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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 15, 2011

Tom Bradley

Q. Tom, after such an emotional week and game, are you concerned that the players will have something left in the tank this week?
COACH BRADLEY: I hope so. We had a good practice yesterday. It was short. And today is our Tuesday practice and it will be a padded practice. It will be very energetic and enthusiastic. And I'll back off Wednesday and Thursday because of the concerns I have with their legs; it's been a long season.
I'll take the pads off of them Wednesday and Thursday and just get them fresh for Saturday.

Q. Tom, what was your reaction yesterday to the Big Ten removing Coach Paterno's name from the league's championship trophy?
COACH BRADLEY: I just think it's another part of a tragedy that's occurring.

Q. Has the coaching staff caught up with all the changes that you have made last week?
COACH BRADLEY: I should go over those changes right now. For this week's game, last week I still was involved with the defense, calling the defensive -- most of the calls during the game.
But this week Coach (Larry) Johnson and Coach (Ron) Vanderlinden will make the calls on defense. And I've elevated Elijah Robinson. I told you before, Elijah will become one of our full-time coaches. And Bill Kavanaugh will move up, and Bill will be our wide receiver coach from here on out.

Q. Now that the players have last week's emotions and how tough that was, all that behind them, do you get any kind of sense, can you maybe explain how you think they'll react now this week to everything? Do you get a sense of that at all already?
COACH BRADLEY: Well, they were great yesterday at practice. We talked briefly before practice about the game and where we were headed.
I think a lot of times, with everything that swirls around them, they enjoy coming to practice because it's the one time they can just kind of be with themselves.
No one's asking them questions; they're there to play football. And they know they have a job to do this week. We're still in the hunt for this Big Ten Championship. And they know where we're headed, going out to The Horseshoe; they know it's going to be a tough football game.

Q. Are you concerned for your players and coaches as representatives of Penn State going into another city following all the troubling news of last week?
COACH BRADLEY: No, not at all. We've been contacted by Ohio State. Luke Fickell called me the other day. We've been assured there will be no problems.

Q. Are you concerned at all -- you talked a little bit about confusion and sort of communication issues early in the game last week with the offense. Are you concerned that in giving up calling the defensive signals, you create that possibility on the defensive side?
COACH BRADLEY: Well, that's a good question. With a week to work on it, we should be okay. I'm always there if we have to go back to doing some things the old way. But I just don't have my hands on it this week at all, very little. I've watched film and tape. I'll have the game plan in my hand. I'll know obviously what we're calling. And I can interject if I want to and I can get back in that at any time.
The confusion on offense was one that, when we lost Mike (McQueary) for the game and the way we operate with Coach Paterno upstairs and Mike downstairs, we have a system. And when you change your system -- we didn't have a chance to prep the system a whole lot the way we were going to send in plays, personnel groupings with our wide receivers, was really where there was -- not confusion, but we weren't as precise as we had to be.
We've addressed those issues. We've had a chance now to talk about how we're going to do things a little bit differently. A lot of it was just some terminology that was going on. And the first time you do anything, usually before the season we work on this up here and we practice it, but we didn't have a chance to do that....we'll be better at that this week.

Q. Have you gotten a chance to reach out to the players on offense, and how much have you worked with them this week, as you move forward?
COACH BRADLEY: That was one of the reasons I didn't want them to think I was always on defense. Yesterday I got a pretty good overview of our offense, how we do things.
I haven't been on offense since....I guess it was '83 when I coached wide receivers. I wanted to familiarize myself with what we were doing. It was more for the players' benefit.
I wanted to get around the players. I wanted the offensive players to get to know me. I was going to try to figure out some of their personalities, so they could come to me, talk to me. I don't really have the same relationship that I have with the guys on defense.
So that was one of my concerns. How much I interject on offense, to be honest with you, I've got to really study it a lot more than I've done right now.
I basically wanted to go over there and just get a feel. And now today I'll go back and forth from the offense to the defense and also with the special teams, because I will work with Anthony Fera.
Mike used to work with our kickers. I used to coach special teams for 15 years. So I'll go back and spend some time with Anthony and field goals and do some of those things again. I'll be all over the place trying to help wherever I can.
If that means coaching the defensive scout team, that's what I'll do. I just want to win the game. I'll do whatever it takes.

Q. Given the upheaval-type circumstances that led to your becoming interim coach, do you have a greater appreciation sort of for like what Luke Fickell has had to deal with this season at Ohio State coming in as he did after Jim Tressel?
COACH BRADLEY: When Luke called yesterday, he asked how I was doing. I just started -- I kind of chuckled. He knew what I meant because he had the same thing.
And I know Luke. He's a heck of a good person. He's a friend of mine. I've recruited against Luke. We've been on the road together. And he was laughing. He said, "At least I got my start in May."
So but we did talk about a couple of things we wanted to do for the game.

Q. Could you address it, it's kind of weird, a Penn State/Ohio State game, both interim coaches, both scandals plaguing the programs this year. What kind of atmosphere do you think there's going to be for this game?
COACH BRADLEY: It's still Ohio State-Penn State. One of the things I want to emphasize right now; this is all about the players, it's about our team, their team. It's still football, great atmosphere, college football, playing at the Horseshoe. Doesn't get any better than that.
It's going to be an exciting game. We're both fighting for the title. There's a lot on the line. And it will be a very spirited match regardless of what's going on outside.

Q. Following up on that, given these programs and the traditions and what happened at Miami, if scandals like these can occur at Penn State and Ohio State and Miami, do you have any concern that the image and reputation of college football have been really tarnished through all of these?
COACH BRADLEY: I really don't think so. I think that that's not for me to judge. That's for the other people to do that. But, I don't think so. It's a great game. It's a great sport.

Q. A lot was made about the moment, both teams came together mid-field on Saturday. Is that something that's been discussed? Will that continue with you guys the rest of the year? Was that just for the Nebraska game?
COACH BRADLEY: Coach Fickell asked me if there would be something that we would talk about we would do before the game. And we will do something before the game, before we flip....toss the coin.

Q. Also, have you addressed with the squad the possibility of taking a bowl game, you guys are bowl-eligible at this point. Is that something that you would accept if it came your way?
COACH BRADLEY: Yes. I want to make it -- the players and the guys on this team didn't have anything to do with any of this that's surrounding them. I did address that, because there was rumors flowing around that if we make it we won't be able to go to a bowl game.
I told them that was untrue. Basically a lot of questions have come up that I've tried to answer with them, being very transparent about what I know, what I hear.
I'll ask the captains: Are there some questions you want me to get answers from our administration, which I do, I call them up. I relay the message to the team. I try to keep them all in the loop and make sure we're all on the same page.

Q. You said on Saturday that you hadn't talked to, gone and seen Joe yet, just because he told you to focus on the team. Have you gone and seen him since, or do you have any sense of how he's doing?
COACH BRADLEY: No, I have not.

Q. And obviously the world is talking about the NBC interview last night with Jerry Sandusky. Have you seen it, and do you have any reaction to it?
COACH BRADLEY: No, I did not. I was working on Ohio State last night. I had other things to do.

Q. Just a follow-up about the bowl game. Has there been any discussion at all, or have you been aware of any discussion about next season, possibly not even playing next season?
COACH BRADLEY: No, that's never come up. I've been assured by Dr. Erickson; I've talked to Dr. Erickson and he's talked to Commissioner Delany, they've had some dialogue back and forth. And we've been assured that that's not the case for the bowl game. I've never heard that rumor about next season.

Q. Just another one, with Mike on administrative leave, how are you guys handling recruiting with regard to -- do you have a recruiting coordinator that's kind of stepped in for him?
COACH BRADLEY: Bill Kavanaugh will head up our recruiting effort, and Bill, obviously with the signing period, not the signing, but the recruiting period coming up, depending where we are and whether we're playing in the (Big Ten) championship game or not, we have a plan to go out and recruit.

Q. Have you gotten a lot of talk from the verbals that there's still --
COACH BRADLEY: What we did, we had a conference (last Thursday) and we gave them the number to call in for any questions so that they were hearing the exact same thing. Our coaches had called. There's a one-call-a-week rule, and we felt that we wanted to make sure they were hearing one voice, that it came out the same way.
What we did was we set up a conference, teleconference number, they could call in and ask questions so that they were hearing it from Mark Sherburne, our Acting Athletic Director, and myself and everybody on the staff, if there was any questions, we answered those questions as a group, so they were sure that everybody was being told the same thing.

Q. What's Silas Redd's status for Saturday? And do you expect Stephfon Green to see some first team time this week?
COACH BRADLEY: Silas came to practice yesterday. He did not run any plays. He's banged up. Silas will not be hit this week, but I'm expecting him to be able to play in the game on Saturday.

Q. In spite of all that's gone on, you still control your own destiny in terms of the championship for the Big Ten. How much have you emphasized that point this week?
COACH BRADLEY: Started the meeting with it yesterday: We still control our own destiny, and we can still win this thing. And I told them what's at stake. And they understand that. They're well aware. We know we have a tough task ahead of us going to Ohio State.

Q. You had said you hadn't met with (Joe) Paterno. Have any of the players met with Paterno? And what is the mood among the players?
COACH BRADLEY: I can't tell if any of the players have met with Coach Paterno or not. I wouldn't know that. You'll have to ask them if they have.
The mood of the players is very upbeat. They've been great. The players have been great at practice. They've been great with what they did. They've been great with the way they handled themselves throughout this whole thing. They've been at practice. I couldn't ask for anything more from a group of young men.
I told them on Saturday before the game I was awful proud of the way they handled themselves. I was proud to be their coach. And I was proud of everything they did. They fought hard on Saturday. But, I let them know there's no moral victories. I let them know the way they kept fighting is the way we're going to keep doing it.

Q. Given the circumstances, is there an importance to getting away this week and getting on the road with all these guys just out of the environment?
COACH BRADLEY: One of the things when you go on the road you do form a bond with your players, because it's the you-against-the-word attitude out there. There's only 70 players that make the trip. You spend some time together. It's a good chance for them.
And I think it will give me a good chance. I'm try to get around, like today I went down to the weight room, talked to some guys. I'm trying to get around, make sure I'm not missing anything.
I met with the freshmen last night in study hall at 7:30 to make sure we emphasize -- a lot of times you tend to forget about the redshirt players that aren't involved. I can't let the academics slip through the cracks. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.
They had questions about the off week. Next week we're off (from classes). And some guys had some question why I had mandatory a 10-to-12 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) study hall. So I explained that to them.
And I just wanted to hear their questions, because often their voices are not heard. They're the young freshmen on the team, some not playing, not involved, and they have questions and concerns that they wanted answered. And I met with them last night.

Q. You mentioned that you hadn't seen Joe Paterno yet. Can you talk about why you haven't seen him, and whether you do plan to see him in the very near future?
COACH BRADLEY: I do plan to see Coach. As I said last week, in the meeting, Coach and I had a brief discussion. I called him up the next day. I knew what he was going to say. I'll just repeat it.
I knew the minute I asked the question: Coach, can I talk you? "You have enough things to do." I could have put the down. I knew the answer whether it was: "Why are you coming over here, wasting your time?" I know the answer.
If I call him today, he's going to ask why am I calling him. "What are you calling me for? You've got things to do." He's been through this. He understands all the things that have to be done with a big game coming up, and these players are excited for the game and the responsibility that we have, not only to Penn State but to the player, to the parents.
All the things we've promised academically what we're going to do, to their high school coaches, to everybody that's involved with that kid.
We made a commitment, and we're going to follow through on that commitment. And as I told the players, the slogan around here is: The expectations are the expectations.
They have not changed. And I'm going to make sure they understand that and understand the ramifications of what, the way we're headed here and how we're going to do things. And I made it perfectly clear that if you step out of line, I'm coming down quick and fast and hard.
So they all know the stance of what we're doing and as far as Coach, you know, I've been with Coach a long time. I know exactly what he's going to say and what he's going to do. And I'm sure there will be a time at some point that I'll want to sit down with coach and talk, but right now he knows we have a bigger task at hand.

Q. How unsettling is it to you and to your players that Mike McQueary is no longer on the coaching staff, he's away from the team, and he really hasn't had a chance to address why he's away from the team?
COACH BRADLEY: Well, one of the things that I do -- and they'll probably tell you this -- anything I hear I communicate with them. I try to be as up front as possible with any information.
I address the point -- I got a call last week. I think Jeff you called me, was Mike in protective custody or something. I said no, I know where he is. We squelched that rumor.
Anything that comes up, there's certain things I can't answer because of legalities or things of that nature. But I do want to keep them informed.
I talk to them all the time about their Twitter accounts, Facebook accounts. "Guys, understand people are monitoring your accounts. So let's make sure that you -- that we keep this whole thing, what you say and what people get from your stuff, that we keep it up front." I like tell some of them if it's okay for your mother to read, then it's okay to put on there. But if you don't think you want your mother to read it, don't put it on there. But I think everybody understands the situation.

Q. Is it your understanding that Mike McQueary's days as a coach here are over?
COACH BRADLEY: I can't answer that question due to what's going on with the university, any on-going investigation and things. I know the players understand that Mike -- the situation as best I could describe it to the team. They understand I've asked them for their patience as we try to work this out and make some changes.
It's a lot of, when you change coaches, there's personalities, bring in guys that are uncomfortable. I'm trying to keep things -- everything as close to normal as I can for them.

Q. The Shoe hasn't been a real hospitable place for you guys. Can you talk about the challenges of playing there and the challenges that this Ohio State team represents for you guys, what you see --
COACH BRADLEY: The Shoe hasn't been a great place for us. We've only won there, what, in '78, I believe, and in 2008 when we went out there (and won).
It's been a tough place for us. We haven't played our best games out there. But you know every year is different. It's a new team. I don't worry about the past. I'm only worried about the present right now.

Q. It's been six days since this scandal, since Joe got fired. How has it affected your team? How have you been able to -- they have to be hearing everything that's going on. How much of a distraction has that been for your team?
COACH BRADLEY: I'm sure it's a distraction. The one thing I've tried to do is communication. I'm getting around to everybody I possibly can. I'm spending time with them. I'm trying to talk to our captains. We've got great leadership on this team.
I'm just trying to communicate with them. And there's questions they have. If anybody has a question, hey, they know where my office is. They know my cell phone number. They know how to get ahold of me.
I just want to make sure I'm keeping everybody on the same page. And if I don't know the answer I'm going to say, "I don't know the answer. I will find out." And I think the one thing I always try to do with my players is I try to tell them the truth. They may not want to hear the truth, but that's what I try to do with them.

Q. Have you heard any reservations from your assistant coaches about using the assistant coaches locker room shower?
COACH BRADLEY: I've never heard that come up ever.

Q. The players aren't available for comment this week. Are you just trying to get them away from the crush of media and whatnot?
COACH BRADLEY: The purpose of that was probably a two-fold deal. We're getting into, with all the different questions, a lot of them aren't sure how to answer the questions, are getting badgered with questions. They'll answer any Ohio State questions you have. If you see our players, you want to talk about Ohio State, they'll answer the questions. They're not sure how to answer some of the other questions. They're not -- they don't know a whole lot about it.

Q. With Mike's e-mails and Jerry talking last night, does it bother you that Coach Paterno hasn't gotten to give his side of the story yet?
COACH BRADLEY: Whether it's fair or not is not for me to decide. I did not see Mike's e-mail. I don't have a copy of it. I want to be honest with everybody here. This group, this staff has been focused on Ohio State. It was well after midnight before most of the guys got out of there last night. And they know it's a big game and they're doing everything they can to help the players.
Like I said, that's up to Coach Paterno. That's not my decision.

Q. You mentioned you guys would accept a bowl bid. How concerned are you that bowls may not want Penn State; and what would you tell those bowls about perhaps what Penn State could offer if they would invite you?
COACH BRADLEY: Once again, that's not my decision. That's the administration's decision. So whatever they decide, that's what we'll do.

Q. I understand that you tried to get Mike McQueary on the phone during either before or during, after Saturday's game, and there was some interference with the telephone here in the stadium. What was the purpose of that call? What did you want to accomplish with that?
COACH BRADLEY: Only to call to ask him if he's okay. And I had the same concerns about Jay, I asked Jay too, I said, "Jay, are you all right? Are you okay with what we're doing?" It was a tough day for him, too. I think to be fair to everybody I owe them a call and I owe them to make sure they're safe and to make sure that -- it was a very emotional day for Jay and I wanted to make sure he was good, too.

Q. For the first time this season Matt is listed as the outright starter with no OR. Is that what you plan on --
COACH BRADLEY: It's my decision.

Q. Do you plan on doing that for the rest of the season, then?
COACH BRADLEY: It depends game to game. Right now Matt's the starter.

Q. How do you compare where Braxton Miller is as a freshman to where Terrelle Pryor was as a freshman, what's it going to be like to game plan for him?
COACH BRADLEY: I actually got a text message from Terrelle. Braxton is an excellent quarterback. He does a lot of different things, a lot like Terrelle. He's awful good in open field and space. He's quick. He's an excellent football player.
He's really, as you watch him from game to game he's gotten better each and every game. He's obviously got an outstanding future ahead of him.
That offensive football team they have is pretty good. The names -- Shugarts and Brewster and Adams and Posey is back this week. And it's Brown. We know the names. It's a heck of a football team. That offensive line of theirs has been around for a long time. Big-time group. And so we'll have our hands full. Miller just adds to it because he adds another dimension with his great athleticism.

Q. Would you be able to share what Terrelle's message may have been? Did he offer you support? Did you offer him support with everything that they went through?
COACH BRADLEY: Terrelle and I have texted back and forth periodically a couple of times. He just offered me his support. I don't know if that meant support at The Shoe, but up until then I had his support.

Q. What will be your role on offense? Will you call some plays? Will you decide on when --
COACH BRADLEY: No, I'm just going to be there to help. And I've talked to them about that. If there's anything I can help, there's certain things you want me to watch, certain things you want me to help you guys in any way because I'm freed up on what I did on defense, what I did between series there. I'm just there to help and see anything I can do to help the team win, I'll do it.

Q. Have you gotten any feedback from the AD or anyone about your future or anyone on the assistant coaching staff past this season, have you heard anything at all?
COACH BRADLEY: I have not heard anything at all.

Q. Have you asked?
COACH BRADLEY: I haven't asked. They basically asked me to do a job and that's what I plan on doing. I told my players: Players play and coaches coach and administrators administrate. And that's their decision.

Q. I know you were planning on having a call with all the current players, their parents. What was that call like and what are some of the concerns you're hearing from them?
COACH BRADLEY: Basically we wanted to make sure that we were -- it actually turned out to be a very positive experience. It wasn't like it was a witch-hunt where they were asking why we were playing different people.
They had some questions regarding a lot of different things. I'm actually thinking about instituting maybe once every two weeks we have those, whether it be an academic information (session) for the parents, when we go to a bowl game, what we expect from the players....
There's a whole bunch of different areas that we can communicate better with our parents, be more transparent. So they understand -- I want them to be on the same page, want them all to hear the same thing. We give them an opportunity, we give them a number to call in, they can call in and field their questions, and they've been good questions about all different things. And I just want to make sure that we continue on that path.

Q. You said that you didn't watch the NBC interview last night with Jerry Sandusky. How would you characterize your relationship with Jerry Sandusky and how would you describe him as a person?
COACH BRADLEY: I'm not going to go there. I was watching Ohio State, and I've got more important things right now.

Q. I was just wondering if you were able to share what the team's planning on doing before the game?
COACH BRADLEY: You know, last week when they decided to do, I left it up to them. As you know, I did not come out with the team. I won't come out with the team again this weekend. I told them what I expect them to do, and they've been very good about it.
I thought -- I knew what they would do would be very classy. I'm not quite sure what they will do when they come out this week. But I'm okay with them doing it as long as it's in good taste. And, you know, they came out for unity, they came out for the victims, they came out for Penn State. They came out as a group. They came out together. They signified what they were all about.

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