Jerry Sandusky Sex Scandal: Penn State's Road to Recovery Hinges on Next Coach

Getting back to football is the only way to distract Penn State University from its current drama.

Today they're on the field against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and have two more regular season games remaining with a possible Big Ten Championship game and bowl game waiting as well.

This season, as unfair as it sounds, has been placed in the backseat to some degree.

The firing of former head coach Joe Paterno was a necessary evil from the university and now they've placed the interim tag on Tom Bradley.

But Bradley, and everyone else involved, won't hesitate to tell you that he's not going to be the full-time replacement in Happy Valley.

They need somebody else, somebody not currently involved with the program in any way, shape or form.

Regardless of whom it is, the decision is the first in a long, long road to recovery for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State doesn't have the luxury of waiting around either.

When the season finishes, or possibly even before, this program needs to find a coach capable of salvaging the recruiting base, energizing the fanbase and taking this program in a new direction.

For the last 46 years things have been done a certain way in Happy Valley, and legitimately replacing Joe Paterno is impossible.

The next coach at Penn State shouldn't be considered a "replacement." Penn State shouldn't be replacing anything; they need to be starting over.

Everything from what is now being considered the former regime will be eradicated.

The next coach needs be someone who is not only capable of handling a major program, but someone who can handle the darkness of adversity.

Penn State is starting to heal with every quarter of football played, but they won't start to recover until they have a new coach to rally behind.