It seems as if there is one constant with the Penn State football team this season.

That is coach Joe Paterno — the 35-year Nittany Lions coach who enters this season with new expectations, a new coaching staff and almost a new team as he contends for Bear Bryant's mark as the all-time victory leader in Div. I-A college football.

Those seven wins Paterno needs, though, will not be so easy to claim this season.

Especially if starting quarterback Rashard Casey is not at the helm of the Penn State offense for the entire season. Casey's arrest in May has made Penn State's one certainty into one of the biggest question marks.

Yet Paterno is sticking by Casey, a fifth-year senior who made his first career start in last season's 24-0 Alamo Bowl win to close the season with a 10-3 mark.

"There isn't a football player that is going to walk on that field when we start practice that has his job, except for maybe Rashard Casey," Paterno said during Penn State Football Media Day Aug. 5. "We have a good, solid bunch of kids. We are playing a great schedule. We had a good football team last year. We probably could have been a little bit better in certain spots. We lost three games and ended up winning ten games.

"I am excited about the season. I am not worried about it or concerned about it."

Although, Paterno does have cause for concern with a squad, ranked in college football's upper echelon last season, that lost 15 starters, including the top two selections in the NFL Draft, four starters on offense and its two kickers.

Furthermore, Penn State, dubbed as No. 22 in the preseason polls, begins the 2000 campaign with a game against Southern California in the Kickoff Classic Aug. 27.

"It's going to be a hell of a game — I mean they have a lot of people coming back," Penn State tailback Eric McCoo said. "They are going to do a great job preparing for us like we are going to prepare for them. They are working just as hard as we are. I really expect them to play a great game; they are a great team.

"It's going to be a big challenge for us. I definitely think it is a tone setter. It's going to set the tone on how we need to play for the rest of the year."

Toledo, Louisiana Tech and Pittsburgh round out the non-conference schedule before Penn State faces Big Ten powerhouses Ohio State, Michigan and Purdue with Heisman Trophy hopeful Drew Brees.

Fortunately for the Lions, though, Wisconsin is not on this season's schedule.

On offense, Penn State has a strong crop of running backs with McCoo, a junior, and Larry Johnson returning along with senior fullback Mike Cerimele. Their effectiveness, however, could hinge upon the strength of the offensive line.

That unit, which loses sophomore Joe Iorio for a few weeks with mononucleosis, will determine if Casey is a pocket quarterback more like his predecessor, Kevin Thompson, or if he will scramble upfield. That was a trend last season for Casey when he became Penn State's second leading rusher with 290 yards on 76 attempts.

"If nobody can get past the linemen, I won't do it," Casey said. "I'll just stay back there all day."

Casey, the top Big Ten quarterback last season in passing efficiency, will no longer have Chafie Fields as an option at wide receiver, but still has Rod Perry and speedy junior Eddie Drummond as potential targets.

"I want to be one of the top receivers in the Big Ten yet alone the whole college football scene," Drummond said. "I want to be the best receiver I can be overall."

Tony Stewart and John Gilmore will share the tight end duties.

The defensive side of the ball has a new look and a new person in charge this season as defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, captain Brandon Short and the entire starting secondary has departed. The losses of Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington leave crater-like holes on the defense.

That leaves Paterno with Justin Kurpeikis and Jimmy Kennedy as the experienced returnees on defense.

"They are a lot more vocal leaders," defensive lineman T.J. Gholston said. "They are not the quiet leaders that show by doing. They vocalize. They get their point across."

And they will have to get across the line of scrimmage as well because the linebacking corps loses all three starters from last season. Linebacker U. has a new look after the Short, Arrington and Mac Morrison class has departed. Ron Graham, Shamar Finney and Eric Sturdifen compete with Brandon Steele and Aaron Gatten for the starting slots.

The defensive backs have game experience, but Bhawoh Jue, Bruce Branch, James Boyd and Titcus Pettigrew will have a tough time replacing Anthony King, David Macklin, Askari Adams and Derek Fox.

"A lot of people who are here this year got ample playing time," Jue said. "James played a lot, I played a lot. We have to come out there right now realizing that it's our job to take control."

On special teams, the Lions lost both kickers with the graduation of Travis Forney and Pat Pidgeon.

Ryan Primanti and State College product Dave Kimball, a true freshman, will compete for the place kicking duties. David Royer, who punted in the Michigan State contest while Pidgeon was sidelined with an injury, is the favorite to claim the punting position with walk-on Joe Nolan.

Branch will be the specialist on punt returns while Watson will handle the kick-off return duties.

"We all have one common goal," Watson said. "And that is to win the national championship."