Penn State Football: What If Bradley Goes to Pitt?

By Mike Poorman - January 6, 2011

After 36 years at Penn State, Nittany Lion defensive coordinator Tom Bradley may be close to finding a new home – at the University of Pittsburgh as the Panthers’ new head coach.

On Wednesday, Pittsburgh television station WTAE Channel 4 reported that Bradley, 54, was hired as Pitt’s new coach. But both Pitt and a source close to Bradley, the latter as reported by Mark Brennan of FightOnState.com, say there is no deal. Yet.

Bradley did meet on Wednesday with University of Pittsburgh Steve Pederson and he also met with members of Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg’s administration, according to the Associated Press.

And he is slated, according to some reports, also to interview at the University of Connecticut for its vacant head coaching position.

Either way, he’s a strong candidate. Bradley, who has overseen Penn State’s defense since 2000, has a stellar track record with the Nittany Lions, especially since 2004.

Before the 2010 season, when the Penn State defense was beset with injuries and inexperience, Bradley had guided Penn State to six consecutive top 10 finishes nationally in total and scoring defense. From 2004-09, Penn State was one of only two defensive units that ranked among the top five in the nation in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense. Ohio State was the other school in the top five in all categories.

With UConn more of a longshot, what would happen if Bradley left Penn State and became the head coach at Pitt?

PENN STATE ASSISTANTS TO PITT?

There is no indication that if Bradley gets the Pitt head coaching position, he would hire any current Penn State assistants.

But I think the odds are that he would.

If he were to do so, the most likely candidates would be receivers coach Mike McQueary and safeties coach Kermit Buggs, the two youngest coaches on the Lions’ staff, and linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden. Only McQueary is a Penn State graduate.

Vanderlinden is a former head coach at Maryland, where he was fired after four seasons, and also was a successful assistant coach at both Northwestern and Colorado. One former Nittany Lion player told me that Vanderlinden and Bradley have a strong relationship.

While it is possible that Vanderlinden would jump to Pitt as defensive coordinator, it is very doubtful that he would make a lateral move. Thus, if former Florida defensive coordinator Teryl Austin – a former Penn State G.A. and Pitt star, as well as a friend of Bradley’s — were hired to work under Bradley at Pitt, Vandy would probably stay at Penn State.

Vanderlinden still aspires to be a head coach. This off-season, he was mentioned as a candidate for the Ball State position. A coordinator’s position may help him in that quest.

McQueary has developed numerous Penn State receivers, including Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwood and Deon Butler, all of whom have NFL experience, as well as recent standouts Derek Moye, Graham Zug and, in 2010, Brett Brackett.

McQueary, a starting quarterback at Penn State, could conceivably coach the Pitt signal-callers or, a bit more of stretch, serve as offensive coordinator. In addition, he has proven successful in navigating the occasional chaos on the Penn State sidelines. So Big Red would have no problem running the Panthers’ show in that regard.

Buggs worked three years as a Penn State graduate assistant (2003-05) before spending the past four seasons working directly under and in concert with Bradley as safeties coach. Buggs is the most recent hire on the Lions’ coaching staff.

But…and it is a decent-sized but:

Neither McQueary nor Buggs is a lock by any means.

McQueary is a State College native, with very strong family ties to the area, so he may not want to leave. And with Bradley’s departure, Buggs could conceivably seize the opportunity to play a bigger role in coaching the secondary.

PSU’S DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Also coming into play is what Paterno would do with the defensive coordinator’s position at Penn State if Bradley left.

He could give the job to Vanderlinden. He could name defensive line coach Larry Johnson Sr., a 15-year veteran of the PSU staff, as defensive coordinator. Or he could name Vanderlinden and Johnson as co-coordinators. Such a move would might keep the two somewhat happy and forestall at least one staff defection.

All of that is a guess.

It may be just as likely that Bradley’s loyalty to Paterno – unflagging for a third of a century – is such that he would not decimate his boss’s staff for what may be the final season for the 84-year-old Paterno.

After Buggs, the newest member of Penn State’s staff is Galen Hall, the offensive coordinator, who returned to his alma mater in 2004. All of the other coaches have been at Penn State for at least 10 seasons.

It is unlikely, for a variety of reasons – age, family, loyalty to Paterno and the potential for promotion given Bradley’s departure — that full-time Lion assistants like Hall, Dick Anderson, Jay Paterno, Bill Kenney or Johnson will follow Bradley.

THE REPLACEMENTS

If Bradley took two, maybe three, assistants it would be a big blow for Paterno, but hardly a knockout punch.

The departure of McQueary would hurt the most. He coordinates Penn State’s recruiting efforts – much-maligned these days, so maybe the loss is somewhat mitigated – yet does possess a storehouse of knowledge. He and Bradley would be a potent 1-2 recruiting trail punch. No matter how considerable that would eventually be, their efforts would show up on the playing field only after a couple of years.

Paterno would have to move quickly to fill any open positions.

It is likely the pool of candidates who are interested a job on the Penn State staff would be smaller than 10, even five years ago. Paterno is in the final year of his contract with Penn State and I think the odds of the 2011 season being his last are high.

Even though the coaching profession is decidedly peripatetic, a one-year stint, even with a coaching legend, may not be that appealing for a coach who has a family.

Here’s the caveat:

Some assistant coaches would give anything to spend one season (or two, max) with a legend like Paterno. So the pitch may not be as tough as people think. It is literally the chance of a lifetime – or two.

Also, I do think there are plenty of Paterno’s former pupils who are loyal to their former coach and would put their life on hold for a year (or, maybe, two) and come to Happy Valley to help out Joe.

More than 60 former Penn State football players are coaching at the high school, college and pro levels, according to Penn State’s 2010 football media guide. You really need only one or two to say yes.

GANTER, WHITE & JACKSON

Paterno wouldn’t have to look too far for some help.

A return to the coaching field by Fran Ganter would be intriguing.

I interviewed Ganter in the fall and he was incredibly fit, at 61. He is intimately involved with the team as associate athletic director for football administration and professed to me that he deeply misses coaching (but not the meetings and film prep). A former PSU player, he’s coached a variety of positions and is the ultimate loyal Paterno assistant. Ganter is one of the true good guys.

Bob White, who played on the 1982 and 1986 national championship teams, was a full-time assistant for a season under Paterno. He is a Penn State athletics employee, working with the Mount Nittany suites.

And former All-American and NFL veteran Kenny Jackson, who has coached with both Penn State and the Steelers, has business interests in the area and is a fixture with the team. He also does work for the Big Ten Network.

I am not saying Joe is going to hire those guys, but he could. And they give you an idea of what his mindset may be.

Surely, a couple would consider it a privilege to be there for Paterno’s final lap. Hall, the septuagenarian offensive coordinator, is a perfect example of that loyalty. He has said he will “stay as long as Joe will have me.”

PENN STATE-PITT RIVALRY

With schedules set into 2014 and 2015, it’s not likely the movement of Bradley to Pitt would impact the resumption of the Penn State-Pitt series. At least for awhile. Paterno’s retirement would be a much bigger trigger for the series to resume. Besides, it is not likely Tim Curley is going to bump a Kent State for Pitt.

There is a bit of history between the two schools, of course. Penn State and Pitt have met in football a total of 94 times, with Penn State holding a 50-42-2 advantage.

But the last time the in-state rivals met was in 2000, in part many believe because Paterno holds a grudge against Pitt for not helping Paterno and Penn State form an Eastern all-sports conference in the 1980s.

Penn State and Pitt played every year from 1900-1931 and from 1935-1992 – the second streak covering 57 years.

Since then, two schools have met in 1997 (a 34-17 Penn State win), 1998 (20-13, Penn State), 1999 (20-17, Penn State) and 2000 (12-0, Pitt).

Since 1966, Paterno is 23-7-1 against Pitt, winning seven of the last eight contests.

His biggest loss to Pitt, however, would be if Tom Bradley became the Panthers’ next head coach.

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