BUTLER TWP— Tyrell Sales has gotten a taste of playing Division Icollege football.

Now he wants the full meal.

The 6-foot-2, 234-pound Butler graduate, a junior linebacker at Penn State University, has two years of eligibility remaining and plans to make full use of them.

"I'm a competitive person and I want to be on the field," Sales said. "I've been working hard during the season and the off-season to reach that goal.

"Believe me, I'm not discouraged. I've been playing behind some top-level players. But now my opportunity's coming and I'm going to be ready for it."

Sales saw ample playing time in three games as a red-shirt freshman in 2005, filling in for teammate Dan Connor during the latter's disciplinary suspension. He had eight tackles in a win over Cincinnati that year.

This season, Sales played primarily on special teams — kickoff and punt coverage — and recorded 17 tackles, 10 of them solo.

"Getting on the field with this defense (last year) was unbelievable,"Sales said. "I want that experience every week. I still have hopes of playing football at the next level.

"I don't just want to be a member of this team. I want to be a notable contributor for this team."

Penn State students return to school Jan. 16. The coaches will be recruiting until Feb. 2 and a coaches-players meeting will be held shortly thereafter.

"I'll find out a lot about where I'm at then,"Sales said.

The roster numbers will be in Sales' favor. Of returning upperclassmen, Connor and sophomore Sean Lee are the only Penn State linebackers who were more productive than him this season.

Connor had 113 total tackles, including nine tackles for loss, five quarterback sacks and two interceptions. He will be a senior next year and is considering declaring himself eligible for this spring's NFLDraft.

Sophomore Sean Lee had 89 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

The Nittany Lion defense held 10 opponents to 17 points or fewer in 2006 — including the final seven foes. It held eight opponents under 100 yards rushing and forced 25 turnovers.

Penn State has won 22 of its last 27 games overall and posted victories in the Orange Bowl and Outback Bowl the past two years.

Six starters are scheduled to return defensively, including linebackers Connor and Lee, and defensive backs Anthony Scirrotto, Tony Davis and Justin King.

"People are concerned because we're losing three starters on the defensive line,"Sales said. "But we rotated in a lot of players up front and those guys are coming back with experience."

Two-time All-American linebacker Paul Posluszny is leaving as Penn State's all-time leading tackler. Again, Sales isn't worried.

"We'll be fine at linebacker," he said. "I'm not saying any of us will win the Butkus Award or anything, but we still have solid depth at the position.

"Good programs lose great players and move on. We're just reloading, that's all. By the end of our first game next year, people will see how good we are."

Penn State coach Joe Paterno is 80 years old and coming back for a 42nd season after suffering a broken shinbone and two torn knee ligaments in a sideline collision Nov. 4 at Wisconsin.

Sales insists he's as active a coach as ever.

""Everyone thinks he doesn't have much to do with things anymore, but he is still very hands-on with this program,"Sales said. "After his injury, it was strange being on the practice field and not hearing his high-pitched screams when somebody made a mistake.

"Our coaching staff is tremendous and we got our preparation in without him. But we're still much better with him."

Penn State's 9-4 record this season marked the 26th nine-win campaign of Paterno's career. His record in bowl games is now 22-10-1 and he remains college football's all-time leader in bowl wins and appearances.

Paterno will enter the 2007 season with 363 career victories, three behind Florida State's Bobby Bowden.