TAMPA, Fla. -- Penn State coach Joe Paterno said yesterday he would like to coach from the sideline in Monday's Outback Bowl against Tennessee. The hopeful statement comes seven weeks after he had surgery to repair torn knee ligaments and a broken bone in his left leg,

Paterno was in good spirits and had little problem getting around at his early morning news conference. The veteran coach, who turned 80 Dec. 21, walked into a ballroom at the Quorum Hotel with only the help of a crutch under his right arm. He refused help walking up and down two steps to the stage where his news conference took place.

"I'm anxious to see if I'll be able to make it on [Monday]," Paterno said. "I think I'm going to make it on the sidelines. The only thing I don't want to do is be on the sidelines where everyone is worried about me because they have to play the game. They have to concentrate on what has to be done on the field. They don't have to worry about whether someone might run over me. I have to be able to handle myself. We're working on that."

Paterno had been coaching from a golf cart during practices leading up to the Outback Bowl. At yesterday's workout at the University of South Florida, he coached a portion of the practice from an upright position and even got up close for some drills.

"He was right in the action," sophomore receiver Deon Butler said. "One of the coaches said, 'Watch out, Joe.' And Joe looked at him like he was crazy and said 'I'm all right.' "

Butler and other Penn State players said they are inspired by their coach's desire to be on the sideline in the bowl game and his ability to rebound so quickly from a serious injury.

"He's a fighter," Butler said. "To play for a coach who defies the odds like that ... he's going through all this just because he wants to coach again. He's putting some extra fire in our hearts to play for him. If he can fight, we can go out there and fight, too."

The decision to be on the sideline likely will be made jointly by Paterno and Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, the Penn State team doctor who performed the Nov. 5 surgery.

Paterno was injured in a Nov. 4 game at Wisconsin when two players bowled him over on the sideline.

"We'll talk it over," Paterno said.

"He did a great job. I can walk out of here without a crutch. I really can. He did a great job and I'm paying attention to him. I'm going to try and do some things on the practice field without the crutch and without the motor scooter and we'll see how I react."

Paterno said he is constantly pushing Sebastianelli to let him move forward at a faster pace in his rehabilitation and recovery.

"He'll say, 'Be careful' and I'll say, 'Wayne, you're getting to be an old lady,' " Paterno said.

No nonsense

Paterno provided little insight for the reasons behind suspending reserves Austin Scott and Spencer Ridenhour for the bowl game. Scott and Ridenhour are no longer with the team in Tampa.

Scott, a senior running back who is taking a redshirt this season, arrived in Tampa late last week but was sent home Sunday. He is expected to compete for the starting job at tailback next season.

"He's redshirting, so it's not necessary that he's here," Paterno said. "He had some family things he wanted to do. It wasn't important for him to be here."

When he was asked to clarify the reason for Scott's departure, the only thing he would say is that "he's with his family."

Ridenhour, Paterno acknowledged, broke a team rule.

"I told the guys I couldn't put up with any nonsense," Paterno said. "I don't have a curfew. I'm not a curfew guy. If you get in trouble, I'm not going to baby you. Spencer got involved in something and he's home."

Neither suspension is expected to last beyond this game.