By Kim J. Harmon

Joe Paterno has enough to do leading one of the premier college football programs in the country, but he is never too busy to stop by a visit with a new recruit.

Last Thursday, coach Paterno and assistant coach Brian Norwood stopped by Newtown High School for an informal visit with tight end prospect Brennan Coakley, who made a verbal commitment to Penn State last November and will sign his National Letter of Intent next week.

“It’s nice to get out and go to the schools,” said coach Paterno, who stands alone atop the list of Division I-A all time winningest coaches. “You get to where you forget these kids are 17 and 18 years old and it’s nice to let them and their friends now how interested you are. There is a personal relationship here.”

Despite a systemwide school delay due to inclement weather, coach Paterno arrived at Newtown High School on time and met in the main office with Coakley, his parents, head football coach Ken Roberts, head basketball coach John Quinn, and NHS athletic director Gregg Simon.

Coakley, who transferred from St. Joseph’s High School in Trumbull last spring, got himself noticed at a Penn State football camp. At 6-5 and 235 pounds, he was clocked at 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. According to BlueWhite Illustrated and rivals.com, Coakley has been graded as a 5.0 prospect (on a scale of 4.9 to 6.1), which means he is “a definite division I prospect; considered a mid-major prospect who may be more of a role player.”

Coakley was an impact player from the moment he walked on an athletic field at Newtown High. After sitting out the required four weeks last spring, Coakley joined the Newtown High School baseball team and went on to hit .471 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and a .789 slugging percentage (in just 17 at-bats).

With the football team this past fall, Coakley caught 13 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns to help spark the Nighthawks to a 7-2-1 record.

And this winter, Coakley is playing center for the boys’ basketball and through eight games is averaging 9.5 points.

“It means a lot that he took the time out of his schedule to come down here,” said Coakley. “It makes it seem more comfortable, like family.”

The meeting last Thursday lasted until mid-morning when coach Paterno – after chatting with the media for a few moments – left to visit with another recruit, Willie Harriott of Hyde Leadership High School in New Haven.

Of course, there were many miles to go and many more stops to make after that, but the prospects did not daunt the legendary coach.

“Recruiting is an easy job,” said coach Paterno.

Of course, he has been doing this for quite some time – since 1966 – and has spent the past couple of seasons wrestling with the media about the issue of whether of not his time has come. He has a contract through 2008 and expects to be there until the end.

“Tennessee Williams once said, ‘I know no one is immortal, but somehow I thought I was the exception. I’d like to hang around until we have a great football team again,” he said.

Coakley is expected to sign his National Letter of Intent alongside teammate Dan Cascone, who will sign his National Letter of Intent to attend Wisconsin and play under coach Barry Alvarez next fall.