Pats' O'Brien agrees to become new coach

Last Updated on Friday, 06 January 2012 00:46 Friday, 06 January 2012 00:46

Written by Ron Musselman

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.

Penn State finally has found a successor for Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette learned Thursday night that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has agreed to become the Nittany Lions' new coach after interviewing with the school earlier in the day.

Terms of the deal are not known.

O'Brien, 42, is in his fifth season with the Patriots and in his first season as offensive coordinator. He had college coaching stints as an assistant at Brown, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke.

He graduated from Brown, the same university from which former Paterno earned his degree. Paterno was fired Nov. 9 in wake of a child sexual abuse scandal involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Paterno was replaced on an interim basis by Tom Bradley.

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buckeyehba, January 06, 2012 - 12:50 PM

Seems like a disappointment to most Penn State Fans. I just don't see the credentials here. At least with Cryst coming to Pitt, there is reason to believe that the time is right for him to become a head coach. I don't see that with O'Brien.

+1