O’Brien new Penn State coach

BY GENARO C. ARMAS | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State has hired New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien as its head coach, the first change in leadership for the storied football program in nearly a half-century.

The announcement caps a turbulent two-month period that began with the firing of Hall of Famer Joe Paterno on Nov. 9 in the aftermath of child sex abuse charges against retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

Not only is O’Brien replacing Division I’s winningest coach, but he must also guide a program shrouded in uncertainty. Besides the criminal investigation into Sandusky, the NCAA has launched its own inquiry.

The 42-year-old O’Brien will be formally announced at a news conference today in the Nittany Lion Inn ballroom on campus. It begins at 6:30 a.m.

But some fickle, fed-up Penn State fans did not wait for the official introduction to take to Twitter to start debating O’Brien’s resume and qualifications. While instrumental in running the Patriots’ high-powered offense, O’Brien has never been a head coach.

Now he’s taking over for Paterno, who had been on the job 46 seasons. In between, the 85-year-old Paterno won 409 games and was elected to the Hall of Fame.

“I am thrilled to be the head coach of the Penn State football program,” O’Brien said in a statement. “As head coach of this special football program, it is my responsibility to ensure that this program represents the highest level of character, respect and integrity in everything we do.”

He said that encompassed coaches, players and anyone else involved in the 125-year-old football program.

“There is tremendous pride in Penn State football and (we) will never, ever take that for granted,” O’Brien said.

The new head coach also faced skepticism from some alumni and prominent former players. Some supported interim coach Tom Bradley to be elevated permanently; others criticized the search process for not taking into account enough the opinions of those affiliated with the program who backed Bradley, a 33-year veteran of the staff.

Others still, including former quarterback Kerry Collins, asked for lettermen to give O’Brien a chance.

“Whether you agree or disagree with his hiring, we should support him,” Collins said in a statement Friday night, according to the Reading Eagle. “Instead of chastising him for not being a Penn Stater, let’s show him what it means to be a Penn Stater. … Let’s support him in any way we can.”

O’Brien has no apparent previous ties to Penn State and a proud program tarnished by a scandal that also led to the departure of President Graham Spanier.

O’Brien and Paterno do share at least one connection though — both coaches attended Brown University.

“I understand Bill O’Brien has been named head coach and I want to congratulate him on his appointment,” Paterno said in a statement to The Associated Press provided by his family. “I don’t know Bill, but I respect his coaching record, and I am particularly pleased we share a connection to my alma mater, Brown.”

“Despite recent commentary to the contrary, Penn State football has always been about more than winning,” Paterno added, citing what he said was the program’s commitment to education and community service.

“I am hopeful this tradition will continue.”

This was O’Brien’s first year coordinating the Patriots’ legendary offense, but he has also coached star quarterback Tom Brady since 2009 and spent 2008 coaching receivers.

O’Brien recently was in the spotlight when he and Brady got into a heated argument, shown on national television, after Brady threw an interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Patriots’ 34-27 win over the Washington Redskins on Dec. 11.

New England closed the regular season on an eight-game winning streak, and scored 513 points, the most in the AFC. Brady threw for 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns, with just 12 interceptions.