College Football : Paterno Says He’s Staying Home, Even After the Bowls

Penn State Coach Joe Paterno said he will cut back his out-of-town travel for charity, university fund raising and professional organizations and spend more time with his Penn State players and coaches.

“The last few years, maybe my presence wasn’t strong enough. Regardless of how you assign duties, the head coach has got to be around,” Paterno said in the wake of Penn State’s first losing season in 50 years.

“My biggest job is to get some control of my schedule so I am around here when there are some problems. We can’t get this thing right until I’m around more.”

Penn State finished with a 5-6 record after being beaten by Notre Dame last Saturday, for its worst season since 1938. The string of non-losing seasons stood as a National Collegiate Athletic Assn. record.

“If we were 6-5, there would be just as much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Our fans are used to better and are a little bit spoiled. We’re used to better, too,” Paterno said.

Texas, a shadow of the team Longhorn fans expected, and Texas A&M;, buffeted by allegations about NCAA rules violations, play tonight (5 p.m., ESPN) in what for 93 years has been the Southwest Conference’s most intense rivalry.

And Coach Jackie Sherrill will be back on the sidelines for the Aggies. Sherrill voluntarily sat out last week’s 18-0 victory over Texas Christian after a former player said the coach paid to keep quiet during an NCAA investigation.

Alabama knows which bowl it is going to, but Auburn’s holiday trip will not be decided until Friday, and Alabama will have something to say about it.

If No. 7 Auburn defeats the 17th-ranked Crimson Tide, Auburn will be co-champion of the Southeastern Conference with Louisiana State and probably will be picked as host team for the Sugar Bowl against No. 5 Florida State.

However, an Alabama victory or a tie would send Auburn to the Hall of Fame Bowl to meet Syracuse, the team it tied in the Sugar Bowl a year ago, and LSU would go to the Sugar Bowl. LSU handed Auburn its only loss, 7-6.