New Penn State Head Coach Is Patriot's Bill O'Brien
he Penn State Head Coach position for the Nittany Lions football team is now filled. Bill O'Brien, Assistant Coach for the NFL's New England Patriots, was named Friday after Joe Paterno, the record holder for most winningest coach in college football, was fired amidst the school's sex abuse scandal. O'Brien will finish out the current NFL season with the Patriots before heading to State College, Pennsylvania, to lead the Lions.
O'Brien, the Patriot's offensive coordinator, has never been at the helm of a college football program. After a long search for the new Penn State Head Coach, where many high-profile college coaches turned down due to the scandal which rocked the nation, O'Brien reportedly was flattered by the offer and was thrilled to accept once the details of his contract had been finalized. O'Brien recently made headlines when he and quarterback Tom Brady had a heated argument broadcast on live TV after Brady threw an interception in the fourth quarter of the Patriots win over the Washington Redskins.
Although the search was a "methodical and deliberate" one according to Penn State officials and done with particular caution due to the tarnished reputation of Penn State's sports program and the university in general, many former players and alumni are not happy with the fact that O'Brien has no ties to the school. Several NFL players have made statements in the press that they will cut all ties with their alma mater if an outsider is chosen as the Penn State Head Coach. Particularly vocal about the decision were star linebacker's LaVar Arrington and Brandon Short, whose opinion greatly influenced the hiring of interim coach Tom Bradley. Short said that he would schedule a meeting with Athletic Director David Joyner about the decision. He, Arrington, and other members of the Letterman club have threatened to pull all support from the university including allowing the school to use their likenesses in promoting anything having to do with the school located in the ironically named Happy Valley.
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