updated 4:50 p.m. ET March 10, 2008

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Joe Paterno’s future at Penn State is still unsettled beyond his current contract.

PSU athletic director Tim Curley met recently with Paterno, though Curley said there is no timetable to make decisions about the future of college football’s second-winningest coach.

The 81-year-old Paterno is entering the final year of his contract. The 2008 season would be his record 43rd on the sideline.

Paterno usually meets with Curley each offseason to review the previous year. There’s more attention on this year’s meetings because of Paterno’s contract.

Curley said he spoke with Paterno over the past week, but declined to go into more detail.

“Those discussions are going to continue,” Curley said. “Once we feel like we have something to report, we’ll report out at that time.”

Curley talked with reporters Monday before the weekly news conference for men’s basketball coach Ed DeChellis.

Paterno’s 372 career wins are one behind Florida State’s Bobby Bowden for most among major college coaches. Curley said he didn’t view spring practice, which starts in two weeks, as a deadline.

“I don’t think there’s any deadline that’s super-imperative right now,” Curley said. “Obviously, when spring practice starts he gets pretty tied up and pretty focused. ... I wouldn’t put a deadline on it. I don’t think it has to be done before spring practice.”

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