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In O'Brien's program, the future is now B ill O'Brien's passion for winning isn't revelatory. His approach to achievement, at least at Penn State, might be. The Nittany Lions' second-year head coach, backed by undeniable success in the face of trying circumstances, has decided that his team can and should beat not only the best teams in the Big Ten, but also the elite programs in college football. In the face of the NCAA's crippling sanctions, O'Brien's vision might seem ludicrous, but he is trying to shape perceptions so that they dovetail with his ambitions for the program. O'Brien is a fiery competitor, and he wants and needs the validation that success brings. He's never made a secret of his intentions. In fact, he spelled them out very clearly in August: "Win this day, go to the next day and try to win the next day. " The announcement in early December that quarterbacks coach Charlie Fisher and longtime linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden were resigning from their positions with the Nittany Lions came as a surprise to many. It shouldn't have. Vanderlinden, credited with reviving the program's "Linebacker U" moniker and grooming a number of players for NFL stardom, had seemed destined to either finish his career at Penn State or be lured away by a head coaching opportunity somewhere else. The idea that that the Nittany Lions would willingly part ways with a coach of his reputation would until recently have seemed laughable... were it not for the clear-cut direction O'Brien is taking the program. Regardless of their qualifications, Fisher and Vanderlinden didn't fall in line with O'Brien's chosen direction. In contrast to the final years of Joe Paterno's reign, when the overabundance of coaching input left the offense without any discernable identity, O'Brien is making hard choices on both sides of the ball. He's giving the team a clear direction as it continues to evolve. With the NCAA's sanctions beginning to ease, O'Brien is streamlining the operation to meet a simple yet lofty standard. Decisions are motivated by a straightforward question: "Will ________ help lead to a win against Ohio State, Florida State, Alabama or Oregon?" If it does, it stays. If it doesn't, it goes. From assistant coaches to players, support personnel to potential recruits, O'Brien is attempting to find the combinations that will create the perfect program. The old "Success with Honor" mantra doesn't go far enough anymore as O'Brien looks to build a juggernaut on the field and in the classroom at Penn State. For those accustomed to the stability that Paterno fostered, the new approach has been a shock to the system. Though many guiding principles have been maintained, and in some cases accentuated, the particular strategies necessary for achieving that level of success have changed to match O'Brien's pronounced sense of urgency. O'Brien has made it clear he does not intend to coach as long as Paterno did. Unless he has a dramatic change of heart, his time on the sidelines will be complete long before his 75th birthday, let alone his 85th. Having earned the cache to shape the program as he sees fit, O'Brien is implementing a vision that forgoes the very idea of patience. It may or may not lead PSU to the mountaintop, but his intent is hardly a guessing game at this point. Nearly two full years into his tenure, patience has become a luxury. Notions of job security and prolonged stability are no longer applicable. The Nittany Lions are getting set to chase the loftiest goals in the program's recent history, and they are doing so with a fierce sense of urgency. It may be the most welcome change I yet. www.AmericanAleHouse.net 821 Cricklewood Drive, Toftrees State College Now in 2 Locations

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