Bill O’Brien was introduced as Penn State’s head coach at a press conference on Saturday morning, ending a search for Joe Paterno’s replacement that lasted more than a month after the legendary Nittany Lions head man was fired in November.
Bill O’Brien Introduced As New Penn State Football Coach
Bill O’Brien was introduced as Penn State’s next head coach in a press conference on Saturday, but he won’t leave the New England Patriots until after the 2012 NFL playoffs.
“I’m going to surround myself with really good people,” O’Brien said, explaining that he expects to have a staff in place in the next two or three days, while also announcing that defensive line coach Larry Johnson, Sr. would return to Penn State’s staff. O’Brien will continue with all of his duties as the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator — “There’s no way I can talk about commitment and leave the Patriots at the start of a playoff run” — but should also be juggling some duties as the head man in State College at the same time.
As for recruiting, seen as one of the major issues for a Penn State program that has been rocked both by controversy and a miserable finish to its 2011 season, Johnson’s retention is likely to help, but O’Brien cannot contact recruits himself until he passes the NCAA recruiting test.
Related: Jerry Sandusky fallout, replacing Joe Paterno, and Penn State’s movement to support sexual abuse survivors. For more on the Nittany Lions, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries. More college football news.
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