Penn State Scandal: Nice Showing for Tom Bradley, but PSU Must Still Clean House

Years from now, Penn State interim head coach Tom Bradley will always be the answer to the trivia question of who replaced the legendary Joe Paterno as Nittany Lions head coach.

Given the turmoil of the entire Penn State scandal and what is sure to follow in the upcoming weeks, Bradley and what remained of the Penn State staff have to be commended for their efforts in Saturday's 17-14 loss to Nebraska.

No doubt it was an emotional day, not only for Bradley but for everyone associated with the Penn State program, and keeping those kids focused and ready to compete goes a long way to showing exactly what Bradley could offer any program as a head coach.

Just not Penn State. Not now. Not ever.

Bradley should be a head coach at the collegiate level, but when the Nittany Lions look for their next man to lead the Penn State program, it can't be Bradley or anyone associated with the former Paterno regime.

Penn State still has to clean house, and that means everyone.

In light of the scandal, the university simply can't justify keeping anyone involved, whether directly or indirectly. If they think the program is under scrutiny now, it will get much worse by sticking with an in-house candidate such as Bradley.

The current Penn State sex scandal is unlike anything the world of college sports has seen before and unfortunately, everyone must be held accountable.

There is only one way that Penn State can come out of this and that's to start over.

That means a new coach, a new system, a new everything. They need to separate themselves as far from the Paterno era as quickly as possible. While Paterno will never be forgotten in Happy Valley, that's exactly what Penn State needs to attempt going forward.

While the victims in this scandal will never be forgotten either, the only possible way the Nittany Lions can attempt to go forward is to close the book on Paterno and his entire staff and start a new chapter of a new book that will hopefully one day bring back happier times at Penn State.

As sad as it is for Bradley, he simply just can't be considered for what likely is his dream job.

For Bradley going forward, there will be better days. He will finish out the season as the interim head coach of the Nittany Lions and then hopefully someone will give him a shot as a head coach so he can continue to leave his mark on the game.

He deserves the opportunity.

Just not at Penn State.