It's been a long journey for Penn State's Joe Paterno. It all started 36 years ago when the then-rookie head coach led his Nittany Lions to a 15-7 win over Maryland for his first-ever win.
Nearly four decades, 329 wins and 709 division I-A coaching changes later, his passion for the game remains as intense as it was when it all began.
But not all has been easy for college football's all-time winningest tactician. His hall-of-fame career has been called into question over the program's recent struggles.
Yet, a rejuvenated and talented No. 20 Penn State team (3-1, 0-1 in Big Ten) enters Saturday's matchup at No. 19 Wisconsin, hoping to reclaim its place among college football's elite. Given the program's newfound direction, you have to like his chances.
If you think Paterno's glorious place in college football history'two national championships, five undefeated seasons'would guard him from criticism, think again.
Consecutive losing seasons, in which the Lions went 10-13, had the Penn State faithful wondering if he had grown too old to coach the program.
Ironically, the victory that gave Paterno the all-time record'a 29-27 upset of Ohio State'was overshadowed by loud calls for his retirement. This bothered many of his players, including all-American defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy. He countered the critics by suggesting the blame should have fallen on the players.
\I don't think the players really took the criticism,"" he told The Wisconsin State Journal during the Big Ten media day.
""I was getting frustrated hearing that it was Joe's fault, that he was old and over the hill ' stuff like that.""
In fact, not only did Kennedy compliment his coach's passion for the game, but acknowledged and appreciated Paterno's strong commitment to the job.
""If he sees me making a mistake, not only will he participate in the drill, he'll push me out of the way, get in a stance and hit the guy in front of him,"" he told the Wisconsin State Journal.
""He's still passionate about [the game]?? I see five more years of coaching in him.""
Slow offensive starts in both 2000 and 2001 doomed the Lions to the point of no repair. But it was last year's 0-4 start that urged Paterno to revise the program's offensive schemes.
Paterno, notorious for his stubbornness, realized the running-oriented attack that had been the key to his past success was ineffective. After all, his team was held to 31 points the first month of last season. He then decided to scrap his running back-by-committee approach in favor of a more wide-open passing game that would suit his players' talents.
The changes paid dividends immediately. The Lions went on to win five out of their last seven games in 2001. In those games, Penn State scored an average of 28 points per game and went over the 400-yard-mark of total offense. This season the team ranks second in the Big Ten, averaging 38.7 points per game.
The players behind the offensive resurgence are a cast of scrappy but talented athletes that stuck with Paterno during those tough times.
The centerpiece of Penn State's new offense is the receiving duo of Tony and Bryant Johnson, who have combined for 421 yards in four games.
Paterno has entrusted the offense to sophomore quarterback Zach Mills. Mills, who led the Nittany Lions to all five wins last season, has passed for 631 yards and three touchdowns so far.
But the team's turnaround is largely attributed to Paterno's willingness to make changes. The offense's newfound explosiveness has the Lions reaching for the skies.
""We can't overpower people the way we used to,"" assistant head coach Fran Gantner told the New York Times before the season.
""You have to diversify, use better finesse.""
Joe knew that. Indeed he did.
