QB coach finalizes O'Brien's staff

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Head coach Bill O'Brien announced Friday that he has hired Miami of Ohio's Charlie Fisher as Penn State's quarterbacks coach. He fills the final assistant coaching spot on the staff.

Fisher is leaving Miami after one season serving as the passing game coordinator, and quarterbacks and wide receivers coach. He previously spent nine seasons at Vanderbilt, coaching the passing game and the wide receivers.

"I've known him for a long time. He's a bright guy, a sharp guy," O'Brien said. "He's had a lot of success, coached some great quarterbacks. He worked with Jay Cutler at Vanderbilt and just had Zac Dysert last year at Miami of Ohio. So we're lucky to get him, and he'll start on Saturday."

Before his days with the Commodores, Fisher was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Temple. He also coached wide receivers at N.C. State. He was the head coach at Division II West Georgia in 1993-97 and was an offensive coach at Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) College in 1985-90.

He is an alumni of Springfield College in Massachusetts, where he played quarterback and wide receiver from 1977-80.

Fisher joins a staff that includes wide receivers coach Stan Hixon, defensive coordinator Ted Roof, secondary coach John Butler, defensive line coach Larry Johnson, running backs coach Charles London, offensive line coach Mac McWhorter, tight ends coach John Strollo, and linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden.