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[ Wednesday, March 22, 2000 ]
Paterno optimistic about restructuring
By Josh Daeche
Collegian Staff Writer
Optimism, an open mind and a new focus were all a part of Joe Paterno's annual spring press conference yesterday, as he met with the media for the first time since making the decision to jostle his coaching staff around in early February.
With many questions circulating about the key losses to Penn State's defensive squad last season, which included long time assistant Jerry Sandusky retiring and an Outland Trophy and Buktus Award winner in LaVar Arrington leaving a year early to the pros. In addition, with four-year starter Brandon Short and All-American Courtney Brown graduating, Paterno was optimistic about the restructuring of Linebacker "U."
"We have some kids who have been waiting for their opportunity and have been overshadowed by some people that were truly great. We have individual guys like the Kurpeikis's and the Robert Jones and Gatten and Ron Graham, if he gets his weight down, but we have some people that can play football."
Gatten started at outside linebacker in the Pigskin Classic against Arizona, but dropped to second string after Paterno gave Arrington the starting job the following week.
Despite what Paterno said about Graham's weight, Graham has seen his share of time at middle linebacker and is confident in his ability.
One player Paterno was extremely high on yesterday was senior Justin Kurpeikis.
"Justin Kurpeikis is going to be an outstanding football player and if he stays healthy he could be one of the better players in the country," Paterno said.
While Paterno focused on defense, he was also upbeat about his offense and how pleased he was to see his starter Rashard Casey showing such poise in the past couple of months, since the Alamo Bowl victory against Texas A&M on Dec. 28.
"Casey has been great," he said. "He is working with wide outs and defensive backs. Even though it's been voluntary he has gotten those guys out there."
"I have been very, very pleased with him and that part of it."
While much of the focus of the press conference remained positive, pointing out Penn State's sore spot last season could not go unnoticed.
Penn State's offensive line gave up 40 sacks for more than 200 yards last season and struggled in some of the big games, while not being able to give the running backs room to run. Last season the Lions had anywhere from 12 to 13 lineup changes.
Most of the offensive line remains from last year. Red-shirt sophomore Josh Mitchell seems to have found himself back into the mix.
Mitchell, who played in nine games as a freshman, red-shirted last season after being moved from long guard to tackle early in the season.
"Josh is one of our five or six kids that you would think right now has some place to play on our offensive line. We still are not yet set on where we are going to play some people at guard or tackle."
As another spring practice draws near, Paterno moves closer to yet another milestone. This one is the all-time winning coach in Div. I history. Only Alabama's legendary coach Paul "Bear" Byrant has just 6 more victories than Paterno who stands at 317 all-time.
Though he says he pays no attention to it, he knows it's in the foreseeable future.
"It's not going to be a distraction and I'm not going to spend any time thinking about it. If it happens, it happens I'm more worried about making it happen."
