STATE COLLEGE - Next to the bronze statue of Joe Paterno that greets visitors to Beaver Stadium is a wall of plaques proudly displaying the results of a 38-year reign that has defined Penn State football.

On the first 34 plaques, the long rows of Ws are only occasionally interrupted by Ls. Then you get to the newest plaques, and the Ls start piling up.

Paterno is the personification of his program - tough and consistent, a no-frills winner. His rolled-up pant cuffs and black-framed, Coke-bottle-thick eyeglasses are as distinguishable as the Nittany Lions' plain blue and white uniforms.

With 339 victories, Paterno is second only to Florida State coach Bobby Bowden's 342 in major college wins. But over the past four seasons, the Nittany Lions haven't been what they used to be, causing some to wonder if the same can be said of their coach.

At 77 years old, Paterno is determined to see his once-mighty program reclaim a place among the nation's elite. And armed with a new four-year contract extension, he's not about to let someone else rebuild his empire.

"I worked too hard to get it up there. I'm not going to back away now," he said. "It's another challenge. It's going to be tough."

The creases on Paterno's forehead are more pronounced these days and the grays have finally started to overtake the blacks in his head of wavy hair. Otherwise, Paterno doesn't look much different at 77 than he did at 67 or even 57. Nor does he act much differently. He's still a hands-on coach.

"Anything that goes on on that field, I know what's going on," he said. "I know what's going on in the weight room. I know what's going on anywhere, whether it's academic supports or what. Discipline."

He still puts in long hours, starting his days around dawn, and mixes it up with his players at practice.

"He still runs around. He still gives you shots under the shoulder pads if he feels like he has to show you something," said fullback Paul Jefferson, a senior who has never even considered the possibility of playing for anyone but Paterno at Penn State.

"You can't beat the clock, but in a sense when he's on the field he's almost timeless."

Safety Andrew Guman learned about Penn State football from his father, Mike, who played running back for Paterno in the late 1970s. As far as Guman can tell, there is no difference between the coach his father reveres and the one he now plays for.

"I don't think Joe's a lot about change," Guman said.

The Nittany Lions have gone 22-26 with just one winning season over the past four years, and the idea of changing coaches at Happy Valley doesn't seem quite so outlandish anymore.

The move to the Big Ten in 1993 hasn't worked out so well since the Nittany Lions won the league and the Rose Bowl in their second season. Penn State has finished no better than tied for second in the Big Ten since 1994, and after years of being the power of the Northeast, aligning with Midwest schools seems to have taken a toll on recruiting.

As beloved as Paterno is in State College, the doubters and critics grew louder last season when Penn State went 3-9.

It's not just the losing that has made Paterno look past his prime. More than ever before he has been publicly critical of game officials. Two years ago, after a game that Penn State lost in overtime to Iowa, he sprinted across the field and grabbed an official by the shoulder to protest a call.

But it's clear Paterno hasn't lost the players - or the fans.

After another hardworking offseason, Paterno spent a few extra days at his house on the beach at the New Jersey shore.

"I went for a walk on the beach and it's amazing how many people said, 'Hey, Coach, good luck, good luck. Boy, I'm really excited. We can hardly wait for the season,'" Paterno said. "And that kind of stuff gets you fired up, obviously. And I'm excited about working now. And I think the day I don't have that kind of excitement is the day that - maybe 10, 12 years from now - I'll give it up."