Ron Vanderlinden

When Temple football coach Ron Dickerson was the co-head coach at Colorado in 1983, 27-year-old Ron Vanderlinden joined the staff as defensive line coach. "We spent a lot of time together," said Dickerson, who also coached the Buffaloes' defensive backs. "We'd get together before the sun came up in the morning and go home under the street lights. " Today at Franklin Field, the two coaches will be on opposite sidelines as Vanderlinden's Maryland team (0-3) visits Temple (1-3)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - New Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien increased his coaching staff to three, with Ron Vanderlinden joining Larry Johnson as holdovers from the previous administration of Joe Paterno and Tom Bradley. But the fate of Bradley and quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno, son of the former head coach, was not known Sunday after they met with O'Brien. O'Brien finished up meetings with the assistant coaches Sunday before introducing himself to the members of his new team and then flying back to New England to resume his duties as the Patriots' offensive coordinator.

The priority for Shawn Oakman was to get it over with and enjoy his senior year at Penn Wood. It's why Oakman visited Penn State in March, and took an official visit to Pittsburgh in early June, and then stopped in at Temple. But it came down to comfort, and what coaching staff could propel the 6-8, 250-pound senior-to-be to even higher heights. And it's why Oakman committed to Penn State Thursday night, choosing the Nittany Lions over Pittsburgh and Temple. Oakman, one of the top players in the area, finished with 17 sacks in 11 games his junior year at Penn Wood, and is also a standout basketball player.

The sport is college football, not hockey, but Penn State scored a hat trick of sorts last night when middle linebacker Dan Connor won the Bednarik Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive player. Connor's former teammate, Paul Posluszny, took home the prize in both 2005 and 2006. The award is named for former Penn and Eagles standout Chuck Bednarik. "It's the reason I went to Penn State. It's Linebacker U. To be mentioned in the same breath as Jack Ham, Paul Posluszny and Shane Conlan, that's an unbelievable honor in itself," Connor, a Strath Haven High product, said as his parents, Jim and Carol Connor, beamed during the College Football Awards show at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Connor, who led the Big Ten with 136 total tackles, beat out Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis and LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who won the Outland Trophy as the premier interior lineman.

Curtis Drake, a 6-foot, 175-pound quarterback from West Catholic High, gave Penn State an oral commitment during a visit yesterday. Drake said that he had all but made up his mind before yesterday's trip but made the trek to State College for the sake of his mother, Schante Smith Roberson, and his stepfather, Robert Roberson. They met with Drake's recruiters, assistants Ron Vanderlinden and Mike McQueary, and head coach Joe Paterno. At the conclusion of the meeting, Drake informed them of his decision.

Two more head coaching jobs were filled yesterday when Maryland and Fresno State announced hirings. Ron Vanderlinden, an assistant coach who helped revive moribund programs at Colorado and Northwestern, was hired to do the same thing at Maryland. Vanderlinden, the defensive coordinator at Northwestern since 1992, will be introduced as the Terrapins' head coach at a news conference today. He replaces Mark Duffner, who was dismissed after a 20-35 record in five years. At Fresno State, Baltimore Ravens assistant Pat Hill was named as the successor to his former boss, Jim Sweeney.

Penn State coach Bill O'Brien has reportedly added two more names to complete his staff. South Carolina special teams coach John Butler will join the Nittany Lions, although his role is likely as the defensive backs coach, and New England Patriots offensive assistant George Godsey will be the quarterbacks coach, according to several reports. O'Brien and Penn State have only confirmed Larry Johnson among the nine assistants now reported to be on O'Brien's staff. Butler was at South Carolina for one season after spending four seasons at Minnesota as the linebackers and special teams coach.

Pete Massaro found out firsthand that you don't keep Joe Paterno waiting. Massaro, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive end from Marple Newtown, called the Penn State coach to orally commit last night, and after pleasantries were exchanged, there was dead silence. Paterno spoke up. "He said, 'I'm waiting to hear you say it,' " Massaro said. "So I did. I said, 'I'm coming to Penn State.' " Massaro's decision came down to two schools: Penn State and Boston College. After visiting the Eagles' campus in late July, the senior started to feel a pull toward State College.

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 know him for a long time. He's a bright guy, a sharp guy," O'Brien said.

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.

Without a head coach for months and without program certainty in the future, Penn State's 2012 recruiting class could have been a lost cause. But throughout the tumultuous recruiting process during the Nittany Lions' most trying year, Larry Johnson, arguably the team's best recruiter, remained. And because of his presence, the Lions were still able to bring in what the coaches called an extremely successful 2012 class. On national signing day Wednesday, with the Lions snagging 19 incoming freshmen, fellow assistants new and old couldn't say enough about the Penn State defensive line coach and his ability to retain those high school athletes with murky minds about the university's future.

PENN STATE officially announced six members of Bill O'Brien's football coaching staff, although the names have been leaking out all week. The school already had announced that Larry Johnson would return as defensive line coach. Additionally, Penn State said Ron Vanderlinden would remain as linebackers coach; Stan Hixon had been named assistant head coach and wide receivers coach; and Charles London (running backs), Mac McWhorter (offensive line) and John Strollo (tight ends) would be joining the staff.

New Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien offered no surprises Thursday as he officially named six members of his coaching staff in time for the start of the final open high school recruiting push. But O'Brien, who as New England's offensive coordinator is preparing the Patriots for Saturday night's NFL playoff game against Denver, did raise a few eyebrows by revealing through a spokesman he will call the plays for the Penn State offense and not hire an offensive coordinator. The appointment of defensive line coach Larry Johnson was disclosed last Saturday by O'Brien at his introductory news conference in State College.

PENN STATE coach Bill O'Brien has reportedly added two more names to complete his staff. South Carolina special-teams coach John Butler will join the Nittany Lions, although his role is likely to be the defensive backs coach, and New England Patriots offensive assistant George Godsey will be the quarterbacks coach, according to several reports. O'Brien and Penn State have only confirmed Larry Johnson among the nine assistants now reported to be on O'Brien's staff. Butler was at South Carolina for one season after spending four seasons at Minnesota as the linebackers and special-teams coach.

Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien swiftly reached his goal Monday to have most of his staff in place for the final recruiting push later this week, naming four more assistant coaches. The most significant hire, according to published reports, was Ted Roof as defensive coordinator. Roof was the head coach at Duke in 2005 and 2006 when O'Brien was offensive coordinator there. Roof, whose appointment was reported by the Big Ten Network, has been defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Central Florida.

TED ROOF is leaving Central Florida as defensive coordinator before he even coached in practice. Roof has agreed to join Bill O'Brien's staff at Penn State, also as defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports. Roof was the head coach at Duke and hired O'Brien as his offensive coordinator in 2005 and '06. Roof and O'Brien also were on George O'Leary's staff at Georgia Tech from 1998 to 2001. O'Leary is currently the head coach at Central Florida. During his news conference Saturday, O'Brien called Roof "one of my closest friends.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - New Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien increased his coaching staff to three, with Ron Vanderlinden joining Larry Johnson as holdovers from the previous administration of Joe Paterno and Tom Bradley. But the fate of Bradley and quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno, son of the former head coach, was not known Sunday after they met with O'Brien. O'Brien finished up meetings with the assistant coaches Sunday before introducing himself to the members of his new team and then flying back to New England to resume his duties as the Patriots' offensive coordinator.