OT: Trek of Penn State Assistant Coaches
Quite a few PSU football assistant coaches have pulled the ripcord, and clearly not all expecting to land in Houston with BOB.
Source: Penn Live artciel here.
With that in mind, here is a look at some key members of Penn State's 2013 program and where they are now:
Larry Johnson: PSU defensive line coach is now the interim head coach charged with keeping the 2014 recruiting class together. He is also expected to interview for the permanent head coaching job.
John Butler: The Lions' defensive coordinator is well-liked by O'Brien. He resigned his post at PSU on Monday.
Stan Hixon: PSU's wide receivers coach. Expected to join O'Brien in Houston.
Charles London: PSU running backs coach. Another one of O'Brien's first hires at PSU. He was involved in recruiting. Could be Houston-bound.
Charlie Fisher: Quarterbacks coach resigned in early December.
Mac McWhorter: Veteran offensive line coach might be done with coaching with O'Brien now in the pro game. Still listed on PSU staff.
John Strollo: PSU tight ends coach. Not sure if Strollo fits into the future plans of either O'Brien or Penn State. Still listed on PSU staff.
Ron Vanderlinden: Linebackers coach resigned in early December. Would next PSU coach welcome him back on coaching staff?
Anthony Midget: First-year safeties coach has a history of moving around. Rumors circulating about him reuniting with O'Brien in Houston. Resigned Monday.
Craig Fitzgerald: PSU's popular strength and conditioning coach resigned Monday. FightonState.com reported Fitzy will join O'Brien in Houston.
Bill Kavanaugh: Penn State's director of player personnel and recruiting specialist left PSU in December for a heading coaching job at his alma mater, Bentley (Mass.).
Jimmy Bernhardt: Bill O'Brien's special assistant and longtime friend is expected to join the Texans.
January 7th, 2014 at 1:07 AM ^
able to put up with "OH MY" for 19 seconds.
Can anybody beat that?
January 7th, 2014 at 2:20 AM ^
Not I, sir. I tried it without looking at the time, and could only stand it for 17.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:02 PM ^
January 7th, 2014 at 12:31 AM ^
Penn State.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:04 PM ^
January 6th, 2014 at 8:17 PM ^
January 6th, 2014 at 10:36 PM ^
January 6th, 2014 at 8:05 PM ^
I don't know who Charlie Fisher is, but I'll take him.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:12 PM ^
Any way we can get this guy on staff?
January 6th, 2014 at 9:37 PM ^
He'd be a nice addition if we wanted to make a change there. He was a GA here under Bo, incidentally.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:15 PM ^
Err...coaches.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:27 PM ^
January 6th, 2014 at 8:30 PM ^
would have to be in the discussion as well. But I thought Golden said he was staying at Miami
January 6th, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
He did release a statement on Sunday which more or less officially sealed the door on any speculation that he might bolt for the Penn State (or any other) position. The Miami Herald was, of course, all over this (HERE). From his released statement:
“There has been much speculation concerning my future at the University of Miami. While I am flattered that our progress at The U during an extremely difficult period of time is recognized, I am also appreciative of just what we have here at UM and I am not a candidate for another position. We are eager to welcome our student athletes back to campus next week and visit with prospective student-athletes and their families beginning January 15.”
January 6th, 2014 at 8:47 PM ^
January 7th, 2014 at 9:30 AM ^
Either on BWI or BSD, Golden did talk to them and wanted an immediate offer which PSU didn't want to do because they wanted to talk to all of the candidates. Not sure the validity of this, just passing it along.
Edit: There are also folks who think it is worded in such a way that he can wiggle out of it.
I will say it is more entertaining watching them go through this than reading our boards reliving the Orange Bowl.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:34 PM ^
new coaches typically bring in a lot of new assistants (as O'Brien is doing down in Houston).
That said, very important for Larry Johnson Sr to stick around for "some stability" until the new Head Coach is announced, whenever that is.
January 7th, 2014 at 8:57 AM ^
Golden ssaid "No thanks" and Munchak is looking for another pro job per reports. That leaves Franklin and Johnson.
At this point I believe it will be Johnson. He knows where the bodies are buried. Per one Homer I spoke with, "He's been there 20 years, why not?". Homer didn't seem the least bit bothered by the antics of Johnson's sons including multiple incidents of woman beating at PSU and the NFL.
I'd like to see them make a good hire. The B1G doesn't need another Purdue, Maryland, or Rutgers.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
Silly question: but isn't it common for assistant coaches to either 1) follow the head coach to his new position, or 2) leave when the new head coach is hired? It's a transition. Welcome to the suck.
January 6th, 2014 at 9:08 PM ^
It's uncommon for a college coach to take his assistants en masse to the NFL. For example, Chip Kelly only brought one with him to the Eagles, plus GAs. I think it's also a bit unusual for assistants to quit before the new coach is hired, unless they are following O'Brien.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:53 PM ^
Larry Johnson is their Fred Jackson - the assistant who survives all coaching changes. He remembers JoePa's predecessor.
January 6th, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
January 6th, 2014 at 11:03 PM ^
And that Pliny the Younger took over for Paterno when he left Brown.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:56 PM ^
January 6th, 2014 at 9:22 PM ^
January 7th, 2014 at 1:50 AM ^
Have you ever been to a clinic held the current Michigan coaching staff?
January 6th, 2014 at 10:45 PM ^
January 6th, 2014 at 11:22 PM ^
I really wish Mallory would have gotten that job, only so Michigan could have gotten the PSU D-backs coach. He's a younger coach who seems to do a pretty good with his secondary. I know Mallory is eventually going to leave, so it just would have been nice for him to be gone now so we could steal their DB coach.
Oh well, Mallory is a great coach, so I will be glad for the time he is still at Michigan.
January 7th, 2014 at 12:33 AM ^
When did that happen?
January 7th, 2014 at 7:34 AM ^
January 7th, 2014 at 8:45 AM ^
January 7th, 2014 at 9:46 AM ^
We couldn't have gotten their offensive coordinator.
seriously, though, if there are going to be some "staff" changed (admittedly, there have only been scant rumors of such), it would be nice to have the openings for, you know, times like this. I understand why a team would wait til after NSD, but I prefer the "fire then hire" approach.
January 7th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
next year should now be considered a probably win.