UNIVERSITY PARK - Joe Paterno never wants to talk about the day when he'll leave the sidelines as head coach of the Nittany Lions.

He did admit that the hit he took last week "knocked the devil out of me", but the 84-year old mentor showed no signs that he was ready to leave in the near future even though his contract expires after this season."Years ago when we lost to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, I came home and felt that I had blown that one," he said as he sat in a golf cart during the first 30 minutes of practice that were open to the media on Tuesday. "We had a shot at the National Championship. I went to New York and walked around for maybe about six days. It was the only time I ever said, 'Hey, you've had it. You did it. You did all you can do. You're not good enough anymore.'"Then, when I came home, I realized that was not what I wanted, so I decided to stay. That's the only time I really said to myself, 'Hey, you can't get it done.'"Thank God we've got things like conference calls and all of that kind of stuff. There's no need to get out of it yet. I'm going to see if I can get the job done. Right now, I'm anxious just to get back and get going."Paterno said he feels great except for being in a little pain. He admitted that he can't get up and around yet, but in about eight or nine days he should be up on his feet and plans to be on the sideline for the opener against Indiana State at Beaver Stadium on September 3 with a noon kickoff."When Tom Bradley was an undergraduate, in about 1975, in the old days, the indoor facility was right next door to us where the ice skating rink is," Paterno lamented. "He ran over me one day, but I saw him coming. He was running a passing lane and he ran over me and he bounced me off the ground a little bit and that hurt a little bit, but I knew I was getting knocked down."The thing that happened to me the other day here is I was off the field and I was writing some notes. The kid that went after the ball was running full speed and he caught the football going full speed and ran right into me. I didn't see him, so I didn't take the fall in a good way. Physically, I feel great outside of that."Paterno admitted that he still enjoys coaching, but the one thing he doesn't care for as much is the media."Unfortunately, every once in awhile I show that to you guys," he said. "I just think everything we're doing is in the media; I don't even want to turn on the television now."Everybody's critiquing the debate in Missouri and critiquing this. A guy makes one lousy, stupid statement, maybe half a joke. It isn't what he stands for, what he has done. That's the one thing that bothers me."Having said that, I still believe that there's a place for a good, solid program and there's a place for a bunch of kids coming together, holding hands, working their tails off, developing a little camaraderie and going out and having a good time playing football and playing the kind of football the fans enjoy and coaches like to coach. The day I wake up in the morning and I say, 'Hey, do I have to go to practice again?' I'll know it's time to get out."Paterno still wouldn't hint one way or the other who his starting quarterback would be, but he did say that the team and everyone else would prefer having one guy in the huddle. Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin have been running the reps and both feel they have a shot to be the starter."I'm more worried about the offensive line than anywhere else," Paterno quipped. "I don't think we've got enough tough guys yet, but I'm still encouraged." I've got two great offensive line coaches in Bill Kenney and Dick Anderson. Two years ago they took (A.Q.) Shipley and that group and made a heckuva offensive line out of them. A lot of those guys like Shipley and those guys wouldn't be near the athletes we've got out there right now. Some of these kids have been spoiled a little lately. I blame myself a little. I haven't got them in a room yet and said, 'You better start busting your rear end and knock someone on their back or I'm gonna knock you on your back.' "Paterno also hinted that senior Stephon Green has some problems with him right now so probably won't be back.That leaves sophomore Silas Redd as the tailback who will get the most touches when the season opens. Redd is remembered for the 131 yards he gained on just 11 carries in leading the Nittany Lions to the comeback win over Northwestern last season.