STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – Craig Schwartz couldn’t resist. Joe Paterno had just walked through the glass doors of Penn State’s indoor practice facility and the high school football coach from Elizabethtown wanted an autograph.

“That’s the closest that I’ve ever been to the man,” Schwartz said after Paterno signed a miniature white-and-blue Nittany Lion helmet.

Like other coaches attending an annual clinic, Schwartz had come to Penn State to “learn from the best.”

Two straight losing seasons in Happy Valley have stirred unrest among fans, but Paterno still commands the respect of a five-star general among coaches hoping to duplicate his long-term success.

From a makeshift stage at the practice field, Paterno gave a five-minute talk that had coaches sitting on metal chairs 20 rows back craning their necks. Others sprawled out on the artificial turf and took notes.

Dressed in a suit and tie and wearing his trademark thick-rimmed glasses, Paterno offered words of wisdom about coaching and waxed optimistic about a winning record this upcoming season, his 40th as Penn State’s head coach.

Among the roughly 600 camp participants, nary a negative word was spoken about Paterno, whose 343 career victories rank second only to Florida State’s Bobby Bowden in I-A history.

Herman Jones, a high school coach from Jamaica, N.Y., said the long-term record of success should command more respect from fans and members of the media who have called for Paterno’s firing or resignation.

“He’s given his life and soul to this school. Let him leave on his own terms,” Jones said. “If you force him out, you set yourself back.”

Charles Bascue, a junior varsity high school coach from Whitehall, N.Y., praised Paterno’s approach to coaching on and off the field. Penn State players, he said, “learn values from Joe Paterno. Forget about wins and losses, you’ll learn about life from that man.”

Another big draw for the camp is the chance to take an in-depth look at normally secretive Penn State practices and the opportunity to quiz the coaching staff about practice strategies. Some came from as far away as Mexico City, like Eduardo Lozado, an adviser to the football program at the National University of Mexico.

“We talk with him not only about making better players, but better human beings,” Lozado said.

Assistants handled most of the indoor practices as camp attendees dressed in sweats, shorts and sneakers gathered in a large circle to watch. Burly offensive linemen lunged at tackling dummies; running backs performed agility drills; Jay Paterno, Joe Paterno’s son and the quarterback coach, showed off another drill in which senior quarterback Michael Robinson tossed footballs from his knees to receivers.

At another afternoon session, clinic participants viewed a scrimmage at Beaver Stadium while sitting in prime real estate – 15 to 20 rows above the field between the 30-yard lines.

Joe Paterno said his staff works hard and feels obligated to help high school coaches mold better players, who in turn could be available to Penn State.

But he scoffs at the notion that the camp directly helps recruiting.

Paterno skipped a late-night social which in past years allowed younger coaches to rub elbows with him.

Coaches who wanted an extra Paterno fix tried to get in an autograph here or a handshake there.

After signing the autograph for Schwartz outside the practice facility, Paterno stopped to talk to a few other bystanders, shook hands and exchanged greetings with a coach in the parking lot, then got into his silver sedan and sped away.