Paterno to coach from press box

Dec 31, 2008 - 6:23 PM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Less than two months removed from hip replacement surgery, Penn State's Joe Paterno will coach from the press box Thursday when the sixth-ranked Nittany Lions face No. 4 Southern California in the Rose Bowl.

The 82-year-old Paterno underwent the surgery on November 23 to repair an injury that required to him to also coach from upstairs for the last seven games of the regular season.

Paterno said Wednesday during a news conference from Los Angeles that doctors are concerned about him spending too much time standing on the sidelines.

"The last couple days, I tried to just operate without the golf cart that I've been using on and off," he said. "I don't think I can handle 3 1/2, four hours on the sideline."

Paterno, who recently signed a three-year extension, said there also is a concern about him being hit on the sidelines.

"I think I'd be a distraction on the sideline," he said. "I think everybody will be worried about somebody bumping into me."

Paterno jokingly told USC coach Pete Carroll there was one way he would consider coaching on the field.

"If you (Carroll) would agree not to throw the ball more than 15, 18 times, we can get that game over in less than three hours (and) I might be on the sideline," Paterno said.

Finishing his 43rd season at Penn State, Paterno enters the Rose Bowl with a 383-126-3 record, including a 23-10-1 bowl mark. His 383 wins, 34 bowl appearances and 23 bowl wins are all NCAA records.