Penn State Spring Football: At 83, Can Paterno Give It Another Run?

Editor\’s Note: This is the 14th of a 19-part daily series that seeks to answer the questions surrounding the 2010 Penn State football team. Check back every weekday until the Blue-White Game this Saturday to see the question of the day. Friday, we asked: \”Who were Jim O\’Hora and Red Worrell?\” Today, we ask: \”At 83, Can Paterno Give It Another Run?\”

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HE\’S AT THE GOAL LINE…

Joe Paterno was standing in the middle of the Nittany Lions\’ grass practice field, the green expanse that fills the divide between Lasch Building and Holuba Hall. It was March 31, and the team\’s drills were open to members for the press for 30 minutes or so.

Paterno stood there, chatting with two players in uniform, dwarfing their 83-year-old head coach. They were no-names, really — redshirt safety Kyle Johnson from Landenberg, Pa., and Mikel Berry, a redshirt sophomore Mikel Berry of Upper Arlington, Pa. Not guys you\’d find on the depth chart –- at least not right now.

Paterno was gesticulating, the players clearly focused on their coach. The three of them talked for three, four minutes. A Kodak moment.

Joe\’s in touch, star players or not.

…HE\’S AT THE 5…

Joe left that duo, and hustled over to the far corner of the fields. That\’s where a cast of thousands were trying their hand –- er, foot -– at punting.

If any position on the Penn State squad is in a quagmire, it\’s the punting game. How bad is it? Wide receiver Graham Zug was kicking a few balls.

Looking back, not enough people got a kick out of Jeremy Boone and his 151 career punts. Boone finished with Penn State\’s best career punting average (43.1 yards) and two of the top four season averages. Unfortuately for Paterno, Boone has graduated.

With the challenge of how best to manage his time while overseeing all aspects of the game, Paterno went to watch the punters first. He stood 10 feet behind the behind the punters, his hands in pockets. He watched…and watched.

Joe is a problem-solver.

…HE\’S AT THE 10…

Now he\’s over by the quarterbacks — Problem Area No. 2 — standing deep in the backfield where the top three signal-callers practice their dropbacks and roll-outs.

Kevin Newsome, Matt McGloin and Paul Jones move in tandem. Paterno moves his head to follow them, his view clearer with his new glasses.

Standing about a dozen feet away is Paterno\’s son, Jay, the Nittany Lions\’ quarterback coach. The two don\’t talk; no reason to, since they both are looking forward, at the quarterbacks and the big job ahead.

When the time comes, Joe, no doubt, will pick the starter.

…HE\’S AT THE 15…

A little white piece of paper, folded and creased, is in Paterno\’s left hand — like it has been all 45 years Paterno has been head coach. On that paper is written the day\’s practice schedule.

Since he succeeded Rip Engle in 1966, Paterno has had, roughly, more than 5,320 practice sessions. So surely the coach has taught today\’s lesson before.

Still, he glances down at the paper. Time to switch stations, Paterno\’s sheet says.

So the coach blows his whistle, in short, shrill bursts. The players respond. They run a half-lap around the field and settle into row after row to do some stretching.

Joe runs the practice.

…HE\’S AT THE 20…

While the players stretch, Paterno schmoozes. There are a couple sets of guests visiting that day. And Paterno moves easily from one to the other.

Laughing, smiling, pointing, shuffling his feet. Touching a visitor on the elbow. He\’s engaged and engaging.

The fields are his office, not that 40-by-40 stuffy room that holds Paterno\’s desk in Lasch, so large it houses its own conference table and bathroom.

Joe is in his element.

…HE\’S AT THE 25…

The players break and move into groups dotting the field. Twirling his whistle with the expertise and the nervous energy of a lifeguard at the community pool, Paterno walks from drill station to station, halting to look, to evaluate.

His first stop: the offensive linemen. He spends a good bit of time watching the behemoths push and shove and grab each other. Time that is of the essence.

Paterno knows he must replace two tackles. Remembering Iowa, remembering Ohio State. He knows that, like punter and quarterback, this is a position that will make or break the Nittany Lions in 2010.

Joe knows how to prioritize.

…HE\’S AT THE 30…

Paterno finds his way to the goal line and takes another look at his cheat sheet. After he does, the coach takes off and runs upfield. Considering he has already been on his feet for over 45 minutes and not moving for the past five minutes or so, Paterno gets a good jump.

He moves like he\’s 63, maybe 53. He lifts his knees and pumps his arms so his fists are raised high. Paterno still has that little Joe sway and stagger to his jaunt.

In a few seconds…

…HE\’S AT THE 35…

\”Bring it in. Bring it in. Bring it in,\” he yells in that same bark we heard back in January 1979, when the coach was featured on \”60 Minutes.\” That was over three decades ago.

The coach is still loud, he still shouts quickly, his Brooklyn accent still intact. The players are scattered all over the practice field, but they hear Paterno loud and clear. They come a runnin\’.

Looks like Joe is still in charge.