By the time the Nittany Lions play their bowl game, Paterno will have passed his 80th birthday. He still has no intention of quitting his position.

Why should he? Paterno answered critics who had been whispering about him and saying he was too old to coach by leading his team to an 11-1 record and an Orange Bowl victory over Florida State. Penn State had been 26-33 from 2000-04, but an upgrade in recruiting and the addition of the spread formation to the team's offensive arsenal brought the Nittany Lions back to viability.

The 2006 season holds promise, but there are hurdles to clear.

Start at the QB position where Michael Robinson has graduated and highly touted Anthony Morelli takes over. Morelli has a strong arm and a quick release, but he doesn't have the same kind of agility and quickness Robinson possessed.

On the defensive side, LB Paul Posluszny may be the best player at his position in the nation. He is coming back from an Orange Bowl knee injury, but he has amazed his coaches and trainers with his rehab effort. Penn State will miss DE Tamba Hali, who led the Big Ten with 11 sacks a year ago. Justin King moves from wideout to cornerback and Nittany Lion coaches are expecting nothing but greatness from him.

The questions on both sides of the ball are likely to be answered in positive fashion. Morelli has sat behind Zack Mills and Robinson and now gets the opportunity he has been longing for. Paterno says that he now regrets not giving the junior quarterback more opportunities last season. Morelli will have two outstanding receivers in Derrick Williams and Deon Butler. Williams caught 22 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown before he broke his arm at midseason. He should be one of the Big Ten's most explosive players. Butler is an outstanding big-play threat who caught nine TD passes in 2005.

RB Tony Hunt is a solid runner who can overpower tacklers because he gets low and has determination. He ran for 1,047 yards a year ago and averaged six yards per carry. He'll do a lot of his running behind OLT Levi Brown, who uses his 6-5, 324-pound frame to overpower defensive linemen.

The defense should be nasty again thanks to the outstanding crew of

linebackers. In addition to Posluszny, who won both the Butkus Award (top linebacker) and the Bednarik Award (top defensive player) a year ago, Dan Connor and Tim Shaw are dominant players. DT Jay Alford should anchor the middle of the defensive line after posting 9.5 sacks.

The secondary has issues with four new starters. King looked like a natural in the spring after moving over from the offensive side of the ball.

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAME: at Notre Dame, Sept. 9 -- The Irish have one of the most explosive passing games in the nation and the Nittany Lions will be tested severely. In order to slow down the Irish attack, Joe Paterno must find a way to pressure QB Brady Quinn. A win in this game could propel Penn State to another memorable season.

THE NITTANY LIONS WILL SUCCEED IF: QB Anthony Morelli is as good as advertised and proves to be prepared for the responsibilities that come with running an offense. Morelli has the physical tools to excel, but he must demonstrate leadership and consistency to earn his teammates' trust.

THE NITTANY LIONS WILL FAIL IF: The defense fails to live up to last year's performance. The LB crew is awesome, but there are questions concerning the defensive line and the secondary. Morelli must show he can handle the starting assignment.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "A lot of people are worried about Morelli. I'm not worried about Morelli. I think we have enough skill people around him that he'll be a good football player." -- Head coach Joe Paterno on his new starting quarterback, Anthony Morelli.

HEAD COACH: Joe Paterno, 41st year at Penn State, 354-117-3 with the Nittany Lions.

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: LB Paul Posluszny -- A punishing tackler who won two major awards (Butkus and Bednarik) last season. Posluszny is a tireless worker in the weightroom and an outstanding tackler and leader.

BREAKOUT STAR: WR Derrick Williams -- He was well on his way toward reaching star level last season before suffering a broken arm. Williams has sudden acceleration and is virtually impossible to cover.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: DE Josh Gaines -- He has the tough job of replacing Tamba Hali, but the coaches think he can do it.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense -- QB Anthony Morelli, RB Tony Hunt, FB Brandon Snow, WR Deon Butler, WR Derrick Williams, TE Patrick Hall, LT Levi Brown, LG Gerald Cadogan, C A.Q. Shipley, RG Robert Price, RT John Shaw.

Defense -- DE Josh Gaines, DT Jay Alford, DT Ed Johnson, DE Jim Shaw, LB Paul Posluszny, LB Tim Shaw, LB Dan Connor, CB Tony Davis, FS Donnie Johnson, SS Nolan McCready, Justin King.

ROSTER REPORT: RB Austin Scott will likely be the backup to Tony

Hunt, even after running for 110 yards in the Orange Bowl last year. Scott could ask to redshirt so he could be the starter in 2007, but so far he has not approached Paterno on that subject.