Bill O'Brien dodges questions about future at Penn State
After Saturday's 45-22 win against Indiana, someone flat out asked the 43-year-old: Are you going to be Penn State's coach next year?
Bill O'Brien dodges questions about future at Penn State
Ever since the NCAA sanctions were announced in July, reporters and fans have dangled around scenarios where coach Bill O'Brien will abort his contract at Penn State.
After Saturday's 45-22 win against Indiana, someone flat out asked the 43-year-old: Are you going to be Penn State's coach next year?
Surely that was an opportunity for O'Brien to pledge his commitment to Nittnay nation. Surely that was the time for him to say despite the national accolades he's receiving, despite the rumors that are floating around, he wants to be at Penn State for the long haul.
Instead? O'Brien was coy, vague and perhaps a bit defensive.
"There's no story there," the coach said, adding he thought the media planted the story last week by mentioning NFL openings. "I'm focused on one game at a time. I'm focused on this football team."
Indeed, the sentiment is understood. O'Brien has preached a "one game at a time" approach all season. But the reporter asked a follow up question. And then O'Brien started to appear frustrated.
"We gave legs to a story that isn't even there just beause someone wrote an article," O'Brien said. "For me, it's Wisconsin and this football team and this senior class. That's where ithink that question should be directed - Indiana, the senior class, getting ready for Wisconsin."
One last time to pledge his commitment?
"I'm the head football coach at Penn State," O'Brien said, sternly. "I love coaching here and I can't wait to get back to work on Monday and get ready for Wisconsin."
O'Brien's current base salary is $950,000 a year, plus $1 million a year for public appearances and $350,000 from a deal with Nike. When O'Brien was hired in January, he signed to a five year deal. After the NCAA sanctions, O'Brien opted to extend his contract four more years -- the amount of years Penn State is banned from the postseason.
A buyout would be expensive. Are any other college or professional teams willing to make that commitment? Combined with the upcoming free agency for Penn State players who can still transfer with no penalties, this is shaping up to be a pretty eventful offseason.
-Emily Kaplan
I hope he stays at Penn State, as do most others, because he has done a remarkable job with this team, despite losing some first string players. But, he is 43 years old, in the prime of his life to be coaching, and no chance of going to any bowl games for three more years. If he were to get an offer with an NLF team, I believe it would be difficult for him to turn it down. Who could blame him if he did?— jodimarko- He needs to leave. The program is going to take a serious hit starting next year. Nick Foles would look great with a coach like O'Brien.— The One Who Knows
- O'Brien may want to stay at Penn State, but there also are still factions of the alumni angry at the way Paterno was forced out and who still want "their guy," widely believed to be Tom Bradley replace o'Brien and may go rogue after the season to try and force o'Brien out by sabotaging his attempts to bring in recruits just so they can have their way. This group will never be satisfied until they get a Paterno guy as head coach, whether it's Bradley or someone else with ties to Paterno, and is why I think the Eagles may be able to get o'Brien if Reid goes (and not necessarily fired by Lurie either, as I can see California-Berkley and/or USC both coming for Reid after the season)..— Wallyhorse2
- Emily, do your job better and cover the team better. The person who asked the question was David Jones of the Patriot-News - you know, the paper that broke the Sandusky story with Pulitzer-Prize winning Sara Ganim. And, this was a major story earlier in the week when the subject of taking the Jaguars job came up.
And, Bill is not leaving everyone. He just doesn't want to get into that stuff and doesn't give the journalist anything that he's looking for.— cdk104 - I'd be shocked and extremely disappointed if O'Brien left after this group of young men stayed with him. If he did leave the team and school after one year the ill will toward him by the PSU community would be crushing.— delcodanno
- The amount of money paid to college coaches is sickening.— JackJLewis
- I'd REALLY be surprised if BOB left. He's too much of a class act to leave now...at least I hope I'm right.— mtnman
- The difference between OBrien and Paterno is money and true commitment. Paterno did not care that he could have made much more elsewhere, he was really committed to PSU. Don't think OBrien will turn down the big offer when it comes.— Lets Eat
- I hope I'm wrong, but I think he'll bail if some NFL team will foot the bill for a buyout. HCs are paid millions, so he can make more money in the NFL (Eagles?) Plus the sanctions were handed down AFTER he was hired, so he had no idea of the extent what he was getting into. Recruiting will be tough and PSU will be mediocre for years to come. I don't think he'll be fulfilled at Penn State under the current circumstances.— Xyzzyx
- He wants to stay loyal to the players who stayed on, but he'll be gone in a year or two he's too good of a coach to deal with the terrible hand penn state dealt him— ConverseB24
- I doubt he will leave anytime soon. After all the players that stayed with him this year and with Christian Hackenberg, Adam Breneman, Garrett Sickels, Brendan Mahon, and Brandon Bell making commitments for next year, I can't see him leaving.— carlosbeltran
- if he has one single shred of class in his body he will stick with PSU players after they stuck with him. for him to bail on them would be completely gutless.— Ryan
- I think O'Brien is going to keep his options open. There is more hanging over him now, than when he signed on. The fact is he's done a very nice job this year, and his value is high. For PSU, it would be a major setback as his presence helps to offset the recruiting problems.— Northcountry
- Most likely, O'Brien will stay on if the trial of the two PSU Administrators ends up with acquittals. He is giving himself options. IF there are acquittals and Joe Paterno's name is cleared, then there is the possibility the NCAA will restore the revoked victories to Joe's record or a court of law will rule in Joe's favor should his estate move to take legal action on his behalf once the trial of the two administrators is resolved favorably. Already PSU has received good news that its accredition will remain the same as the University is in compliance with all rules on its conduct, including the Clery Act.— Aces high
- OBrien is smart and well prepared, plus makes good decisions. Man, I would love it if the Eagles had a HC like him.— NCNovaguy
This season is Joe's fourth season on the paper's Penn State beat. He previously covered the Nittany Lions for United Press International from 1976 to 1984.
Emily Kaplan is the Inquirer’s fall intern covering the Nittany Lions. She is a senior at Penn State and has covered a variety of sports for the university’s student-run paper, The Daily Collegian. Over the last two years, she has reported for The Associated Press from State College.
A Montclair, N.J. native, she has also interned at MLB Network, NHL.com and covered the 2012 Olympics in London. Follow her on Twitter here @EKaplan24.
