Penn State opens Paterno"s 43rd season
editor1 |Aug 25,2008
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Coastal Carolina at No. 22 Penn St, 12:00 pm EDT
STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania (Ticker) -- At 81 years old, Penn
State coach Joe Paterno remains as defiant as ever.
Following a turbulent offseason that included numerous player
arrests, the 22nd-ranked Nittany Lions begin Paterno's 43rd
season as coach when they host Coastal Carolina of the Football
Championship Subdivision.
According to an ESPN "Outside the Lines" report, 17 Penn State
players were arrested in 2007 and charged with 27 crimes,
leading to nine guilty pleas.
Penn State president Graham Spanier said the arrests were
"embarrassing," but Paterno, who was inducted into the College
Football Hall of Fame earlier this month, accused ESPN of
conducting a "witch hunt" and scoffed at the notion that the
university's image has been tarnished.
Despite the problems off the field, Penn State (9-4 last season)
expects to contend for the Big Ten Conference title with 16
returning starters, including its top three receivers. However,
the Nittany Lions did lose quarterback Anthony Morelli and
Butkus Award finalist Dan Connor, the school's all-time leader
in career tackles.
Taking over for Morelli will be senior Daryll Clark, who rushed
for a touchdown in the Nittany Lions' 24-17 victory over Texas
A&M in the Alamo Bowl last year, Paterno's 500th game as Penn
State coach. Still, Clark has attempted only 36 passes in his
career.
Paterno enters the season with a 374-124-3 career record, tied
with Florida State's Bobby Bowden for the most wins among major
college coaches.
Coastal Carolina, 5-6 last season, was picked second behind
Liberty in the Big South Conference's preseason poll.
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