Paterno to watch team vie from box
The coach will watch his team play for the first time since breaking his left leg.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Perhaps Joe Paterno will press a pair of binoculars against his smoky glasses to get a better view of the field, or lean over and yell in the ears of his Penn State assistants to complain about play-calling or a blown coverage.
The 79-year-old coach will be watching his Nittany Lions today at Beaver Stadium for the first time since breaking his left leg two weeks ago. Penn State spokesman Jeff Nelson said he expects Paterno to "do some coaching while he's there."
Instead of nervously pacing the sideline while Penn State hosts Michigan State in the regular-season finale for each squad, Paterno plans to follow doctors' orders, stay off his feet and watch the action from the press box with his coaching staff.
"We are assuming that is where he would be, but you never know with him where he might end up," defensive coordinator Tom Bradley joked.
A win for Penn State (7-4, 4-3 Big Ten) likely sends them to the Outback Bowl in Tampa on Jan. 1.
A victory for Michigan State (4-7, 1-6) would allow departing coach John L. Smith to end his four-year career in East Lansing on a bright note.
Tried to shift spotlights
Both head coaches have tried to shift the spotlight this week away from their predicaments.
A smiling Smith at his last game-week news conference Tuesday said he wanted the Spartans "to play for themselves and play for their own pride right now. ... Let's just go play the game for the fun of playing the game."
The last several weeks have been anything but fun for each coach, though for different reasons.
Smith found out two weeks ago that Michigan State didn't want him back in 2007.
Paterno had surgery to repair a shinbone and two knee ligaments in a left leg damaged after getting leveled by two players during a sideline collision Nov. 4 at Wisconsin.
Paterno missed last week's game against Temple -- his first absence from the sideline as a head coach since 1977 -- to focus on his recovery.
Doctors have said Paterno is progressing well, though the coach will need to stay off his feet for at least another month.
Paterno returned to the football complex this week, and the last couple of days was ushered around the practice field in a golf cart, scribbling notes as he watched practice and spoke to players.
Seniors' final home game
He's coming back to Beaver Stadium in time to catch the final home game of linebacker Paul Posluszny, running back Tony Hunt and 21 other seniors who helped restore a winning sheen to the football program.
Posluszny suffered through losing seasons his first two years in Happy Valley before the Lions rebounded last season to win the Big Ten title and the Orange Bowl.
"The biggest difference has been confidence level," said Posluszny, the school's career leader in tackles. "We just know that once we step on the field, we're here to win."
The linebacker-led defense has stepped up the last month while the offense has tried to overcome red-zone woes, dropped balls and other mistakes. Paterno has said he has been a little more conservative with play calling because of offensive problems.
Quarterback Anthony Morelli hopes Penn State can build on last week's 47-0 rout of woeful Temple.
"I don't think we've been too bad for these last two weeks," Morelli said. "As long as we win these next two games, it will be a successful season."
The struggling Spartans have lost three straight and to make matters worse might be without their starting quarterback, Drew Stanton. The standout senior had dizziness and headaches after getting knocked out of last week's loss to Minnesota by a hit so hard that it collapsed part of Stanton's helmet.
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