STATE COLLEGE — The rolled-up khakis, the thick-rimmed glasses, the nasally voice: the familiar sights and sounds of Joe Paterno returned briefly on Tuesday to Penn State.

More than a week after undergoing left leg surgery, the 79-year-old head coach felt well enough to come to practice, and might even be back in a Beaver Stadium press box for this weekend's regular-season finale, defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said Tuesday.

"We're assuming that's where he'll be, but you never know where he might end up," Bradley said with a sly grin. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the 50 (yard line), OK? Somehow, some way."

That might be a stretch, given that a team doctor has said he would allow Paterno to return on game days only if he's calling the shots from above the field — and not on the 50-yard line — provided his recovery is progressing well.

It's going well enough, though, that Paterno attended part of Tuesday's practice and spoke to his team as it readied for Saturday's contest against Michigan State (4-7, 1-6 Big Ten). Because Paterno must stay off his feet for at least another five weeks, team officials rigged a golf cart that allowed the coach to watch practice while keeping his legged propped up.

At least Paterno will get to see his Nittany Lions (7-4, 4-3) again in person.

Paterno had surgery last week to repair a broken shinbone and two torn knee ligaments in his left leg, injuries sustained after getting hit along the sideline by two players on Nov. 4 at Wisconsin.

Adhering to doctors' orders, Paterno sat out last week's 47-0 win against Temple, missing just his second contest in 41 years as head coach.