Blue White Illustrated

! " | ill O'Brien makes no secret of the challenges that his personality can present to his players and staff. A perfectionist in every sense of the word, he can be moody, cantankerous and difficult to please in just about every aspect of his professional life. So far, however, his methods have gotten results. Named the Paul "Bear" Bryant College Coach of the Year following an 8-4 debut season, O'Brien helped lift a scandal-plagued program out of the ashes and turned it into one of the feel-good stories in college football last year. For that feat alone, he would merit recognition as Blue White Illustrated's Coach of the Year. But there's a lot more to the story of his first year at Penn State. For example, his first complete recruiting class was highlighted by the country's top pro-style quarterback, as rated by Rivals.com, and that class will arrive in Happy Valley shortly. From the Lasch Building to Old Main and across College Avenue, O'Brien is hoping to carve his own niche at Penn State. Of course, the very nature of O'Brien's short but tumultuous tenure at Penn State leaves little doubt that, in his mind, the climb toward success has only just begun. "We were 8-4, so we don't have the market cornered on anything," he said during a Coaches Caravan stop in April. "We're just trying to get better and get through this time on solid footing." O'Brien is always looking for ways to innovate. He firmly believes that improvements can be made in every facet of life. He also believes in the need for constant self-evaluation, whether through intense film study, daily meetings or personal reflection. He insists that all those who play or coach football at Penn State buy into the team's concept. Those who don't buy in ultimately find themselves as nonfactors. While those under his watch are constantly challenged by his desire for improvement, O'Brien holds himself to the same high standard. He has spent time reviewing his own performance

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