OT- PSU coaching search

Submitted by trueblue262 on

My apologies if this is not a worthy thread, but they are in our conference (for now anyway) and although it is nice to see another school have a coaching search go bad, it is infact bad for the B1G to have any school struggle to find a coach.

So, once the "Saban to PSU" rumors are officially proven false, who next?

Matt Millen? Or, better yet, Matt Millen will be part of the search, and is making a push to hire Marty Morningweg! Not far off as his son is either committed, or on the roster, right?

Start the Millen and Morningweg jokes now..........Or you can "defer"

Callahan

December 30th, 2011 at 9:47 AM ^

PSU's search makes our 2007 search look reasoned and logical. Nick Saban? Mike Munchak? When do they approach Bill Belichick?
<br>
<br>And I've always said, anytime you get the opportunity to replace a guy who was fired for hiding his DC's child molestation, you've got to take it.

MDave

December 30th, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^

I can't say if JoePa got a raw deal or not, but if he had any idea this was coming, he really screwed PSU.  He would have been much better off retiring after last season and giving them the chance to get a top notch coach.  It always seemed a bit odd that he kept going despite it being apparent he was more a figure head than the head coach.

superstringer

December 30th, 2011 at 10:10 AM ^

You are trying to ascribe logic to an 84 year old man's conduct.  He was so set in his ways, he couldn't conceive of any alternative to coaching as long as he could breathe.  He had become lika  barnacle on the program, his entire existence dependent on it, and with all the support he had -- life-long staffers, boosters, and administration -- he had no reason to change, and worse, no reason to think he should stop.  He was just an 84 year old man.

What is odd is that the rest of the world saw it, but the administration and key boosters were so supporting of JoePa, they couldn't pull the trigger.  And they had more power than the BOT, which wanted to fire him but didn't have the clout to do so -- despite being the frakin BOT.

Lesson:  Don't let 84 year old men run your organization with absolute power.

maizedandconfused

December 30th, 2011 at 10:27 AM ^

that kills me about this whole situation is that joe Pa has had numerous health issues. If this whole situation hadnt played out, i am pretty sure with the cancer and other things he would have retired this year anyways.

It is extremely unfortunate for PSU that they did not have an AD with the cajones to tell Paterno that he needed to shift to a role in the AD, and let them get a legitimate coach in there. He has kept PSU from moving forward and it seems that, while he loves Penn State, he loves his own fame more than the university.

Bosch

December 30th, 2011 at 2:14 PM ^

on the field anymore.  He was just a figure head.  I doubt that there is anyone in the PSU AD that didn't want to see Joe Pa become the all time wins leader.  It's a prestigious accolade, not only for Joe, but for the school.... or it would have been rather.

bluebyyou

December 30th, 2011 at 12:27 PM ^

Everyone of those mfers who let a child molester continue to harm children deserves a tall tree and a short rope, Paterno included. Just in case anyone missed it, at the recent hearing, assuming what McQueary said was true, Paterno understood the full impact of what he was told and did nothing. Retiring a year sooner would have mitigated a very small amount of the s**tstorm and perhaps saved some of the PSU student body from looking like a bunch of buffoons when they rioted, but there was no way this minor little matter could have been swept under the rug.

justingoblue

December 30th, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^

While I do agree about there being a shitstorm regardless, if Paterno had left in, say, 2009, there would have been a new staff in place (probably not consisting of most of Paterno's guys). The problems would be in the past much moreso than they are now, and PSU would have some hope of moving forward. As of now, their entire school is radioactive and someone people could easily be suspicious of is presently steering the ship.

BJNavarre

December 30th, 2011 at 10:01 AM ^

They are screwed. Coaches are avoiding PSU like the plague. Undoubtedly, they would have liked to have hired a coach in early December, yet they have no credible candidates except Tom Bradley.

I'm sure the administration would like to clean house, but Bradley is going to be far and away the best candidate for the job. Not a good situation for PSU, to say the least. 

True Blue Grit

December 30th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^

that will scare away any big-name coaches.  They're going to have to pick an up and coming coordinator or HC from a small program who is willing to take the risk for a big payoff years down the road.  Bradley IS the best candidate right now, but by picking him, PSU would be sending the message to the world loud and clear that "football still rules this school".  And I'm sure they don't want to send that message.  They really are between a rock and a hard place. 

BradP

December 30th, 2011 at 10:06 AM ^

They'll get a decent hire who isn't a big flashy candidate.

I'm betting they bring in Tom Clements, Bradley moves back into the DC role, and most of the coaching staff stays.

I have seen Al Golden's name mentioned, which would make the man's coaching career path ludicrous up to this point.

Michael Scarn

December 30th, 2011 at 3:03 PM ^

No chance Golden goes, he signed a 4 year extension with Miami at the end of this year. Purpose was two-fold:
<br>1. Miami AD repenting for the fact that his predecessor hired Golden under false pretenses with no mention of the impending shitstorm.
<br>2. Lock Golden in with a big buyout so that no one could snag him, specifically Penn St.

swan flu

December 30th, 2011 at 10:12 AM ^

their best bet is to hire a coach who has zero connection to Penn State, maybe a young up-and-comer from a smaller school, and just do triage on the program for a few years.

IowaBlue

December 30th, 2011 at 10:21 AM ^

Until someone comes forward with something more than "he had to know"... I'd be pissed if I was Bradley.  He was on track for that job all along and this is a crappy way to get or not get your dream job.  If he knew something then yea, the hell with him and out the door with the rest of the staff.  I do find it a big assumption that a lot of folks are taking that he is guilty of something for just being on the staff.  In any organization there can be dirty secrets that don't implicate the whole orginzation.  Again, if he knew then yea he should be dumped; but what happened to innocent until proven guilty. 

So, far the trail that i've seen is 4 folks knew... and none of them were Bradley.  Just seems like a shitty deal if he is indeed innocent of any knowledge of the incident to be tarnished as a candidate.  Just my 2 cents though...

BRCE

December 30th, 2011 at 10:38 AM ^

The fear has to be that even if they can't prove Bradley knew at this time, new items are always revealed about the past and something could implicate him down the road (perhaps even in Sundusky's trial). They don't want to find out the hard way that he knew after they already hired him.

APBlue

December 30th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^

I couldn't give two craps about what job Tom Bradley was on tracking towards.

I'm comfortable with my assumption that anyone who has been there as long as Bradley was had to know what's going on.  He was tied into that program.  Child molestation, in the locker room, does not go on without most of the staff knowing about it.  I have no doubts that Bradley, Jay Paterno, Johnson Sr. and anyone else that had been there as long as they had knew what was going on.  

They need to clean house.  Their best bet is to find a D2 coach, with a successful track record, that's willing to endure these circumstances, in order to get their chance at the big time.  

 

IowaBlue

December 30th, 2011 at 11:45 AM ^

assuming he was guilty...  But what if he isn't "guilty of having that knowledge".  I think it is possible that this was not as commonly known as many assume.  The reason it took so long to get out to the public may be that only the 4 that we do know had knowledge did keep it to themselves.   The folks that did know, and have been proven to know; yea to hell with them for sure.

Bradley's coaching career has been ruined by something he may have had nothing to do with, just by association.  Seems harsh to jump to these assumptions based on what is actually known in the public record. 

Please don't take my comments as trying to lessen the crimes committed; they disgust me and make me sick as well... even more so being a father of four myself.

APBlue

December 30th, 2011 at 12:27 PM ^

Maybe you should read more about what had been going on there.  I'm not the most knowledgable on the subject, but I have read that at one time, boosters were obligated to attend the 2nd mile's annual golf outing.  In recent years, it's been a no-show, with very little attendance.  

PSU's policy that Sandusky wasn't allowed to bring children on campus (into the athletic building) should be all anyone needed to know.  That would be enough to get most logical people asking questions, like "why?".  

Bradley had to have some idea as to why Sandusky could walk away from his profession, at a relatively young age, and not get a sniff from another program.  

I refuse to believe that this was some great secret in Happy Valley.  

 

I understand the importance of being innocent, until proven guilty - in our justice system.  This is not a courtroom.  PSU does not have the luxury of waiting to see how this plays out in the courts.  They have to make a decision relatively soon.  This is all about the court of public opinion.  

True Blue Grit

December 30th, 2011 at 12:46 PM ^

it's very plausible that every coach on the staff that's been there a long time (like Bradley) has the ingrained philosophy that football is king and is more important than anything on the campus.  PSU can't risk having any of the old JoePa ways perpetuated IMO.  So, cleaning house will be the right move for a number of reasons,

PlayByPlay

December 30th, 2011 at 10:17 AM ^

Unless the new coach can get out there and recruit hard over the next 2 months, I don't think PSU will be good over the next few years. Unfortunately, this will lead to the firing of whoever takes over for Joe after 3 seasons.

I think people in Happy Valley are worried that PSU could go down the same path of Notre Dame. Nobody will be able to repeat the success of Joe in the near future and they could soon become a place where the die hards run coaches out every 3-4 years for 7-5 and 8-4 seasons.

MGoCooper

December 30th, 2011 at 10:26 AM ^

I think a tough  natured guy like Herm Edwards would be a great fit for Penn State. He's also an engaging guy, who would do well on the recruiting trail. He also has a lot of Pennsylvania ties, and would be a popular hire.

Victor Hale II

December 30th, 2011 at 10:27 AM ^

While I'd like to ultimately see PSU recover, as it will make for a stronger Big 10-12, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Hoke et al rescue a few of their top recruits as they teeter precariously upon the proverbial fence.

Victor Hale II

December 30th, 2011 at 12:51 PM ^

Yeah, for 2012, the other UM has swooped in and grabbed a few big prospects for his UOS team. But we have a good shot with Reeves, and perhaps in 2013 and beyond, the PSU mess will still be festering enough to send some more good players our way in lieu of Happy Valley.

I'd be curious to know how many and which coaches are openly using the Sandusky deal as ammo in their sales pitch.