Bill O’Brien made quite the first impression on the Penn State community Saturday morning.
With former lettermen and alumni questioning the hiring of the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator as the school’s new head football coach, O’Brien handled a barrage of questions with class and made it clear what he wants to accomplish at Penn State.
“I’m in charge of this family, the football family. And when you step on campus here, you immediately feel how special it is,” O’Brien said. “I can’t tell you how many great people I’ve met over the last two or three days that I’ve been here. I know that I have a lot of confidence in my ability to lead us through what some people have called a tough time right now.”
O’Brien was introduced as the head coach with acting Athletic Director Dave Joyner and Penn State president Rodney Erickson at a press conference Saturday morning at the Nittany Lion Inn.
The 42-year-old spoke highly of former head coach Joe Paterno, who was fired Nov. 9 in the wake of a sex abuse scandal involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. Both Paterno and O’Brien attended and played football at Brown University.
O’Brien said he will try to build off the foundation Paterno has laid. He added he is committed to impacting people’s lives and making sure student-athletes fulfill their obligations both on and off the field.
“The ability to get a meaningful degree, graduate from Penn State and make something of your life,” O’Brien said of his visions of meshing academic success and success on the football field. “We’re going to try and teach [players] what it means to be a Penn State man. That’s the reason I’m thrilled to be standing up here today.”
The new coach decided to retain defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who is well respected in the Penn State community and among the school’s football players. Johnson also serves as one of the program’s top recruiters.
O’Brien also confirmed plans to remain with the Patriots throughout the team’s playoff run.
“There’s no way I can stand up in front of our football team and our recruits and talk about loyalty and commitment and leave the Patriots during the start of a playoff run,” O’Brien said. “I have committed to the New England Patriots to see them through that playoff run. That’s my loyalty and my commitment to that organization for what they have done for me.”
The details of O’Brien’s contract were released after the press conference, as well. He will make a base salary of $950,000 per year with a 5 percent increase annually through 2017. Penn State confirmed that he will make an additional $1 million per year in radio and television incentives, raising the total to roughly $2.3 million per year over five years.
Interim coach Tom Bradley, who served as the team’s head coach for the final four games of the 2011 season, issued a statement shortly following the press conference.
He shared his appreciation and thanks to Penn State, its fans, students and athletes in the statement released by Meg Kane of Brian Communications, a public relations firm in Philadelphia.
“I wish Coach O’Brien all the best. No matter the challenges that the university may face, Penn State will always have my support. This is forever my home and forever my family,” the statement concluded. “It is important that we come together to support our players and our university. Now is the time to demonstrate that we are — and always will be — Penn State.”