College Football Coaches 2011: 3 Potential Replacements for Penn State's Joe Pa

Joe Paterno is a college football icon. He is Penn State football and will always be considered one of the best coaches to ever grace the field. Paterno is a class act and is irreplaceable in the hearts of many of the Penn State faithful.

However, that is exactly what Penn State will have to do soon. Paterno is now over 80 years old and will have to step down eventually.

Replacing a Legend

Replacing a legend is never easy. Paterno has plenty of supporters, but with his increasing age, he also has plenty of critics that believe his time is up as the head man at Penn State.

This would not be the first time a legendary coaching icon has come under fire, and the transition to a new coach is always a difficult procedure.

Here is a look at three coaches that could replace Paterno when the coach decides to step down.

Tom Bradley

If there is a guy that deserves the Penn State job, it has to be Tom Bradley. The current defensive coordinator at Penn State, Bradley has been Paterno’s right-hand man for years.

Bradley is the coach that takes over when Paterno is not able to get on the sidelines and should get the first look when it’s time to search for a replacement. Joe Pa wants the team to hire from within, and Bradley is the most logical choice.

Greg Schiano

The 2006 Big East Coach of the Year is another potential candidate for the Penn State job. Schiano managed to turn around a bowl-starved Rutgers football program, and now they regularly get an invite.

The Big East football conference is now in a state of shock, and Schiano could easily decide to leave for the more stable Big Ten.

Urban Meyer

Every coaching search at a big school in the next few years will at some point include the name Urban Meyer. Meyer is a friend of Paterno and has the utmost respect for Penn State football.

Meyer left the Florida Gators for health reasons and can now be found on ESPN breaking own college football. It is highly unlikely that Penn State will break the bank for Meyers, or if he will even accept the job if offered, but Meyer could be one of the only coaches who could come close to filling Joe Pa’s shoes.

Has the Time Come?

Joe Paterno seems like he could coach until he is 100 years old, if not longer. So when is the right time?

That is a difficult question to answer, but the program is not headed in a positive direction, and the longer the program keeps slipping, the louder the chants “Joe Must Go” will become.

I only hope that when the time does come, the school handles it with the class and dignity that Paterno has brought to the football program at Penn State.

James Brown is a B/R Featured Columnist. Feel free to contact James at [e-mail]