P.S. I know U., 2008 - Part 5, The Coaches

This is the final installment for P.S. I know U., 2008. Today I'll look at the coaching staff, which is always a touchy subject with PSU fans. So it should be fun. As usual, this won’t be full of messy stats (even though I do love them, oh so much), but it also won’t be straight opinion. This is just to get everyone in the loop when it comes to the key figures for 2008. Hope you enjoyed P.S. I know U., 2008.

Just like I did with the players, I'll rate the coaches on three levels - Great, Good, Decent. ‘Great’ indicates that the coach will go down as one of the best in PSU and CFB history. ‘Good’ is a guy who PSU cannot do without, and is someone other schools would love to hire. ‘Decent’ are very serviceable coaches who get the job done with the team, but they're not superstars by any means. And before I even get that first nasty comment about Jay Paterno, yes, I put him as decent. He's surely not the best man for the job, but he would have been pushed out if it were all that bad.

Part 5, The Coaches - Head, Defense, Offense, Strength

:: Head Coach ::

Joe Paterno [HC; 43rd Season; 500 Games, 372-125-3] – Living God. Ok, so shoot me for drinking the Paterno Kool-Aid. I really don't care how many people want him to leave, he's done more for Penn State than most want to know. And although I've had harsh words about him in the past, I don't believe he should be fired before he wants to go (I just wish he'd figure out when that will be). Bringing PSU back from the lower depths of mediocrity, look for another double-digit win this season. 2007: 9-4 (4-4), Alamo Bowl win over Texas A&M; Trails Bobby Bowden by 1 in the all-time "major college" wins record.

:: Defense :: Tom Bradley, Kermitt Buggs, Larry Johnson Sr., Ron Vanderlinden

Tom Bradley [In Charge of Defense/Cornerbacks; 30th Season, 9th as DC; 337.8 ypg/20.2 ppg] - Great. I really would be shocked if PSU didn't name Bradley the HC when Joe Paterno retires. I'm not one for nepotism (we've all seen how great that worked out with Jay), but it wouldn't seem right if Bradley didn't get the job. His defenses have nearly carried this team the past few years. And quite honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't left for a HC elsewhere. Could that be an indication that he knows something we don't? Maybe, but for now, let's hope he does as good a job this year has he's done the past 30. 2007: 17.5 ypg/93.8 rush/214.5 pass; 1 shutout (Temple 31-0).

Ron Vanderlinden [Linebackers; 8th Season] - Great. Until you read about Vanderlinden, you don't get a good understanding for how good he really is. He's coaches defensive units at Colorado (1990 Nat'l Champs), Northwestern (1996 Big Ten Champs), and was head coach at Maryland prior to PSU. He also coached up the only two two-time Bednarik winners, Paul Posluszny and Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern 1995 and '96, now head coach there). PSU can't pay this guy enough for what he's done in Happy Valley. Vanderlinden is the unsung hero of this coaching staff, and one of the most consistent position coaches in PSU history. 2007: LBs Connor and Lee named All-Big Ten; Connor named All-America, Bednarik winner, and 2nd Round NFL pick.

Larry Johnson Sr. [Defensive Line; 13th Season, 8th at DL] - Great. I challenge anyone to name a better defensive line coach in college football today. PSU has finished with the No. 7 rush defense the last two seasons, and was No. 2 overall nationally in sacks last year. He's coached up FIVE All-American defensive linemen, including four first-round draft picks, and the No. 1 overall pick in 2000 (Courtney Brown). Prior to taking over the defensive line spot, Johnson was soley in charge of the defensive ends (1996-99). He's a prime candidate to take over at DC, should Bradley get the nod at HC. Johnson also directs the punting unit, which has made enormous strides the past few seasons, including Ray Guy finalist Jeremy Kapinos, and All-Big Ten selection Jeremy Boone. 2007: 98.3 rush per game; DE Maurice Evans named All-America; P Boone named All-Big Ten.

Kermit Buggs [Safeties; 1st Season] - Decent. The loss of Brian Norwood to Baylor (hired as DC), left a gaping hole in the PSU defensive staff. Buggs had been PSU's player personnel coordinator since 2003, but not much more is known about his coaching abilities. He knows how PSU operates, and with the stable of good stafeties to work with this year, Buggs should be just fine. The true test will be if he can get Anthony Scirrotto back to his 2006 form. If he gets at least 1st Team All-Big Ten this year, we'll know Buggs is a keeper. 2007: Not on Coaching Staff.

:: Offense :: Galen Hall, Jay Paterno, Dick Anderson, Bill Kenney, Mike McQueary

Galen Hall [In Charge of Offense/Running Backs; 5th Season; 370.5 ypg/26.1 ppg] - Great. I'm not overrating him by saying he's great. The move back to a traditional offense led by QB Anthony Morelli really hampered the production under Hall, as he's more comfortable with the spread offense he ran at the tail-end of 2004 and during the championship season in '05. This year, I fully expect PSU to average more than 35 points per game with the spread offense and two mobile QBs. Hall's resume is long and distinguished, but you wouldn't know that, since PSU keeps him generally away from the press. He was OC at Oklahoma from '66-'83, and then HC at Florida from '84-'89 (40-18-1), where he won Coach of the Year in '84. As an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys, he developed Emmitt Smith into a Hall of Fame back, and since arriving at Penn State, has produced a 1000-yard back the past three seasons. He was starting QB for PSU from 1960-61. 2007: 30.3 ppg/193.8 rush/206.3 pass; 53-59 in Red Zone.

Jay Paterno [Quarterbacks; 14th Season, 9th at QB] - Decent. I'm not sure I want to delve to deeply into Jay Paterno. But for years, PSU fans have been clamoring for his removal. One NFL scout said of QB Anthony Morelli, he was "severely undercoached." That should really say it all, as Morelli just never made the progress we were all hoping for at PSU. Jay will probably have a better year this time around, as both Pat Devlin and Daryll Clark can make things happen with their feet, unlike Morelli. Jay's vision of the "Spread HD" seems to have become a punchline all spring and summer. We can only wait and see what that will be like. I'm not trying to get on his case today, but he was also recruiting coordinator from 1996-99. His later classes were the reason PSU suffered it's first two consecutive losing seasons in 2000 and 2001. Just thought I'd mention that. 2007: QB Morelli became the first PSU player to throw 2000 yards in two consecutive seasons.

Dick Anderson [Guards/Centers; 31st Season, 9th at G/C] - Great. Anderson has been around PSU since Joe Paterno, and played for Rip Engle at end (both ways). He's coached almost every offensive position at PSU, and was head coach at Rutgers, where he beat PSU in 1988. Something I didn't know until now, Anderson was the QB coach at PSU from 1993-1999. Does the name Kerry Collins ring a bell? Yeah, I'll let you think about that for a while. Anderson reminds me a lot of Ron Vanderlinden, in that he's unappreciated by most modern PSU fans. By the end of this season, however, everyone will know his name again, as it should be the best offensive line at PSU since 1994. 2007: C AQ Shipley and G Rich Ohrnberger named All-Big Ten; 193.8 rush ypg and only 20 sacks.

Bill Kenney [Tackles/Tight Ends; 21st Season] - Great. Kenney has been the OT/TE coach at PSU forever, and has produced some of the best players at those positions, including Levi Brown, Kareem McKenzie, Jeff Hartings and Kyle Brady. He was also recruiting coordinator in 1992. This will be the first time the OL comes back fully intact, and with two full seasons of experience together, Kenney's coaching abilities will shine. 2007: 193.8 rush ypg and only 20 sacks.

Mike McQueary [Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator; 5th Season] - Good. Most PSU fans only remember McQueary as the starting QB in 1997. Now, he's known for constant beratement from Joe Paterno on the sidelines. But that's not a bad thing. McQueary has grown into the position, and has emerged as one of the hardest working coaches on staff. He's developed three of the best WRs in PSU history, and two of them were barely known upon arrival at PSU. His coaching efforts with these guys should finally pay off this year, as the offense should give them more opportunities to produce like they did in 2005. McQueary is also the recruiting coordinator, one of the best moves by Paterno in recent memory. 2007: WRs Butler, Williams and Norwood each had 40+ catches totalling 1646 yds; all three are in the top-10 all-time receiving charts at PSU.

:: Strength and Conditioning ::

John Thomas [Strength and Conditioning; 17th Season] - Great. Don't blame Thomas for PSU losing games in the fourth quarter, as it was lack of depth, not conditioning, which led to a few of those losses last season. Thomas came to PSU from the US Military Academy in 1991, and has since been named National Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year (1997) and Master of Strength and Conditioning Coach (2002). Thomas' pre-bowl workouts have been key to PSU's 3-0 post season record the last three years.

P.S. I know U., 2008:
Part 1, Offense
Part 2, Offense (cont’d)
Part, 3 Defense
Part, 4 Defense/Special Teams