Between devising playoff game plans for the Pats and overseeing an offense that put up 68 points and 839 yards in back-to-back wins over the Broncos and Ravens, he has assembled a coaching staff and tried to keep as many prospective Penn State recruits as possible from running for the hills in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal.
"Bill has helped me out a ton here," O'Brien said, referring to Patriots coach Bill Belichick. "I have a staff of eight guys in place at Penn State, as well as numerous administrative people who are doing a great job. They're taking care of that end of it.
"This is about the Patriots this week. I'm thrilled to be the head coach at Penn State, but right now, I'm really focused on the Patriots and putting together a great game plan for Sunday and helping us win."
We'll find out later today exactly how much damage the Sandusky scandal and everything that followed, including the firing of Joe Paterno, who died last week, did to Penn State's 2012 recruiting hopes.
O'Brien said he already has a "pretty good idea" of who is signing with the Nittany Lions. One of his assistants will fax him the official list tonight. He'll spend a minute perusing it, then get back to preparing for Sunday's game against the Giants.
"Again, it's more about the Patriots and making sure we're focused on tomorrow's practice, today's meetings, and then on Sunday's game," he said. "After the game, we'll leave for Penn State and we'll go from there."
He disputed suggestions that the Penn State job is one of the toughest in the country right now.
"We feel really good about the staff we have in place," he said. "We feel really good about the team we have in place. I don't view it as the toughest job in the country."
O'Brien, 42, spent 14 years as a college coach before taking a major career gamble in '07 and joining the Patriots as a low-level coaching assistant.
