ESPN College Football

The Big Ten had three head-coaching changes in the offseason, with new leading men stepping in at Ohio State, Illinois and Penn State. We already shared our thoughts on the new staffs at Illinois and Ohio State. We finish off the series by turning to Penn State, which wrapped up its staff recently with the addition of Charlie Fisher as quarterbacks coach.

Here's how the new Penn State staff looks:

Bill O'Brien -- head coach
Stan Hixon -- assistant head coach/wide receivers
Ted Roof -- defensive coordinator
John Butler -- secondary
Charlie Fisher -- quarterbacks
Larry Johnson -- defensive line
Charles London -- running backs
Mac McWhorter -- offensive line
John Strollo -- tight ends
Ron Vanderlinden -- linebackers

So today's Take Two topic is: How did O'Brien fare in putting together his first staff at Penn State?

Take 1: Brian Bennett

We can't evaluate how O'Brien did in a vacuum. He is the first new head coach at Penn State in nearly half a century, taking over a place where assistants hardly ever left under Joe Paterno. O'Brien also got a bit of a late start in assembling his assistants, as he was not hired until early January, and the uncertainty and controversy swirling in State College may not have made this opportunity attractive to all job candidates.

With all that in mind, I think O'Brien did a reasonably good job in putting this staff together. I thought it was a great move to retain Johnson and Vanderlinden, two excellent coaches who didn't deserve to get scapegoated for the Jerry Sandusky mess. They will be able to provide some institutional knowledge about a place that isn't familiar with much change. It would have been nice if O'Brien could have kept Tom Bradley as well, but he brought in a seasoned veteran in Ted Roof, who knows the Big Ten from his time at Minnesota. Roof was pushed out at Auburn and has moved around an awful lot in his career, but he does have a national championship ring and a wealth of experience. Same goes for McWhorter, another greybeard who helped win a BCS title at Texas. I like the mixture of experience (Hixon, Trollo and Fisher have seen it all in their long careers) and up-and-comers like London and Butler, the latter of whom O'Brien was able to lure away from a successful program at South Carolina.

Ultimately, whether this works or not will all depend on O'Brien, who was a surprising choice to replace Joe Paterno and who has never been a head coach before. He has an enormous legacy to follow, as well as some off-the-field challenges. He has a staff full of coaches he knows and has worked with in the past to help guide him through that journey.

Take 2: Adam Rittenberg

It's interesting to see what would have happened with the staff makeup had Penn State hired O'Brien a few weeks earlier. Perhaps we would have seen the same names, perhaps not. But O'Brien had to rush to get coaches in place to help finish off 2012 recruiting while he wrapped up the season with the Patriots. I love his decision to retain both Johnson and Vanderlinden. Johnson has been Penn State's lead recruiter and one of the best in the Big Ten, and both he and Vanerlinden provide continuity for a defense that has been consistently good to great in recent years.

The two most critical hires in my mind are Roof and Fisher. Roof's appointment generated some grumbling around Nittany Nation, as fans were skeptical about a coach who struggled his final season at Auburn before parting ways with Gene Chizik. Although Roof had success in the Big Ten at Minnesota in 2008, he'll be under the microscope. The good thing is he understands his job is to keep Penn State's defensive tradition alive, rather than overhauling what has been a good unit. I like the Fisher hire as he brings a lot of experience to a group that needs a significant upgrade. He'll work with O'Brien more than any other assistant, and they'll collaborate with tutoring the quarterbacks and shaping the offensive vision.

Overall, I think O'Brien did a nice job. My only two concerns here are whether he went with too many familiar names from his previous coaching stops and whether there's enough youth on the staff, which can be beneficial in recruiting. Penn State has no shortage of grizzled vets, but there's not much youth other than London and Butler.

Charles London doesn't have any connections to Penn State except for admiring the program from afar and having worked for former Nittany Lions player Mike Munchak on the Tennessee Titans. But now he's on new coach Bill O'Brien's staff as running backs coach, representing a new way of doing things in State College. London played and later coached at Duke and then went on to work in the NFL, serving as an offensive assistant and quality control coach for the Titans. He's young and smart (he has a master's degree from Duke), and he recently visited with ESPN.com to talk about why he came to Penn State.

You got to know coach O'Brien while both of you guys were at Duke. How would you describe him as a coach?
Charles London: He's a very passionate guy. He's very smart. He knows offensive football and how to relate to players. He's just very passionate about what he does and really has the ability to get the most out of his players.

You've spent the past couple of years in the NFL. Was your goal to coach in the pros, or were you just looking to break into coaching wherever possible?
CL: Originally, I just wanted to get into coaching, so I started my career as a graduate assistant in 2004. It took me to college and the pros. I spent the last few years in the NFL. But I just wanted to coach. When Coach O'Brien got this job and offered me a position on the staff, it was an opportunity I couldn't turn down. I knew he'd be a good coach, and with Penn State being such a special place, I knew it was a great opportunity.

What types of things did you learn from your time in the NFL?
CL: I just had the opportunity to work with two really good head coaches in Lovie Smith and Mike Munchak. I learned a lot about X's and O's, but I also learned how to relate to people, how to get the best out of players. I think it was a great experience for my growth as a coach.

Was there any hesitation about coming to Penn State given the controversy surrounding the program?
CL: No, there was no hesitation at all. Once you step on campus, you see what kind of special place this is. The administration has been great and everybody has been really supportive as we've gone out hitting the recruiting trail. So there was no hesitation on my part.

What was it like trying to recruit this class with so little time?
CL: Well, you know, it was a challenge. But Larry Johnson, Ron Vanderlinden and Bill Kavanaugh who were on our staff here did a great job of maintaining relationships with the kids while we were in transition, so when the new staff came in we just had to pick up the ball where they left off. We just tried to maintain relationships and hold onto the guys who were committed to us and pick up a few new commits as well.

Were you just basically introducing yourself to recruits at that point?
CL: Exactly. One of the first things we had was a recruiting weekend as soon as we got there. We had a short period of time to let the families feel comfortable with us. A mom or dad sends their son to us for four or five years, so they need to feel comfortable with us. So it was just building relationships with them and conveying our message about where the future of Penn State football is headed.

How difficult was it without coach O'Brien around very much?
CL: He's done a good job of splitting his time between the Patriots and Penn State. It was actually really good for us in recruiting. He could have been around all the time, but the kids were very excited about what he was doing. They could turn on the TV on Sunday and say, "That's going to be my head coach in a few weeks." They understood why he couldn't be around in recruiting.

Having been around him, what do you think the offense will look like at Penn State?
CL: I think it will be multiple. It will be a game-plan offense. We'll take advantage of what the defense gives us. If we've got to throw it 40 times to win, we'll do it. If we've got to run it 40 times, we'll do it as well. We'll have to sit down a little further and evaluate our team and our players and what part of the scheme fits them best, and we'll take it from there.

I know you haven't gotten to know the players that much yet, but what are your initial thoughts about Silas Redd?
CL: Extreme quickness. He has great feet, really good vision, does a good job once he gets in the hole. A really explosive first step and he does a lot of things well. I'm really looking forward to working with him.

How much did you know about Penn State before this? Did you watch the Nittany Lions much growing up?
CL: I've always watched them from afar just because of the tradition that was there. I had the pleasure of working for a Penn State alum for the last year or so, and I just knew from talking to him and from the way he carried himself and how he transformed the Tennessee Titans that it was a good place. And that the ideals that they shared at Penn State were similar to my beliefs. So I just knew it would be a good fit.

How did Mike Munchack react when you took this job, especially since he was reported as a head-coaching candidate for a while?
CL: He was very excited. I left with his blessing, and we had a good conversation before I left. He was excited for me and I'm sure he'll be up to a game sometime. Now he has somebody to hold accountable.

How much of a responsibility do you feel as a new staff to be transparent and help bring people back into the fold after all that has happened here, even though you weren't in any way a part of it?
CL: We just want to uphold the tradition of Penn State football. We've been telling people we want to restore the roar here. We're going to do things here with the highest integrity, athletically and academically, and I think people will be proud of the product they see on and off the field.

Where will your recruiting areas be?
CL: We're still figuring some of that out right now. Each coach will have a piece of Pennsylvania. We'll definitely hit Pennsylvania hard and some of the mid-Atlantic states. But also with some of the experiences and relationships we have, we might hit some areas that maybe Penn State hasn't recruited heavily in the past, like North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, those areas. Maybe hit Texas. We'll definitely be aggressive in recruiting.

Finally, just looking around at the facilities, the fan support, what do you feel like is the potential for this program going forward?
CL: I think the sky's the limit for this program.We're going to go out and try to identify the top student-athlete prospects around the country and go after them the best we can. We're going to run a pro-style offense and a really attacking defense. It's going to be a really good place to be, so we're excited about the future.

New Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien has only been on the job for a little more than a week, but he has already hired all but one of his assistants.

The school officially announced the hiring of Ted Roof as defensive coordinator and John Butler as secondary coach on Friday. Both guys come from the SEC.

O'Brien only has to hire a quarterbacks coach to complete his staff. The New England Patriots offensive coordinator has said he will call his own plays with the Nittany Lions and will not name an offensive coordinator.

Roof was Auburn’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2009 until this season and oversaw the defense on the Tigers' national championship team last season. He was named Central Florida's defensive coordinator on Dec. 8 before the Penn State job came along. Roof worked with O'Brien when both were assistants at Georgia Tech.

Butler was South Carolina's special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach last season. He served on the same Minnesota staff as Roof in 2008.

Roof and Butler join veteran Penn State coaches Larry Johnson (defensive line) and Ron Vanderlinden (linebackers) on the defensive coaching staff. O’Brien previously had announced four members of the offensive coaching staff: Stan Hixon (assistant head coach/wide receivers), Charles London (running backs), Mac McWhorter (offensive line) and John Strollo (tight ends).

Penn State made it official Thursday and announced the hires of six assistant coaches on Bill O'Brien's staff.

All of these names have been previously reported, but here they are again:

• Larry Johnson, defensive line
• Ron Vanderlinden, linebackers
• Stan Hixon, assistant head coach/wide receivers
• Charles London, running backs
• Mac McWhorter, offensive line
• John Strollo, tight ends

O'Brien has three more positions to fill: defensive coordinator, secondary coach and quarterbacks coach. Central Florida defensive coordinator Ted Roof confirmed in a text message to ESPN.com on Monday that he's taking the Penn State defensive coordinator spot. South Carolina assistant John Butler reportedly is heading to State College, likely to take the secondary coach spot.

New England Patriots offensive assistant George Godsey reportedly will take the quarterbacks coach role. Godsey worked directly with O'Brien in New England during the 2011 season and played for O'Brien at Georgia Tech.

O'Brien definitely went with familiarity in his hires, as he worked alongside London, McWhorter, Strollo and Roof as an assistant at Georgia Tech and/or Duke. There's also a decent mix of college and NFL experience, as O'Brien promised.

It's definitely a veteran staff, as London, Godsey and Butler are the only assistants who logged some playing time in the recent past.

I like the retention of both Johnson and Vanderlinden, who are great at what they do. Roof's appointment has sparked some angst among Penn State fans, but he did good work at Minnesota and will have good position coaches working under him.

It'll be interesting to see how things go with O'Brien as the offensive play-caller, at least for Year 1. A lot of folks will make the Charlie Weis comparisons, which are a little unfair. It's important to point out that while Weis ultimately failed at Notre Dame, his offenses certainly didn't in 2005 and 2006. My preference is defensive-minded coaches who delegate play-calling to their coordinators, but there are offense-minded coaches who call their own plays and have success (i.e. Bobby Petrino).

"I said last weekend we were going to put together the best staff for Penn State and I firmly believe we have done that," O'Brien said in a prepared statement. "It was crucial to get an experienced, passionate and enthusiastic staff together quickly so they can hit the ground running. All of these coaches have varied and successful backgrounds coaching in the NFL, college and high school across the country. They have developed extensive relationships with coaches that will be vital in our recruiting efforts. They are excited to meet our current players, get on the road and become part of the Penn State football family."

What are your thoughts on the staff?

Bill O'Brien wasn't lying when he said his coaching staff would be assembled in a hurry.

Penn State's new coach has quickly hired a group of assistants to help him during the transition.

Ted Roof comes aboard as the Nittany Lions defensive coordinator, Roof confirmed to ESPN.com in a text message Monday night. He joins a defensive staff that includes two holdovers from the previous regime, defensive line coach Larry Johnson and linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden.

Roof spent the past two seasons as Auburn's defensive coordinator, although he left last month for the same post at Central Florida. He and O'Brien worked together at Duke from 2005-06, Roof as the Blue Devils' head coach and O'Brien as the team's offensive coordinator. The two also worked together at Georgia Tech from 1998-2001. Although Roof's name is eliciting mixed reactions from Penn State fans, he did a nice job in his last Big Ten stint with Minnesota's defense in 2008.

Penn State's hasn't officially announced any of O'Brien's assistants, but three other coaches reportedly will join the staff. They are: Buffalo Bills wide receivers coach Stan Hixon, former Texas offensive line coach Mac McWhorter and Ball State offensive line coach John Strollo. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports McWhorter will coach offensive line at Penn State and Strollo will coach tight ends.

Tennessee Titans assistant Charles London has confirmed he'll coach running backs at Penn State.

There's also buzz that former Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, who had O'Brien on his staff, could be coming to Penn State as offensive coordinator. Don't bet on this, though, as O'Brien plans to call the offensive plays in Year 1.

So while nothing is official, here's how O'Brien's staff could look in 2012:

Defensive coordinator: Ted Roof
Defensive line: Larry Johnson
Linebackers: Ron Vanderlinden
Running backs: Charles London
Offensive line: Mac McWhorter
Wide receivers: Stan Hixon
Tight ends: John Strollo

O'Brien told ESPN.com on Sunday that at least seven assistants will be in place by Wednesday. He's working quickly as he needs his assistants on the road recruiting while he's fulfilling his responsibilities with the New England Patriots.

Thoughts on the potential staff?

Penn State's wait for a head coach finally ended Saturday as the school introduced Bill O'Brien as its new leader. O'Brien came across well at his news conference, and while I waited for him to get on the phone Sunday, I could hear fans wishing him well at Penn State's basketball game in the background. But there are challenges ahead, namely juggling his new job with his current one (New England Patriots offensive coordinator). He also has to try and salvage a recruiting class and form a staff that will include current Penn State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who will lead the team's recruiting efforts for the time being, as well as Charles London from the Tennessee Titans.

Here's what O'Brien had to say during our conversation.

What has been the reception so far for you at Penn State?

Bill O'Brien: It's been unbelievable. To arrive at this place and to drive onto campus from the airport, you realize what a special place it is. It's been a great experience so far, had a great reception at the women's basketball game [Saturday] and another great one today at the men's game versus Indiana. They've welcomed my family and I with open arms.

How much will you be reaching out to different sectors of the Penn State fan base in the next couple of days? Is there any damage control to be done?

O'Brien: Any time you had a transition where there's been a coach [Joe Paterno] here for 60 years and now you're transitioning into a new coach, there's obviously going to be people who are going to be a little bit skeptical. I'm not naive to that. I've been coaching for 20 years so I understand that. I'm going to do the best I can to reach out to the Penn State community and the Penn State lettermen. I've already started that process with my press conference [Saturday] and different phone calls I've received and players I've spoken to already. Again, I'll reiterate what I said [Saturday]: I want everybody in the Penn State community to just give us a chance to allow us to earn their trust and respect. I promise you that we're going to work very hard to do that every day.

What are the biggest challenges you face at Penn State?

O'Brien: Again, any time you're a new coach and there's a transition, it's getting the staff in place. It's securing the guys that are committed right now and getting guys on the road. We're fortunate that there's a little bit of a dead period here in recruiting, so we've got a couple days to get the staff in place, get them kind of settled in here in State College, and then hit the ground running when recruiting opens back up toward the end of the week. That's probably the biggest immediate challenge, and then from there we've got to evaluate everything that's here, and make decisions as we go along.

Where do things stand with your staff and how much will you lean on them the next few weeks as you have other responsibilities?

O'Brien: I'm going to lean on them a lot. Right now, I really don't want to get into specific things, but we're still in the process of putting the staff in place. You'll see soon enough. By the middle of the week, you'll have a good understanding of who the staff is. It's a very, very strong staff, a mixture of college and NFL experience, a mixture of great recruiting experience, national championships won. It'll be a very, very strong staff.

How would you describe the offensive philosophy you want to bring to Penn State?

O'Brien: It's a game-plan offense. The first thing we've got to do is evaluate our own personnel, see who we have, and then we've got to make sure we're putting our players in the best position to attack the defenses we see. We're not this offense, we're not that offense. We're a diverse offense, and we require our players to learn a lot of different things about defense and offense. We're going to have to have some smart, instinctive players here as we go forward, and I hear that we have some. I'm not going to get into specifics. You'll see what it is when the season starts next year.

You're meeting with the players later today. What are some of the most important things you want to get across to them about you and the direction of the program?

O'Brien: I think the expectations I have for them, especially in the immediate future while I'm not around. I'm going back to the Patriots, so I'm not going to be right here on campus. Those expectations that I have, both off the field and on the field. That's the first thing I want to get across to them. And then there are some different things I really believe in. Anything other than that is going to be kept between myself and my team. They'll know that, too. That's going to be a very private conversation.

And as far as the coaches they'll be reporting to during the next few weeks, is it just Coach Johnson or whoever else you name?

O'Brien: By Wednesday, there will be at the very least seven full-time coaches. You're allowed nine on staff, and seven of those guys will be in place by Wednesday in the building, in addition to a couple guys that are coming on board for different roles. So they'll know who their coaches are very soon here.

You've been a guy who said he has followed Penn State for a long time. What was your reaction to everything that happened back in November?

O'Brien: I'm here now. I'm the head football coach now, and it's my job to put the best football team out on the field and off the field. That's my job. There are very many people here, special people that are in charge of that situation. I wasn't here, I'm here now, so just moving forward, that's all I'm going to say about publicly because again, I wasn't here. I'm just here to lead the football program, from my start date that was [Saturday] moving forward.

How much patience do you have?

O'Brien: Oh, you know, it depends [laughs]. Some people would say I don't have a lot of patience. I don't have a lot of patience with mistakes that are made over and over again. I have patience with the first mistake, but once we learn from that mistake, you can't make the same mistake twice.

Are there guys you're planning to reach out to who were in similar situations, taking over a program? Coach [Charlie] Weis is one that comes to mind. Have you already done that or do you plan to in the future?

O'Brien: There's no question. I don't know Coach Weis, so that specifically would be no because I don't know him, but there's a number of coaches, starting with Coach [Bill] Belichick, who's been very, very good to me during this whole process. There's a lot of guys -- George O'Leary, Ralph Friedgen -- guys who have already reached out to me, and I'm definitely going to be reaching back out to them when I get a chance to and talk to them about different advice that they would have for me going forward.