A sweaty Joe Paterno walked into The Bryce Jordan Center Founder's Lounge Saturday under the media's hot lights and answered a few questions about the Nittany Lions' 24-6 convincing defeat against Toledo before he stood up and ended the short media gathering.

After the 73-year-old coach left, though, the lights would become only hotter after tailback Larry Johnson was most outspoken, bashing Penn State's playbook.

Yesterday, a testy Paterno sat under the hot lights again in the Founder's Lounge at what seemed to be more like an interrogation than his weekly teleconference as Paterno had little answers for Johnson's comments.

"Have you talked to Larry Johnson?" a reporter asked.

"That would be something I would not share with anybody," Paterno responded in with his usual scratchy Brooklyn accent.

Have some of the offensive players expressed in-house frustration over. . .?

"I think that is our business," Paterno quipped before the same reporter could finish his question.

One of his concerns was that you were practicing a lot of the things that you were not using in a game. Is that a valid. . .

"I am not going to comment on what he had to say. I think Larry said what he said and you guys recorded it. Fine. You can make your own interpretations of it."

Coach, Jimmy Kennedy also said. . .

"I will say the same thing about what Jimmy Kennedy said. I've already made the statement about the fact that some people have made some remarks and I told you how I felt."

Johnson said Saturday he was upset at Paterno's offense and felt it was too predictable for the opposition. The Rockets defense supported that assertion.

"You are going to get that and I am glad to see a little bit of that, to be frank with you," Paterno said. "Except, I wish he would keep that . . . that he wouldn't make that public. If everybody's happy when you are 0-2, you probably have a lot of problems. I would hope that we could keep our dirty laundry to ourselves and would not vent some frustrations that you have to the public. We're all frustrated.

"That's why I kept my mouth shut after the ball game Saturday. I would have to say sorry for having said it because you can only say 'I'm sorry' so many times. I have no problems with that. It was said. It probably shouldn't have been said, but it was said."

But Paterno did have problems with the reporters, who questioned Johnson's questioning and Penn State's offensive effectiveness throughout the one-hour gathering, as he stepped down from the podium and walked beside reporters.

"One question about Louisiana Tech," Paterno said, indicating to reporters his displeasure by raising his index finger. "One question."

Paterno did not seem to have that big of a problem with Johnson, though, whom he called "competitive" and a "hard worker" as the redshirt sophomore remained behind tailback Eric McCoo on the depth chart. Paterno said Johnson will not see fewer carries as a result of his criticism unless he does not practice well this week.

Johnson scored the Lions' lone touchdown this season on a 61-yard pass and run (mostly run) against Toledo and blocked a punt in the Kickoff Classic for two of Penn State's five points against the Trojans. Johnson, a State College native and son of Paterno's defensive line coach Larry Johnson Sr., is the Lions' leading rusher with 28 yards on eight carries.

Johnson was not available for comment yesterday and is not on the media interview list this week. That left defensive end Justin Kurpeikis, a senior who captained Penn State against Southern California, to act as the players' spokesperson.

"The last 48 hours have been more constructive," Kurpeikis said. "I think immediately after the game in the media room, there was a sense of frustration. A lot of guys, in the last 48 hours, have changed their tone.

"Everyone is a little frustrated. Everyone is working as hard as they can — the coaches, the players."

Injury report

The Lions offensive line, which has taken much heat before Johnson's remarks, will get some help this week as Paterno said Jordan Caruso will play for the first time this season against Louisiana Tech.

Caruso, who did dress against Toledo, has not competed since he had a fainting spell during Penn State's preseason. Caruso, though, was not listed on the depth chart and is listed as "possible" for Saturday's contest, the first meeting between Penn State and the Bulldogs.

Center Joe Iorio is still out, recovering from mononucleosis. Wide receiver Eddie Drummond also will not play Saturday.

"I don't know when he will make it," Paterno said, "but he will not make it this week."

Few answers

Paterno is not certain how to remedy Penn State's woes, he stressed to repeated questions.

Among his responses:

"We've tried to figure out what's going on."

"I don't have the answers."

"We are looking at this thing realistically as to how we can make this thing better."

Although, Paterno is somewhat optimistic.

"We'll get there," Paterno said. "We'll be a good football team before the season is over."

But that is not because of Paterno's success after starting this season with an 0-2 mark, something that has happened twice in Penn State history under Paterno. The last time the Lions started their season with two defeats, 1990, Penn State won nine straight before a 24-17 loss against Florida State in the Blockbuster Bowl.

It also happened in 1983, but Penn State started that season 0-3 and finished with an 8-4-1 showing.

"The season has not started out how we wanted to," Kurpeikis said. "Things are not going according to plan. We still have 10 ball games left and no one on this team is a quitter. We've turned our focus to getting ready for this week."

Different week, same story

It is a new week and a different team on the schedule, but it is the same story: Paterno has respect for his opposition.

"You guys are going to say," Paterno said, " 'There he goes again.' "

And so he went.

"It's a completely different football team offensively than we have played the first two weeks," Paterno said, comparing the Bulldogs offense to the Drew Brees-led offense of Purdue. "It's pass, pass, pass. They have been able to throw the ball all over the place. They have a tailback and a quarterback that are outstanding players. They are a very good offensive football team."

The Bulldogs boast a 1-1 mark this season after Kansas State destroyed Louisiana Tech, 54-10, last week.

Lighter side of the news

Paterno did manage to find some humor yesterday, although he did say football has not been as "fun" for the Lions thus far this season.

"Who? Who? Who?" Paterno asked after a reporter inquired if younger players would get more playing time after Penn State's poor start. "I was on the phone this morning trying to make a couple of trades, but I couldn't do it. I tried to get Lloyd Carr at Michigan to trade a couple of his kids for a couple of ours, and he said that wasn't in the best interest for Michigan.

"We have to play with what we got."