Before he even pledged his allegiance to Blue and White to help turnaround Penn State’s struggling football program, former cornerback Justin King had a request for then-president Graham Spanier while on an official visit as a high school junior.
Make Tom Bradley head coach if Joe Paterno was not.
King was one of several former players who publicly vouched for Bradley to get the job on a permanent basis, according to a report from Blue White Illustrated.
Brandon Short, an All-America linebacker in 1999, pulled no punches.
‘Tom Bradley is the best possible candidate for the head coaching position at Penn State. Tom has my full support,’ he wrote in a statement to Blue White Illustrated.
‘He’s in a horrible situation, obviously,’ former linebacker Paul Posluszny told the magazine. ‘Everybody knows that he’s in a very, very difficult situation and he’s handled it with class, with respect and he’s done things the right way.
‘What a great example of someone that you want to lead your team and your organization.’
According to the report, former players are not being officially consulted to assist in the search, but many are reaching out to support Bradley, who is expected to interview for the job this week.
Acting athletic director Dave Joyner is heading the six-person committee to find Penn State’s next football coach. Penn State President Rod Erickson said he would like to have a coach in place by the time the Nittany Lions play their Jan. 2 game against Houston in the TicketCity Bowl.
Bradley will reportedly coach the team in the TicketCity Bowl, as will any assistants who don’t leave the program.
