The amount of scrutiny surrounding the Penn State football team and its coach Joe Paterno has grown a little more with every loss.

More and more, critics have been calling for Paterno to step aside. But Paterno is not going anywhere -- well, not before the end of next season, anyway.

"Whether you like it or not," Paterno said, "I'm going to be here next year, so relax."

Paterno said that there would be one instance in which he wouldn't coach the team next season.

"Well, if the White House called me and said they needed me to go over to Iraq," Paterno said. "I might go over."

The 76-year-old said that he is unaware of what is being reported by the media.

"If someone sent me an e-mail and said, 'Joe, you got to look at this or we are going to shoot you or something,' " Paterno said. "Then I would probably look at it."

After making the statement, Paterno quickly recanted saying he shouldn't have said it.

Penn State is off to its worst record in Big Ten games since joining the conference in 1993. The Nittany Lions have never finished worse than 4-4 and the Lions currently are 0-5. Paterno has learned through his 54 years of coaching that when a team is not successful that questions will begin to arise.

Paterno was curious to find out if his name was spelled correctly in the newspapers and he was a little disappointed that his last name was included in the headlines.

"I haven't seen the headlines, but did they spell my name right, it's J-O-E," Paterno said. "I have been around long enough to understand what comes with the territory... Some people are questioning if we can still get the job done and they have every right to have those concerns."

Wideouts, who will play?

The wide receiver's rotation has changed virtually every game. Early in the season Kinta Palmer and Ernie Terrell were used. More recently, Maurice Humphrey and Terrance Phillips have played more. Over the past few weeks, different receivers have seen action due to suspensions and injuries.

Tony Johnson was suspended for the last two games by Paterno after being charged with driving under the influence. Paterno said that Johnson was practicing with the team and that he would make a decision later in the week on Johnson's status.

Gerald Smith, who left the game on Saturday after a 23-yard catch, suffered a concussion on that play. Paterno didn't say whether Smith would be healthy enough to play against Northwestern.

"He didn't practice yesterday and probably won't practice today," Paterno said.

Josh Hannum, a freshman wide receiver, was held out of the Ohio State game with an illness, a week after making his first career catch for eight yards.

Robinson nowhere to be found

Mills played the entire Ohio State game while Michael Robinson remained on the sideline.

Paterno said that his plan was to play both of the quarterbacks, but Mills was playing so well that he never made the switch.

"We have to find a way to get Mike in the game," Paterno said. "Mike is too good of a football player."

Paterno admitted that there were a couple of spots in the game that Robinson could have helped the team against Ohio State, though he declined to say where.

No returns at all

Penn State is currently last in the conference in kick returns and second to last in the nation.

The Lions are averaging slightly over 14 yards a return.

"If weren't not last," Paterno said, "then somebody is horrible."