you go 12 or you go 14, I don't know. I don't know all of the consequences. I think the thing you have to do though, is when you get married, you better marry someone you love. And that means, someone who appreciates what you want to do. We have got to get people in our conference that are AAU schools, schools that have the same kind of commitment academically. And I'm not even talking about on the football field. I'm not talking about athletics. I am talking about research and all of those other things. One of the reasons we got in the Big Ten so easily and so quickly is because we were a very comparable institution to some of the really great institutions that are in the Big Ten. And I would hope we would do that. And along with that, bring along some people who have a comprehensive athletic program. They are going to have broad-based women's sports. They are going to have broad-based men's sports. We are not just looking at football and basketball. We are looking at the other sports. We can really mesh that we are all on the same page and nobody dominates it. It isn't a question of bringing somebody in that you are going to kick around. It is a question of bringing somebody in that can handle the academics, research, AAU schools, people who are committed to women's sports, people who are committed to all sports programs, the commitment to the ideals that intercollegiate athletics should be all about. Now, can you find one, two, three, four...I don't know. That is up to people who are outside my realm."

Q: I wanted to ask you about the team. How have they looked this spring? I know there is a lot of attention on the quarterbacks, how did they do on the first Saturday?
"We are not a very good football team right now. We are just not very good. The quarterbacks are very average, but they are young. Hopefully, over a period of time they will get better. We are just very average right now. We are not tough. We are just not doing some things very well right now. The kicking game is terrible. We have six more practices. We are going to concentrate and get a little bit better in those areas, but we have a lot of work ahead of us."

Q: Is it just because you have a lot of young guys, or are some of the older guys not taking the step you need this spring?
"Well, I think it is a combination of both. We are very young in key spots. We don't have a quarterback who has played more than 20 plays. You stick them in the huddle and you give them some things you want to do. We have some very gifted skill people on both sides of the football. We have a very average offensive line. As I said, I am a little disappointed in our kicking game. We have a lot of work ahead of us. That doesn't mean we can't get it done, but I think we have to be realistic and stop dreaming that all of a sudden the good Lord is going to come down and bless us. We've got to go to work."

Spring Football: Joe's first press conference

Joe Paterno met with the press today, his first conference of the spring football season. Originally, the meeting was scheduled for last friday, but moved to this afternoon. Here's the long and the short of what college football's all-time winningest coach had to say, as the Nittany Lions head into one of the most unpredictable pre-season in years, if not decades.

• Brent Carter and Tom McEowen will graduate this spring, and not be a part of the team this fall. Too bad, especially for Carter. But it's all part of big-time college football. Those two guys put a lot of time and hard work into this team, and should be commended for it.

• If you think a starting quarterback will be named anytime soon, you're crazy, and quite stupid.

• Chaz Powell could play defense, as we already pointed out.

• D'Anton Lynn could stay at safety, but nothing is definite.

• Joe couldn't say how many guys will switch position, but most likely, about a dozen or so have the chance to move. He doesn't know yet.

• The reporters should have known better than to ask a question about Joe's impression of freshman Paul Jones, but that's what this presser was about. Joe said he's only seen Jones throw the ball about eight times in three days of practice so far, but obviously wouldn't have recruited him if he didn't see something good in the kid.

• Matt McGloin has a good shot to earn some significant playing time this fall. My bet is for the sophomore to grab the second-team spot behind Newsome. But whatever he does, I hope he plays, because I really want to use this awesome photo of McGloin I took last Blue-White Game.

• Drew Astorino will probably miss all of spring practice. Mike Mauti is working out, but no contact.

• We got the same runaround from Joe about the offensive line, but I never hold it against him. The reporters always ask about the line early in the pre-season, knowing Joe will give them a zinger or two: "You got a big pencil? And a big sheet?" was this year's quip.

• The only new name mentioned at linebacker was Mike Zordich. But Joe only said that he "could be a good football player."

• Brandon Ware is too fat, and doesn't do well enough in class. Until he improves in both areas, we won't see him play much.

• The placekicker situation is fine, with Colin Wagner. But the punter spot... eh...

• Evan Royster won't do too much heavy lifting this spring, while Brandon Beachum is running around a bit. No mention yet of other running backs.

• Joe wants the team to focus more on special teams, particularly the punt team. Gee, wonder why.

• Will freshmen play this year?

"Freshmen? I don't even know they exist. I mean, you can't count on them. You want to go down to Tuscaloosa with freshmen?"

• Shaine Thompson and Derek Day were mentioned in the running back competition. Curtis Dukes "has a shot," but has to improve pass protection and stuff.

• We got the "checkers and chess" story... for the ten-thousandth time.

• Stefen Wisniewski is the center right now. Joe said it could come up whether to move him back to guard. But I personally doubt he'll move. He's a great leader in the middle. Why mess with that right now?

• And finally, about his glasses, or lack-of:

"You know what? Unfortunately, I can still see you. But, the glasses, I don't need the glasses. It's amazing. The people down there at the eye institute down at Penn did a fantastic job. I don't really need the glasses. But, they want me to wear them anytime I'm outside to protect them. But I can read and the whole bit. I can read my notes without any glasses, and it says here, keep your patience with these guys."

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