STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Joe Paterno stomped a couple of yards, raised his left hand, then his right, before his shrill voice echoed through Penn State's cavernous indoor practice facility.
"Which one is your right hand?" he yelled to a lineman who caught his ire Friday during the first day of Penn State spring practice. "Well, use it!"
No cane in sight nor crutch in tow, Paterno appeared to be in midseason form — at least when it came to his voice.
"It's nothing new," cornerback Justin King said with a smile when asked about the vocal Paterno.
Paterno did look a little slower than usual, though that might be expected for an 80-year-old coach just five months removed from major surgery to fix a broken shinbone and two torn knee ligaments in his left leg. He suffered the injuries during a nasty sideline collision at Wisconsin on Nov. 4.
He hasn't been on the field for a game since, though he did coach Penn State from the press box during the Jan. 1 win over Tennessee at the Outback Bowl.
Paterno said he expects to return to the sideline this fall for his 42nd season, which would break Amos Alonzo Stagg's record for the most years coaching at one school. Stagg led the University of Chicago from 1892-1932.
On Friday with reporters, he was smooth Paterno, cracking jokes and patiently answering questions.
He said he'd like to feel a little better physically, and that he would like to start running more during spring practice.
"I think I'm coming around pretty good," he said. "The knee actually isn't the problem. The other leg I banged up a year ago when I broke my ribs is really bothering me more than the knee, so I think I'm going to be OK."
There's plenty of other things to do during practice. First and foremost perhaps is to find a running back to replace the hard-nosed Tony Hunt, as well as two starters to fill out what had an been an up-and-down offensive line last season.
He also needs to fill three starting spots on the defensive line, and replace linebacker Paul Posluszny, Penn State's defensive leader the last two seasons.
That last task may not be as much of a problem with talented linebacker Dan Connor back and ready to assume a leadership role. Connor even appears to be following Posluszny's path, taking some snaps Friday at middle linebacker. Connor spent most of the last couple seasons on the outside.
"Don't hold me to it," Paterno said. "That's today — two days from now he may be playing quarterback. I don't know."