State College, PA

Bill O'Brien's first and most important job as football coach at Penn state will be to win over the players he is inheriting from former coach Joe Paterno. O'Brien took the first step toward accomplishing that feat.

O'Brien's five-year contract at Penn State was finalized Friday and he was formally introduced as Paterno's replacement on Saturday. On Sunday he began to lay the groundwork for his program with a 45-minute meeting with his players.

Penn State players said that what was discussed at the meeting will stay between them and O'Brien. But what they heard left them looking forward to next season and about being a part of a new era in Penn State football.

"It's exciting," quarterback Matt McGloin said. "We talked about what he wanted to do as an offense, what he wanted to do as a defense and to be honest with you, we got some chills. I know I got chills."

One thing we do know the players heard is that linebacker's coach Ron Vanderlinden will be retained. Vanderlinden will be the second holdovers from the defensive staff as defensive line coach and top recruiter Larry Johnson will also be retained.

The offensive coordinator and quarterback coach of the New England Patriots, O'Brien will remain with the Patriots however long their postseason run goes. New England hosts Denver in a playoff game Saturday night.

Once the NFL season is over in New England, O'Brien will devote himself full time to Penn state, where he will have a base salary starting at $950,000, with a 5-percent increase each season. O'Brien will also collect another $1 million a year for radio and television work, as well as a $350,000 Nike contract.

 

Joe Paterno still battling cancer, wants to tell his side of story

State College, PA

Jay Paterno says his father, former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, is keeping up his battle against cancer and that he would like to tell his side of the story about the Jerry Sandusky scandal that ultimately led to his firing.

Paterno spoke to ESPN about his father just after the school decided on New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien as Penn State's new coach.

"He's doing well because of the fact he's in great spirits," Jay Paterno said in the interview. "Anytime you have this kind of fight on your hands, you have to have a fighting spirit, which Joe has always had. And he's fighting like crazy. But it takes some, takes some energy out of him like it does anybody else. I mean, he said to me, 'I get tired from time to time.'"

Joe Paterno was fired as head coach at Penn State as one of the casualties of the sex-scandal involving Sanduksy and young boys. The coach and other school officials were criticized for not doing enough to stop the abuse.

"He's very anxious to get out there soon and start to tell his side of the story and start to express -- get all the facts out," Jay Paterno said. "What that timetable is I don't know exactly. But he definitely is chomping at the bit."

Paterno also said that he wants Penn State fans, alumni and supporters to back new coach Bill O'Brien, who was officially hired on Saturday.

Joe Paterno issued a statement congratulating O'Brien and Jay said they both know O'Brien faces unique challenges in replacing a coach who won 409 games in 46 years at Penn State and is regarded as a legend in the community there.

"I don't think anybody knows really what the guy that follows Joe Paterno is going to face," Paterno said. "Nobody knows that. You're not replacing Joe Paterno. You've become the head coach at Penn State.

"And the most important thing is that you don't try and live up to something instead of -- of a person. You try and just carry on the goals and the values and the things that have always been a part of this program, and I think that's the only challenge you have to worry about."

 

 

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