Bill O'Brien won't commit to Penn State return in 2013

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Bill O'Brien has been the antidote to all that ails Penn Staters these days. Everything about him has been smart. The way he's handled the clean-up of an unprecedented crisis. The way he's coached a limited team. The way he's decided on dealing with the things he can and discarding the rest. And being the measured, sensible but emphatic voice of the program, neither denying its burden nor shrinking from it.

Had I tried to imagine the optimum man for this job 11 months ago, I never would have even conceived someone as good as O'Brien. Better than perfect. That's how he's bee

That's why I had to ask him in a clear yes/no manner whether he would be the Penn State coach next season. I won't ask again. But I wanted to do so once myself in a way that made crystalline the essence of his response. If he was going to waffle, it would be all his doing.

Me: “I think a lot of fans want to know the answer to this question and that's why I'm asking it. Are you going to be back here next season?”

O'B: “You guys gave legs last week to a story that... there's no story there. Y'know, I'm focused on one game at a time. I'm focused on this football team. That's not something that I even think about. I think about that I'm the head football coach at Penn State. And I'm looking forward to getting this team ready for Wisconsin. I mean, we give legs to a story that's not even there.”

Me: “It's a yes or no question.”

O'B: “It might be for you. For me, it's Wisconsin. And this football team and this senior class. That's where I think the questions should be directed: Indiana. The senior class. Getting ready for Wisconsin.”

Me: “Well, that's gonna sound to the fans like you're noncommittal.”

O'B: “I'm the head football coach at Penn State. I love coaching here. And I can't get back to work on Monday and get ready for Wisconsin.”

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