STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — As quarterback Daryll Clark hustled the offense to the line of scrimmage during Saturday’s practice at Holuba Hall, Joe Paterno stepped onto the playing surface, interrupting the repetition.

Paterno opened his squad’s practice to the public, and the 81-year old coach was as animated as ever. He waved Clark and company back toward the huddle, jabbed a finger fiercely at the ground and raised his voice.

“Break the huddle right!” Paterno yelled.

Penn State then got a bit of a scare when Derrick Williams got his bell rung from a hit by sophomore linebacker Chris Colasanti. Williams laid on his back on the turf for a few moments before Paterno gave the senior an earful.

“Get up!” Paterno shouted.

Williams said he noticed Paterno’s increased enthusiasm earlier this year.

“I think right now that Joe’s got a feeling and the whole team’s got a feeling that this is a special group,” Williams said after practice on Saturday “He’s into it. He’s been into it every year, but there’s that certain feeling, that certain vibe that we get from this group. It’s a good thing.”