clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Penn State Coaching Search: Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Comments On Reported Hiring Of Bill O'Brien

At this hour, Penn State has yet to address reports that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has agreed to replace Joe Paterno and become Penn State's next head coach, but that's not stopping Patriots owner Robert Kraft from commenting on the situation as the Boston Herald reports.

"I’m sad to lose him. I told him that," Kraft said earlier this morning in a phone conversation with Karen Guregian. "We have a philosophy in our company, that if anyone has an opportunity and we can’t match it - we did have the ability to deny him under our contract - but this is one of the great college coaching positions. they have their challenges right now.

"Billy is a very high quality guy, he’s got integrity. he’s honest, and I’m sad to see him go," Kraft went on, "but I think they’ve chosen wisely."

Of course, there is still no indication from the university that it has chosen at all, though that may change soon as BWI's Nate Bauer tweets that acting athletic director David Joyner is set to meet with the current coaching staff at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Once interim head coach Tom Bradley and his staff have been briefed, it's possible an announcement will follow soon thereafter, assuming reports and Kraft's version of events is true.

For the latest on the Penn State coaching search, stay tuned to SB Nation Pittsburgh.

Photographs by dizfunk used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.