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BIG TEN NOTES
Paterno still has no exit strategy
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Joe Paterno's record 42nd season as Penn State's football coach has been a trying one on the field, where his team has lost two of its last three, and off, with a recent string of players in legal trouble.
It's not enough to make the 80-year-old JoePa think about calling it quits, though.
Extras
Asked if he would ever consider installing a succession plan at PSU, Paterno said he'd never thought about it.
"If the time comes when I start thinking, 'Hey, I'm going to get out of it this year or next year,' so forth, then obviously I've got to think of the scenario," Paterno said.
Paterno's staff is full of loyal, longtime assistants. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley's name most often comes up as a potential replacement.
Finishing off his foes
Illinois quarterback Juice Williams is locked in as the starter, but he has been replaced in the last two Illini games in the second half by his understudy, redshirt freshman Eddie McGee. Each time McGee helped seal the win, but Williams doesn't mind.
"This allows him to go out there and be a closer," said Williams, who added he and McGee are good friends.
McGee had a 53-yard run that helped change the momentum and gave the Illini field position in a 27-20 win over Penn State, then added a 5-yard TD that was the eventual game-winner in a 31-26 upset of Wisconsin.
Hawkeyes are hurting
One of the big reasons why Iowa (2-4) has struggled this season is injuries.
Offensive lineman Dace Richardson will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Wide receiver Andy Brodell is out for the year with a torn hamstring, and tight end Tony Moeaki is at least two weeks from a return.
"To say they don't impact a team or affect a team's performance, that would be a little bit naive," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said.
Double whammy
Last weekend marked the first since Nov. 5-6, 2005, that Wisconsin lost a game on the same weekend as the state's NFL team, the Green Bay Packers.
