Penn State's O'Brien: Time to turn the page
Penn State coach Bill O'Brien said he has turned the page, and he's asking everyone else connected with the university to do the same.
"We've got a bunch of kids back in State College right now that are sticking together," said O'Brien. "They've been through a lot in the last six months."
O'Brien said he called a 10 a.m. meeting after NCAA sanctions were announced an hour earlier. O'Brien stressed commitment, togetherness, the bond they have with the current coaching staff and adversity.
"The measure of a man is how you overcome adversity," O'Brien said he told them.
Though the 2012 team and the next three to follow won't have an opportunity to play in the postseason or bowl games. The coaching staff stressed to the team the unique opportunity to play six or seven times a year in front of 108,000 fans at Beaver Stadium.
"I'm not into being a genie and standing up here and telling you where we're going to be in November," O'Brien said.
Talk of other teams crashing State College in pursuit of O'Brien's players was quashed quickly. He described the situation as "NFL free agency without the rules" and said opposing coaches have been cleared to do as they please as long as they first inform Penn State's compliance office.
"I have no idea what schools were on campus, nor do I care," O'Brien said.
O'Brien said he had no contact with Illinois coach Tim Beckman, whose staff reportedly sent six people to State College this week. He wouldn't specifically address junior running back Silas Redd's status but did mention Redd as part of the core offensive personnel. ESPN reported Thursday that Redd was meeting with Southern Cal coach Lane Kiffin.
"I've heard 'this is so bad' and 'what are we going to do?'" O'Brien said. "I don't see it that way. ... I don't think that's as bad as everybody says it is."
No players, as of Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET, have informed O'Brien they intend to transfer.
"We're turning the page," O'Brien said. "Our fans need to get on board, our alumni need to get on board and our lettermen need to get on board."
