Joe Paterno walked into his football news conference yesterday with the same worries and gripes that the 73-year-old coach has been harping on for decades.

Except this season, everyone is taking Paterno's concerns seriously, because they are legitimate complaints.

Trying to bounce back from a 5-7 season with a new quarterback and three new assistant coaches in town won't be an easy task. But with spring practice drills kicking off yesterday and just under a month before the Blue-White game, Paterno knows he will have time to get the right people in the proper places.

"I would hope positions could be won or lost in spring practice," he said. "I would hope everyone goes into this season knowing that everything is wide open. Lose seven games, you obviously have to do things better."

Paterno added that quarterback Matt Senneca, who will have junior eligibility next season, is pretty much locked into the quarterback spot and defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy can be comfortable with his spot on the defensive line, but the coach said most other positions are up for grabs. He added that having three new assistant coaches on the sidelines will force players to work harder, trying to impress the new coaches for starting positions.

Although the Nittany Lions would have rather played in a bowl game during the winter break instead of sitting at home watching the games on television, Paterno found something good in a bad situation.

The coach said he sat down after the Michigan State game and watched the team's tapes from throughout the season, sometimes taking a full day on one tape to try and find things he and his staff could change for the following year. Paterno pointed to inconsistency as being the main factor for the Lions lack of success.

Although it will be a challenge to become more consistent, the Lions know only game situations in practice and actual games can cure that ill.

"One of the advantages of not going to a bowl game is you have a lot of time on your hands," Paterno said. "I came away with some impressions that I shared with the staff and squad. We're certainly not going to panic."

The coach was impressed with the Lions' winter program which he said went well and added that nothing was changed from winter program's past.

Paterno did say that there are no major injuries coming into the first day of spring practice, but some players might be under restricted practice time — limits set by Paterno — because of poor academic quality.

One of the players that might be struggling with his books is linebacker Ron Graham, whom Paterno said might have trouble making the team if he doesn't shape up in the classroom.

"Ron is one of the guys that has to do a job academically," he said. "I don't even know if Ron is going to be with us. I don't want to discuss Ron Graham."

Paterno said he blames some of the problems of last season's team on himself and that he didn't do a particularly good job last season, but added it is no time for Penn State to panic.

The Lions and the coaching staff know it's a new season, a fresh start and a time to get the team back to where it belongs — atop the Big Ten and in a bowl game.

"We have to get better everywhere, at every position," Paterno said. "I don't think one position is more critical than another."