Bill O'Brien remembers the moment clearly.
It was July 23, 2012 — five months after he was hired — and the 43-year-old O'Brien was sitting in his office watching the television. There on the screen was NCAA president Mark Emmert, somber and precise, reading off the laundry list of sanctions the organization was handing down on Penn State and the Nittany Lions football program.
O'Brien had a slight idea of what was coming, but he couldn't have imagined how severe the penalties would be — a four-year bowl ban, a $60 million fine and reductions of scholarships. And that doesn't include public relations hit the school's image already was taking after the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal.
Moments after the announcement, O'Brien knew he still had a job to do.
"After the initial frustration and anger, it was like 'Well, what are you going to do?' " O'Brien said during a break from the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic in Orlando on Saturday. "What are you going to do, cut and run? You're not going to do that. So, you are going to make sure that your players understand how you feel — that you're frustrated and angry too — but we have to move forward and here are the rules that we play under now.
"We don't have any choice."
They didn't and despite all the distractions surrounding the school and the program, O'Brien and his players did manage to move forward as the Nittany Lions put together an amazing 8-4 season, including a 6-2 record in the Big Ten.
For all of his troubles, O'Brien was awarded the Maxwell Club collegiate coach of the year award. He picked up his trophy Friday night before flying down to Central Florida for Saturday's clinic.
"It's a little bit overwhelming," O'Brien said. "It's a huge honor for me personally, but it's a program award. . . . It' a program award basically because so many people are involved in it."
Spend five minutes talking with O'Brien and you realize just how important those people around him are.
It was those people — from the players, to his coaching staff, the training and administrative staff on down to the video crew — who helped the program stay on course. However, it was a visit from a Rick Slater, a Navy SEAL and a former Penn State player, during training camp that helped give the team and its senior class its rallying cry for 2012-13. The team embraced the term "Charlie Mike," military slang for "Continue Mission."
"That was basically our phrase that we just adopted," O'Brien said. "Every time things got tough, the players used it a lot, even more than the coaches. We had it posted in our weight room."
There were the obvious tough times — the ones that were left behind in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky trial, the ones that cost legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno his job, 111 wins and his place in the history books as perhaps one of the greatest coaches in college football.
Then there were those lesser ones on the gridiron.
Through it all, O'Brien would turn to those that meant the most during his professional life to ask their thoughts. There was his former boss, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, along with Alabama coach Nick Saban and his mentor, UCF coach George O'Leary.
"Every guy said that there's nothing you can do about it now, you just have to move forward," O'Brien added. "Make sure the kids understand what their roles are and coach the crap out of them and let the chips fall where they may."
Yet, through it all, O'Brien never wavered on his decision to come to Penn State.
"Part of the job here right now is to make sure that the people of Penn State have pride in their university," O'Brien added. "They do and we are moving forward."
NCAA clarifies Johnny Football loophole
The NCAA was quick to clarify a "loophole" involving a lawsuit filed by Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel against the makers of a T-shirt that were illegally using his trademarked nickname of Johnny Football. The suit was filed by the Heisman Trophy winner's corporation and immediately raised concerns involving Manziel's amateurism. On Tuesday, the NCAA tried to address some of those concerns reportedly telling A&M officials that while it found the lawsuit was not an infraction, intentional copyright violations for the purpose of funneling money to a player would be considered a violation.
Breaking up is hard to do
Negotiations between the Big East and the group of schools looking to break away — the Catholic 7 — are still ongoing, according to Big East commissioner Mike Aresco. Aresco and the presidents and athletic directors from all the schools involved met Friday near Atlanta to discuss the impending divorce between the two factions. The timetable for the breakup was moved up after the members of the Catholic 7 appear to be close to a possible television rights deal with Fox Sports. Discussions have centered on whether the group can leave the Big East before the mandated 27-month exit and take the "Big East" name.
Muhammad one-and-done
UCLA coach Ben Howland may have dropped the worst-kept secret in college basketball when he announced freshman superstar Shabazz Muhammad had played his last game in Pauley Pavilion. The not-so stunning announcement came moments after the Bruins dispatched No. 11 Arizona, 74-69 Saturday. "That was his last game in Pauley, no doubt about it," Howland said following the victory. Muhammad, who is averaging 18 points per game this season, is considered by many a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft. No decision about his future plans has been reached, according to Muhammad.
Zags on top
Gonzaga could make some history Monday afternoon. That's when the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll will be released and the second-ranked Zags (29-2, 16-0 West Coast Conference) could become the latest team to hold the No. 1 ranking in the country. It will be the first time in school history the men's basketball program has been ranked No. 1 in the country. With losses by top-ranked Indiana, Miami and Michigan this week, the door is open for voters to put Gonzaga in the top spot. However, No. 3 Duke's 79-76 win over No. 5 Miami Saturday could push the Blue Devils into the top spot for the first time since Week 10.
More with Bill O'Brien
For more of my interview with Penn State coach Bill O'Brien, go to OrlandoSentinel.com/ collegegridiron to read about his thoughts on college realignment, the Big Ten and his relationship with UCF coach George O'Leary.
On the Web
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