UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Injured Penn State linebacker Sean Lee would gladly hand over his headset.

He admits that life as an honorary captain and part-time coach has been difficult.

"I wish I were playing," he said. "I can't deny it."

The Nittany Lions (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) have vaulted to No. 6 in the polls entering tomorrow night's showdown against Wisconsin (2-3, 0-2) at Camp Randall Stadium.

Penn State has done it all without Lee on the field. He is recuperating from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Lee will make the trip to Madison, Wis., as one of 70 players on the travel roster. He will shadow defensive coordinator Tom Bradley and help the defensive coaches devise a way to stop Badgers tailback P.J. Hill.

"I'm extremely happy for the team and it's been very rewarding," Lee said. "I am still contributing, just in a lesser sense. Since I can't play, this is about the next best situation I could have. We're winning.

"I'm trying my best to help out and do whatever I can to help the team win in the role I'm in now. It's fun to come to the games. It's been a blast of a season, although I'm not in there."

Bradley said Lee "may have coaching material in him, but I don't think he wants to coach."

A graduate of Upper St. Clair High School, Lee was expected to be the leader of Penn State's defense. He was coming off a strong junior year in which he was named a first-team All-American by Pro Football Weekly and finished second in the Big Ten in tackles (138) behind teammate Dan Connor.

Lee had started 26 consecutive games the past two years and was in the process of making the move from outside to middle linebacker this spring when he was injured while blitzing quarterback Daryll Clark in a scrimmage April 11. He had surgery 17 days later and is now in the sixth month of a nine-month rehabilitation process.

"Plenty of times I've been close to going on to the field, believe me," Lee said, laughing. "The knee is feeling really good. I'm running straight ahead on the treadmill. I'd love to get in these games. I feel like our defense has played really well and the linebackers have played great."

Bradley said Lee has the same intensity on the sideline as he did on the field.

"He has done a great job on the sideline," Bradley said. "He's done everything we've asked of him. But he's such a great competitor and I know this injury has been hard on him. Hopefully, he'll use this as good learning experience and be better for it."

Lee not only works closely with Bradley on the sideline, he also communicates with linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden, who sits in the coaches' box.

"I'm just a relay guy," Lee said. "I'm another voice on the sideline for the linebackers. A lot of times coach Vanderlinden is talking to me on the headset and I've tried to be a second ear and offer a second opinion.

"I'm thinking ahead and talking to the linebackers. We're just trying to talk about the plays the other team ran and trying to anticipate what they are going to run on the next series."

During practices, Bradley said Lee handles any number of chores, which include working with the linebackers or the scout team.

"I feel closer to the game because I am going to practices, I am going to meetings," Lee said. "I do all of my rehab and lifting before the meetings. I've tried to stay involved."

Lee knows the Lions are going to have to stay focused in order to contend for a Big Ten championship and a possible national championship.

"All of the games are going to be tough from here on out," he said.