Penn State needs to retool quickly

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - At the start of the season, it was a given that Penn State would go to a bowl game. Or so we thought.

Now, going bowling and Joe Paterno's expected 400th career coaching victory look more and more problematic after Saturday's 33-13 homecoming setback to Illinois at Beaver Stadium.

That outcome dropped the Nittany Lions to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten heading into this week's bye. Penn State must win three of its remaining six games for Paterno to reach the coaching milestone and become bowl eligible.

According to bowl eligibility rules, a bowl team must have a minimum of six wins in a 12-game schedule or seven wins in a 13-game schedule or be a conference champion.

One victory over a Football Championship Subdivision team can count toward the win total provided that the former Division I-AA team has supplied at least 56.7 scholarships over the preceding two years.

Penn State beat FCS power Youngstown State in the season opener.

But judging by Saturday's performance, even winning two games will be a tough job for a squad once expected to finish at least 8-4.

"I thought by this stage we would be a pretty good football team," Paterno said after Saturday's loss. "I didn't think we would be great. But I thought we would be pretty good, but we're not.

"We're not getting any better, and that's the discouraging part," said Paterno, 83, who has a 397-132-3 record in 45 seasons at Penn State.

Another source of discouragement for the Nittany Lions is their killer schedule following their Oct. 23 game at Minnesota (1-5).

Michigan, Northwestern, No. 1 Ohio State, Indiana, and No. 13 Michigan State have a combined 25-4 record.

With 14 first- and/or second-stringers hobbled with injuries, it's hard to say if Penn State will be healthy enough to compete at a high level. And even if they're healthy, the Nittany Lions might still struggle.

That's because their perceived strengths entering this season - linebackers, running backs, defensive linemen and wide receivers - haven't met expectations. The Nittany Lions also have flopped on the offensive line. And freshman quarterback Rob Bolden is playing like . . . well, a freshman.

"I'm not sure we're playing the right people," Paterno said. "We've got to take a good look at the tape. We've got to take a good look at what some kids can do, and maybe we're asking a couple of kids to do some things they can't handle. I don't know.

"I've got to just sit down and spend a little more time maybe with the staff looking at films. I don't know. We just can't go the way we are going."

The Lions have six games left in their regular season, five against teams with winning records. Penn State will have to win at least three more times to be eligible for a bowl game.

Oct. 23, at Minnesota: The struggling Gophers (1-5, 0-2) have lost to South Dakota and Northern Illinois, but gave Northwestern fits last week.

Oct. 30 vs. Michigan:

Denard Robinson is a top Heisman candidate and run-pass threat for Wolverines (5-1, 1-1).

Nov. 6 vs. Northwesterm:

The Wildcats (5-1, 1-1) looked tough before falling to Purdue on Saturday.

Nov. 13 at Ohio State:

Heisman hopeful Terrelle Pryor leads the top-ranked Buckeyes (6-0, 2-0).

Nov. 20 vs. Indiana, at Landover, Md.: At least it's close to home. Indiana (3-2, 0-2) has a big-time QB in Ben Chappell, who is averaging almost 300 yards a game passing.

Nov. 27 vs. Michigan State: The Spartans (6-0, 2-0) could determine the Lions' bowl chances.

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