With jobs in college football opening at a scary pace, all remains quiet on the Penn State staff.
Joe Paterno has made clear his intentions to return, but what of his assistants?
Galen Hall and Dick Anderson are both in the 68-year-old range - young by Penn State standards but nonetheless eligible for retirement.
Coming of a pair of Big Ten co-championships in the last four years, you'd think assistants who have head-coaching aspirations would be particularly attractive. To this point, however, none are mentioned in connection with various vacancies.
Tom Bradley may be waiting to see if he's anointed assistant head coach or ultimately Paterno's successor.
Four years ago, Ron Vanderlinden turned down the Eastern Michigan job, one of four now open in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo and Bowling Green, better jobs than EMU, also are looking for head coaches.
Jay Paterno, on an ABC telecast, earlier this season was being pumped by Brent Musberger as worthy of interviews. Ironically, open is the Yale job, a place JoePa flirted with before becoming Penn State's head coach in 1966.
In light of all the national publicity over the lack of Division I-A black coaches, Larry Johnson should draw interest, and what of Bill Kenney, who has done a nice job the last couple of years with PSU's offensive line?
Some ex-Syracuse players have pushed for UConn coach Randy Edsall, the York native and former Orange assistant. If that scenario comes true, the Husky job would be open.
JoePa always likes to keep his staff together, especially at this stage of his career, and thus his assistants are not transient, which clearly limits their networking contacts when coordinator and head-coaching positions become available.
The tradeoff has been job security, and one Penn State's assistants have typically been willing to make.
Random thoughts ...
Some notes accumulated from a week of family, food and football:
n Imagine the pressure on Pac-10 officials working the Oregon-Oregon State game Saturday. The payout for BCS participants is $17.5 million per team, most of which goes to the respective conferences to divide. Had Oregon State won, the Pac-10 would have been assured two BCS teams, including Southern Cal. FYI: Oregon was whistled for 15 penalties to Oregon State's six.
n It's amazing Pitt has won eight games with its quarterbacking.
n I don't think Charlie Weis is the answer at Notre Dame, but if they decide he's not, the Irish better get it right next time.
n The Big 12 and Pac-10 are like Arena League teams.
n Here's the solution to the NFL keeping the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day: Match them vs. the Raiders.
Rudel can be reached at 946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com.
