Bobby Bowden, the 78-year-old Florida State coach, agreed to a one-year deal today with the university which can be renewed at the end of each season until he decides to retire, The Associated Press reported.

''Every year I'll just re-sign it and tell 'em if I want to coach another year,'' Bowden said in the report. ''I couldn't ask for anything better than that.''

In the meantime, Jimbo Fischer will remain Florida State's "head coach-in waiting."

Some would argue Bowden has earned that right. Bowden, you surely know, ranks first all-time in Football Bowl Subdivision wins (373). Penn State's Joe Paterno ranks second (371).

But Penn State has no apparent plans for something like this with Paterno and, say, Tom Bradley, the longtime defensive coordinator and a presumed front-runner for the job after Paterno retires. (The r-word has long been a taboo topic with the 80-year-old coach.)

Let's hear from you: Should Penn State implement this rolling contract renewal for Paterno, whose contract expires in 2008? Is Bradley the right man to become the "head coach-in waiting"? Should the search include others outside the program?

E-mail responses to me at mcv5009@psu.edu; I'm curious to see what you'll have to say.

-- Mark