Penn State Announces new Coach

**airleg1** · Jan-05-2012, 11:13 PM

CBS 21 news Harrisburg, announced that Coach Bill Obrian (NE Patriots Offensive Coordinator) will be under contract as the Head coach at Penn State on Saturday

**Palmetto Steel** · Jan-05-2012, 11:17 PM

Not a Penn State fan too much.... But I think this is a good choice for them and the school......

.... Good news for Happy Valley......

Move on, and start kicking some *** in the Big-10, or 12, or whatever it is now......

**airleg1** · Jan-05-2012, 11:21 PM

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7430331

**Kipper** · Jan-06-2012, 02:10 AM

So..... PSU takes a guy that stepped in and took over an offense that was already potent and managed to not screw it up. I don't know who is responsible for the Pats offense but it probably has more to do with Belichick than any of the OC's that have come from there (Daniels, O'Brien).

But hey... nice to see PSU go completely outside of their safety zone and pluck their new HC. Any PSU fans want to guess how long O'Brien lasts?

**airleg1** · Jan-06-2012, 08:50 AM

I give it two years, escpecially since Obrian has been quoted as saying his dream job is to be an NFL Coach. If he can keep the team at .500 for two years the program will have enough time to not look so cancerous to a resume and will be more appetizing for the next HC.

Just my opinion

**ManO'Steel** · Jan-06-2012, 08:54 AM

If I was a Penn State fan, I would obviously be confused to the matter of how long they took to hire a guy like this.

**airleg1** · Jan-06-2012, 08:56 AM

Whats sad is that Penn State still hasn't released any info. The only info reported so far started from ESPN, which has said the Penn State will announce Officially tomorrow (Saturday)

**ranrod7** · Jan-06-2012, 10:05 AM

This guy has worked under some pretty good coaches in his career, and O'Brian's players have done well acedemically at the schools he has been at, so I like this hire...

**Kipper** · Jan-06-2012, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by airleg1

I give it two years, escpecially since Obrian has been quoted as saying his dream job is to be an NFL Coach. If he can keep the team at .500 for two years the program will have enough time to not look so cancerous to a resume and will be more appetizing for the next HC.

Just my opinion

This most likely true. This is what i was thinking. O'Brien was a stepping stone for the near present for PSU to help build their image back up so that they could interview willing coaches that are far better and possible longer term solutions

Originally Posted by ranrod7

This guy has worked under some pretty good coaches in his career, and O'Brian's players have done well acedemically at the schools he has been at, so I like this hire...

Nothing wrong with lifting every rock to find positives

I think at this point the hope is that O'Brien doesn't flop badly and holds a place for a better longer term solution.

I'll be curious to see where Bradley goes. Whoever gets Bradley is going to get themselves one hell of a recruiter. I suppose it's possible that O'Brien retains Bradley

**carney2** · Jan-06-2012, 01:27 PM

Initial impression is that there is not a lot of happiness in Happy Valley.

In the first place, some are upset that the guy is staying with the Patriots thru the playoffs. It is the right decision on O'Brien's part, but some are questioning why Joyner and company decided on a guy who is not going to step in immediately and begin the healing process, and who will end up blowing off the entire recruiting season.

Some of the heavy hitters from the past (Brandon Short, for one) are upset that the search committee seemed so determined to cut all ties with the past. Short and others consider themselves part of this past that is apparently being thrown in the trash can.

O'Brien is in a tough situation. Going back to Boston for 5 weeks or whatever ain't gonna get it done. At the very least he needs to retain a coach, or two, or three - preferably on the defensive side of the ball - to preserve the image of Penn State continuity. He also needs to have some immediate (not after the Super Bowl) conversations with influential people - alumni and former players - to get himself in the game.

In my humble opinion, this is not a good decision and is not beginning well.

**JPPT1974** · Jan-06-2012, 01:47 PM

Just hope and pray that they can rebound from the terrible 2011 season that ruined it with Paterno's firing and Sandusky. As they need a new change and a new era.

**ranrod7** · Jan-06-2012, 02:16 PM

...keeping Bradley and/or some of the assistant coaches would be great on the defensive side of the team....Again, this guy (O'Brien) is well versed at Offense, both collegiately and professionally...I think he will upgrade the team in style AND in recruiting as early as 2013.

**Waiting for LaRoche** · Jan-06-2012, 02:17 PM

This hire says one thing to me... No one else wanted the job.

It was funny to see the reactions on Twitter last night.
One Central PA PSU beat reporter praised it, another said his sources tell him O'Brien will be an absolute disaster.

Translation: No one knows what the **** is going to happen.

**buccoray61** · Jan-06-2012, 03:04 PM

I like the hire. Hopefully he'll bring PSU.'s offense into the 21st century.

**carney2** · Jan-08-2012, 11:02 AM

O'Brien handled the press conference well and got off to a good start. He did not miss a golden - almost mandatory - opportunity when he announced that he would be retaining DL coach Larry Johnson for his staff. An attempt has been made to bridge to the past. He said a lot of the right things.

Now comes the difficult part. There is still a lot of festering ill will in Happy Valley - over the process as well as the ultimate decision. O'Brien will now walk away for some weeks (the length of his absence will be determined by just how long the Patriots' exceptional offense and atrocious defense can keep them alive in the NFL playoffs) while the negativity will presumably be unattended and allowed to grow. In my not completely thought out opinion, the ultimate success or failure of Bill O'Brien will be determined in these next few weeks. The hardcore disaffected will fall into two groups: the give him a chance bunch and the I don't like it guys. Keeping this latter group to a minimum is critical. If they are allowed to sit there unloved and unattended for even a brief period of time this could be a very difficult uphill fight.