According to university president Graham Spanier, if the 81-year-old Paterno coaches beyond the coming season - his 43d at Penn State - he will do so without a formal contract.

"We are in agreement that a contract would have little practicality given Coach Paterno's seniority," Spanier wrote in an e-mail. "None of us see that as necessary. Our preference is to continue to review the status of the program on an annual basis, and we will next do so at the conclusion of the 2008 season."

Paterno has said he would like to coach for at least two more years - maybe for as many as five. He has worked without a contract before in what was essentially a good-faith agreement on both sides. Two weeks ago, he expressed his desire to continue working past 2008 under a similar deal.

"If I've got to have a contract to keep my job here," Paterno said, "I'm in the wrong place."

Apparently, he is still in the right place.

Paterno, Spanier and director of athletics Tim Curley traditionally have met after the season to discuss football-related issues. This off-season, the meeting was postponed because Paterno had the flu. Still, it drew added attention because of the coaching icon's contract situation.

The three have met twice over the last month, according to Spanier, and "will continue to maintain open lines of communication." He wrote that Paterno had not sought a contract nor had the university offered an additional extension of the four-year extension he signed in May 2004.

"I don't even care if I get a contract," said Paterno, who joked two weeks ago that he would like to coach for 10 more years. "I'll be very frank with you. I think the university will do what it thinks is right whenever the time comes. Right now, I'm very comfortable."

Paterno also said he would be open to working on a year-to-year basis.

However, last month, two university trustees told The Inquirer that the administration wanted to set a timetable for a succession plan, while Paterno was noncommittal on such an arrangement. According to the trustees, negotiations stalled and were in danger of turning ugly.

Spanier wrote that a succession plan had been discussed with Paterno and that both sides were aware of the importance of a smooth transition.

"We will be prepared when the time comes, and of course we will identify someone who would continue Penn State's values and traditions," Spanier wrote.

Other universities have addressed their transitional coaching situations in various ways. In December, Florida State gave 78-year-old Bobby Bowden an extension that rolls over each year until he decides to retire. At that time, Jimbo Fisher, the offensive coordinator and associate head coach, will succeed Bowden, who has 373 coaching victories to Paterno's 372.

Purdue coach Joe Tiller is retiring after the coming season and will be replaced by Danny Hope, who left Eastern Kentucky to become the Boilermakers' associate head coach before he replaces the 65-year-old Tiller.

"We acknowledge and respect that other institutions have recently announced different succession plans, but we feel that each university must evaluate its own approach," Spanier wrote.

Paterno has not endorsed a candidate, although he said he would like it to be one of his current assistants. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley is a likely choice if the decision is to stay in-house.

"Obviously, I would hope that it would be somebody from the staff," Paterno said. "I've always felt that way."

The coaching tentativeness likely will affect recruiting, whether it pertains to players wary of instability or to other teams' using the Nittany Lions' situation against them.

Last weekend, Je'Ron Stokes, a wide receiver at Northeast High School, committed to Tennessee even though Penn State was one of his finalists. Two months ago, he acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding Paterno and the lack of a concrete succession plan "would raise a red flag."

Paterno said two weeks ago that his open-ended status would not have a negative impact on recruiting. He visited only one recruit for the 2008 class, which ended up being ranked in the middle of the Big Ten Conference by most Web sites.

"If you're a prospect and you say, 'Coach, am I going to play for you?', I'm going to tell you, 'As far as I'm concerned, I think so,' " Paterno said. "Who knows? Tomorrow I could get a contract and could go out there and drop dead from a heart attack."

If his future depends on how well the 2008 season goes, Paterno has the talent to make the most of what could be his final season. The Lions will return 18 starters - including a number of all-American candidates - from a 9-4 team.