Penn State officially hires Patriots' Bill O'Brien as football coach

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien yells at quarterback Tom Brady after he threw an interception against the Washington Redskins on Dec. 11 in Landover, Md. ESPN reported Thursday that Penn State hired O'Brien as its new head football coach. (Associated Press -- Evan Vucci)

Undoubtedly, he is stepping into one of the toughest, most unpredictable college football coaching situations imaginable.

Even the title description doesn't fit easily: Penn State head football coach Bill O'Brien?

But that is what has finally happened, and the Nittany Lions will have a new coach for the first time in 46 seasons. The university will introduce the 42-year-old NFL coordinator as Joe Paterno's replacement at an 11:30 a.m. news conference today.

"I am thrilled to be the head coach of the Penn State football program," O'Brien said in a statement. "As head coach of this special football program, it is my responsibility to ensure that this program represents the highest level of character, respect and integrity in everything we do."

He said that encompassed coaches, players and anyone else involved in the 125-year-old football program.

"There is tremendous pride in Penn State football and (we) will never, ever take that for granted," O'Brien said.

Penn State athletic director Dave Joyner met with Nittany Lion assistants late Friday afternoon as reports swirled that O'Brien would take the helm. But the university's official announcement didn't come until several hours later, after Paterno himself released a statement on O'Brien's reported hiring.

"I understand Bill O'Brien has been named head coach and I want to congratulate him on his appointment," Paterno said in a statement to the AP provided by his family. "I don't know Bill, but I respect his coaching record, and I am particularly pleased we share a connection to my alma mater, Brown."

"Despite recent commentary to the contrary, Penn State football has always been about more than winning," Paterno added, citing what he said was the program's commitment to education and community service. "I am hopeful this tradition will continue."

O'Brien is the semi-anonymous offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the New England Patriots who is expected to continue

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The next chat is at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9, at The Nittany Nation blog.

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coaching his team through the playoffs - at the same time he takes over for the fired Paterno and interim head coach Tom Bradley.

And that sticky situation is just one of the tough and unpredictable scenarios ahead.

There also is dealing with an emotionally charged fan base that seemed to fracture again, with some prominent former players speaking out harshly on O'Brien's selection.

Star linebackers LaVar Arrington and Brandon Short even threatened to cut ties with their alma mater because the hire was not kept in-house.

Making matters tougher, O'Brien comes to Penn State without a resume studded with success at grand stops. His largest accomplishment is earning the trust of famed Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick and coaching future Hall of Famer Tom Brady.

O'Brien has never been a head coach on any level. Even his time as a college offensive coordinator featured mediocre results (Georgia Tech) to downright awful records (Duke).

Those who know him, though, are quick to refute the criticisms.

Their overwhelming message: Don't judge a man you don't know.

Talk to Phil Estes, the longtime head coach at Brown University, where O'Brien played and then coached.

He was Estes' first hire back in 1998.

"He's a great people person," Estes said. "Too many people look at that (yelling match) with Tom Brady on the sideline and think he's a tyrant of a coach. Bill is a great people person with a great sense of humor. He's a great technician who knows his X's and O's.

"A lot of people wouldn't go in there and dare coach Tom Brady, but Bill has stepped in there and been a great teacher. That says a lot about what Billy will do at Penn State. He' going to go in there and be a great teacher and a great coach and take nothing other than perfection."

But there are even more obstacles.

O'Brien doesn't own a big name or have comfortable Penn State connections.

For weeks, rumors floated about how Joyner and business dealer Ira Lubert could be targeting successful college coaches (Boise State's Chris Petersen, Georgia's Mark Richt), up-and-coming coaches (Miami's Al Golden, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen), NFL head coaches (Tennessee's Mike Munchak) or even big-named former NFL gurus (Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden).

And after two months, they didn't sign any of those. They didn't go with Bradley, either, whom many fans also support.

A proven leader and winner - especially one such as Munchak with university ties- could have helped ease the emotional burns from Paterno's firing and the child-sex-abuse charges filed against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

"It's not an easy job for anyone, but if anyone can do it, Bill O'Brien can," Estes said. "I think the guy is brilliant. He really believes in this job, and it's a great opportunity. He has to overcome PR things but, basically, the tool box is full.

"He's just got to get the rest of Penn State aboard."

This was O'Brien's first year coordinating the Patriots' offense, which helped the team close with eight straight victories. Before his run with New England, he coached 14 seasons in college, including a stop at Maryland.

He played football at Brown - Paterno's alma mater and the coaching home of Paterno's mentor, Rip Engle.

"He's been a great coach and friend," Brady told The Associated Press. "We have a great relationship; probably a very unique relationship in that we communicate all the time. I always enjoy working with him and he's done an incredible job with this team and this offense."

Patriots owner Robert Kraft also praised O'Brien in speaking with the Boston Herald.

"I'm sad to lose him, I told him that," Kraft said. "But this is one of the great college coaching positions. They have their challenges right now.

"Billy is a very high quality guy, he's got integrity, he's honest, and I'm sad to see him go, but I think they've chosen wisely."

In the end, some Penn Staters are simply glad a decision has finally come, and they see a bright side to the choice.

"I like his background," said Rich Mauti, who played at Penn State and is the father of star linebacker Mike Mauti. "He's worked under Belichick, what other kind of credentials do you need?

"I want the next great guy. I don't necessarily have to have the great guy now. I want the next great (coach)."

More coverage

? Local Lions react to O'Brien's hiring.
? Penn State's statement announcing it hired Bill O'Brien as head football coach.
? Patriots' bye week interrupted by rumors
? Frank Bodani: Unanswered questions surround the now-expected hire of O'Brien by Penn State
? See how the news unfolded on Facebook and Twitter
? Alumni group seeks new PSU trustees over Paterno
? Report: LaVar Arrington blasts search, threatens to cut ties with Penn State
? More details about O'Brien from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
? ESPN reports O'Brien agrees to coach at Penn State
? Boston Herald: Patriots looking for new offensive coordinator
? Full coverage of the Sandusky scandal

Friday's mid-day update

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told BostonHerald.com, regarding O'Brien: "I'm sad to lose him. I told him that. We have a philosophy in our company, that if anyone has an opportunity and we can't match it - we did have the ability to deny him under our contract - but this is one of the great college coaching positions. they have their challenges right now. Billy is a very high quality guy, he's got integrity. he's honest, and I'm sad to see him go, but I think they've chosen wisely."

But there is anger brewing elsewhere.

Former Penn State All-America linebacker Brandon Short told ESPN.com that members of the influential Lettermen's Club have a meeting scheduled with Penn State athletic director David Joyner for Friday afternoon.

"It's unfortunate that coach O'Brien ... has not been made aware of the implications of him being in this position," Short, an investment banker, told ESPN.com. "I don't envy him at all. He doesn't have support of the vast majority of former Penn State players and the vast majority of the student body and the faculty won't support him. I feel sorry for him." Short told ESPN.com that some members of the group were considering a range of options to express their displeasure, including asking current players to transfer and recruits to de-commit.

Friday morning's story

Penn State just may have found its replacement - and he would be a Ivy League man just like Joe Paterno.

If heavily rumored Thursday evening reports are correct, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien will be the Nittany Lions' new head football coach, and could be announced as early as today, according to ESPN, The Boston Herald and other national media outlets.

Penn State's search would end nearly two months after Paterno was fired in the midst of a breaking child-sex-abuse scandal involving former Lion assistant Jerry Sandusky.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley has led Penn State as interim head coach ever since and interviewed for the permanent spot.

But after numerous "lead candidates" emerged and faded over the weeks, it seems that O'Brien, 42, very well could be the man.

He is a Brown University graduate - like Paterno - and worked as a college assistant at Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke before moving to the NFL.

Despite college recruiting classes being finalized by the first week in February, O'Brien reportedly has agreed to coach the Patriots throughout the playoffs.

Earlier Thursday, agent Joe Linta confirmed O'Brien was interviewing and that he was "flattered by the interest."

In his first year coordinating the Patriots' high-scoring offense, O'Brien also has coached star quarterback Tom Brady since 2009. He spent 2008 coaching receivers.

Source: http://www.ydr.com/ci_19682736?source=rss_viewed

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