Bradley to Temple? Get a Clue.

I'm sick and tired of hearing of hearing the "Tom Bradley to Temple" rumors that have begun to swirl since Bobby Wallace was fired by Temple earlier this week. Temple is about the worst place anyone can coach, let alone start off their career as a head coach. Pete Carroll wouldn't win there. Joe Paterno wouldn't win there. Bear Bryant wouldn't win there. It is asking to end your head coaching career early on. Temple football is the most pathetic 1-A football program in the country bar none. The team hasn't been to a bowl game since the 1970's, hasn't had a winning season since the early '90's, got voted out of the Big East and plays in a near-empty rented stadium. That's not even mentioning the brutal schedule the Owls have this season. While things will get easier as Temple prepares to enter the MAC, this program is an absolute trainwreck. I can't imagine Tom Bradley, the unofficial successor to Joe Paterno, leaving Penn State to risk losing that status. Not even PSU AD Tim Curley and president Graham Spanier would be stupid enough to allow Bradley back if he went to Temple and unsurprising failed miserably, just as another ex-Penn State assistant did- Ron Dickerson. While people have been predicting Joe Paterno's retirement since the mid-'80's, you have to believe that good ol' JoePa going to call it a career within the next couple of seasons. Fran Ganter and Jerry Sandusky were both regarded as successors to JoePa at some point in their careers, passing up Temple-like and better head coaching opportunities, and Joe has outlasted both of them. Bradley was there during those days, he is well versed in what went on. If he didn't already know something about his future he would have likely jumped to the NFL (supposedly the New York Giants were interested in him as linebackers coach) or taken a head coaching job this past offseason when some had named him as a potential candidate for the Pitt job. Bradley knows something that no one else does. I expect that before the beginning of next season Joe will name Bradley as his successor and put a plan into place. If Bradley is indeed the future leader of Penn State football, Penn State won't be stupid enough to let Bradley slip away. If he does leave, he was never in the mix as a successor. I seriously doubt that that will be the case.

For the record, I believe that Mike McQueary has the best potential of anyone on the PSU coaching staff to become a head coach. He has been instrumental in turning around Penn State's recruiting woes and he is the wide receivers coach of perhaps the best corps of freshmen wideouts in the country. He is young, has Penn State ties and has been a successful position coach and recruiting coordinator. Don't be surprised at all to see McQueary as offensive coordinator and Larry Johnson Sr. as defensive coordinator if Bradley becomes head coach. Bradley isn't exactly a spring chicken. It may not be mentioned in a potential succession plan but McQueary may be the real future leader of Penn State football. A couple of nice seasons and Bradley may be ready for retirement.