Wednesday, 23 November 2011 14:22

Written by Dan Gigler

JoeP: Ron, I was surprised that Penn State beat Ohio State last weekend, given all that is going on. Where did that effort come from?

Ron Musselman: That is a good question. I don't think many people saw that effort coming with all that has been going on. The wildcat was pretty impressive and really caught Ohio State off guard. The one thing Penn State has to do is start scoring in the second half. All of 20 points came in the first half against the Buckeyes.

NoMorePaterno: Do you think Tom Bradley has any chance to get full-time coaching job or do you think the whole staff will be swept out?

Ron Musselman: Acting athletic director Dave Joyner has said that he has no objection to a Penn State-tied person. But as I wrote in the paper today, many consider Bradley a long shot for the job because of his ties to Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky. Miami coach Al Golden, a former Penn State tight end and assistant coach with ties to Paterno, said Tuesday that "I believe I'm going to be the head coach at Miami in 2012." But I don't believe that for a second, if Golden is approached by Penn State. Then again, Joyner and president Rodney Erickson could elect to clean house and dump the entire coaching staff.

Larry65: Wisconsin has a big OL and a good QB and RB. How good are the Badgers?

Ron Musselman: Wisconsin is a very good team, but the Badgers hit a little slump in midseason by losing back-to-back road games at Michigan State and Ohio State. The Spartans are leading the Legends Division and have already clinched a spot in the Big Ten championship game, but Ohio State was a bad loss.
11:17

TomCat: What is the status of Silas Redd for Saturday? Stephfon Green has been doing a good job with Redd hurting.

Ron Musselman: Redd has been bothered by a shoulder injury was only on the field for 14 plays against Ohio State. Bradley said Redd would have no contact in practice again this week, but he is expected to play Saturday.

JasonT_PSU,: Seems doubtful that PSU has the offensive horses to beat Wisconsin this weekend, so the Rose Bowl is probably out. Will the Lions get a bowl game? Any guesses where?

Ron Musselman: There has been a lot of rumblings about what bowl game might accept Penn State, giving the Sandusky scandal. I would think the Rose Bowl is a long shot because I don't expect Penn State to beat Wisconsin, but then again, anything is possible. I would guess that the Lions might end up in the Gator Bowl or one like that since they recently played in the Outback Bowl and Capital One Bowl.

Sean_Man: I see Jay Paterno on TV and he seems poised but a little emotional. In person, how does he seem to be handling the big shake-ups in the program? Would he continue to coach under Bradley going forward?

Ron Musselman: This has to be a tough time for Jay Paterno and the rest of the family. Jay recently expressed disappointment during a recent ESPN interview that his dad's name had been removed last week from the Big Ten championship trophy. He said if Penn State wins Saturday and gets to Indianapolis, "We'll bring a nice yellow Post-It note, and we'll stick it right back on [the trophy]." That sounds pretty emotional to me.

Dave: I am wondering if Penn State would have ever pulled out the wildcat if Joe were still coaching?

Ron Musselman: Penn State had used various versions of the wildcat before, but the player who ran it the most recently was Derrick Williams in 2008. Bradley declined to answer that very question Tuesday, which tells you all you need to know – Penn State wouldn't have used the wildcat that much – perhaps as many as 20 plays – had Paterno still been on board.

Brian: There are rumors that PSU should not play football next season. What is your take on that?

Ron Musselman: I don't agree with the people who say Penn State shouldn't play football next season, or the ones who think they should not go to a bowl game. What happened here was horrible with the child sex abuse and you can only pray for the victims. But the players on this team had nothing to do with the whole Sandusky mess, so I don't think they should be penalized.

NittneyLionz: What can you tell me about Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson?

Ron Musselman: He is a transfer from N.C. State and he is having a great year. He is completing 73.6 percent of his passes for 2,506 yards, with and 26 TDs and three interceptions. He has a pass efficiency rating of 199.3. He has also run for 289 yards and five TDs. He has been sensational.

Jenny_We Are: Do you think PSU's defense can slow down Wisky RB Montee Ball? He is a good one.

Ron Musselman: Like Wilson, Ball has been dynamite. He leads the nation with 30 TDs and has 1,466 yards on 223 carries, ranking him second in the nation in rushing. Ball will be a big test for the Penn State defense, which has been solid all year.

ChrisBahr: How good has Anthony Fera been? He seems to be a pretty good kicker.

Ron Musselman: Fera has become a triple threat, with his field goals, punting and kickoffs. He has been successful on 14 of 17 field goal attempts and is averaging 41.6 yards on 50 punts. He has eight kicks of 50-plus yards and has dropped 14 inside the 20-yard line. Earlier this week, he was named the Big Ten's special teams player of the week for the third time this season.

Redheadedcoach: I think Bradley has had a nice audition so far for another job if PSU doesn't hire him. Your thoughts?

Ron Musselman: I do think Bradley has done a nice job in difficult circumstances. He is 1-1 since replacing Paterno. Granted, he is auditioning for a new job but he is much friendlier with the media than Paterno ever was and he isn't afraid to take gambles on offense such as the wildcat or going for it on fourth down at the 1, which may not have been a smart decision. I don't think Bradley will have any trouble landing on his feet somewhere, in the NFL as an assistant or at another college. Don't forget, he interviewed for head coaching vacancies at Pitt and Temple following the 2010 season.

JoeMustGoPa: Any idea how Joe is holding up through all of this?

Ron Musselman: Not too well from what I am told. Getting fired after 62 seasons certainly didn't help nor did all of the circumstances surrounding the Sandusky scandal and his role in it, which has yet to be determined in the courts. He is being treated for lung cancer less than a month before he turns 85., And there was that Wall Street Journal report about how he used his power at the university to decide how his players should be disciplined for off-the-field issues. This undoubtedly has been the toughest three-week stretch of Paterno's life.

Well, thanks for all of the great questions today. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.