UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State football coach Joe Paterno spent a second night in a local hospital Monday after sustaining injuries to his right arm and pelvis during a collision with a player during Sunday’s practice.
Paterno, 84, was blindsided by wide receiver Devon Smith (currently listed on the team’s roster at 157 pounds) as Smith attempted to catch a pass during a drill Sunday. The coach got to his feet and watched the rest of practice before being admitted to Mount Nittany Medical Center for tests later that evening.
Blue-White Illustrated initially reported the story.
“I expect to be back at practice soon. I’m doing fine; tell everyone not to worry about me,” Paterno said in a university-issued statement. “I like the effort I have seen from the squad during our first few practices, but we have a long way to go to get ready for the schedule we have.”
Penn State team physician Wayne Sebastianelli said in the statement that the injuries will likely not require surgery, though it is unclear when Paterno will be discharged and when he will able to return to practice. Paterno conducted Monday morning’s coaches meeting by phone from the hospital.
Paterno, who starts his 46th season this fall, had shown up at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago two weeks ago in far better physical condition than he was in the year before, when an adverse reaction to antibiotics and an intestinal problem had left him looking and sounding shaky. This summer, he had been taking 5-6 mile walks nearly every day and, according to sources, had instilled a more demanding atmosphere during Penn State’s first few practices.
Paterno has been in the wrong place at the wrong time on the field before.
In 2006, he had his glasses knocked off his head by tight end Andrew Quarless during a collision in practice. Several weeks later, in Camp Randall Stadium, Quarless and Wisconsin linebacker DeAndre Levy bowled over Paterno on the sideline during the Nittany Lions-Badgers game, breaking the coach’s left leg and causing ligament damage to his knee in the process.
That injury moved Paterno to the press box for much of the rest of the season and threw off his walking stride. That, coupled with an ill-advised onside kick he made during a preseason practice, led to hip replacement surgery for Paterno shortly after the 2008 season ended.
The Nittany Lions open the season Sept. 3 against Indiana State.
Notes: Sources confirmed to the Centre Daily Times that three players — quarterback Kevin Newsome and offensive linemen Tom Ricketts and Alex Mateas — have left the team since the start of preseason practice last week. Newsome, a rising junior, was a highly sought prospect out of Virginia but was unable to win the starting job last season or land much playing time behind Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin. He played in a total of 16 games in his first two seasons, compiling 161 yards and three touchdowns rushing and completing 14 of 24 passes for 144 yards. ... Ricketts, an offensive tackle from Wexford, redshirted last season and transferred to Pittsburgh after being released from his scholarship. Mateas, a guard from Ottawa, Canada, also redshirted last season. He spent much of the spring working with the second team.
