Bill O'Brien Penn State: O'Brien Stepping into Hardest Job in College Football

Bill O'Brien finally gets his wish of a head coaching job granted, and I don't envy him one bit. 

This should be a moment of great celebration for O'Brien who is stepping in as the new head coach of the Penn State Nitany Lions. I have no doubt that he is overjoyed at the opportunity, but the job he is taking over is not what it once was. 

It would be one thing to follow Joe Paterno under normal circumstances. When you stand in the shadow of a legend, it's hard to get noticed. 

O'Brien will have the hard task of separating himself from Paterno and a legacy that was once tied to honor and success. The fact that it no longer has that gravitas is the second, and much bigger issue. 

Penn State is a devastated wasteland. It may mot be fully engulfed in controversial flames as it once was, but it is shattered nonetheless.  

First, we have no idea what kind of recruiter O'Brien will be. Such inexperience would have been received coolly by fans before. Now you need a master recruiter just to get star athletes to listen to a Penn State pitch. 

Students that would have come to the Nittany Lions in years past would have done so because of the legacy or because of JoePa. That's all gone now, and O'Brien has to think of a reason to give high school studs other than the intangibles Penn State once relied on. 

After that, the task is no less than re-building a brand that once stood for honor and pride. You don't claim that with one season of wins. You garner that with decades of sweat and toil. 

Bill O'Brien gets his head coaching opportunity, but it is hardly a dream job. In fact, it is the toughest most grueling piece of work in college football. 

Wish O'Brien every last bit of luck you can, because he is going to need it. 

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