ESPN Mike & Mike radio show interviews Bill O'Brien.

Biggest takeaway from time at Penn State?

The players. Really enjoyed coaching those players. Great kids. Practiced and played hard. Meant a lot to me and my staff at Penn State.

Even when you went there, because you came from the NFL, was there something still in your mind that said eventually you want to migrate back to the NFL?

I loved Penn State. I enjoyed the players. It's a special university. They hired a fantastic coach in James Franklin but parts of the NFL game I missed. The other thing important to note is my family. When Houston came around and I met the McNair's and Rick Smith, I felt good about the opportunity and also, the fact that the city of Houston has a great medical facility for my oldest son. It's a fantastic facility. That meant a lot to me and my wife. Obviously, the opportunity to come here and be a head coach of a first class organization had a lot to do with it obviously.

It seems like there's still a strong faction of Paterno supporters there. An article came out that quoted you, that you maybe struggled dealing with those situations and people there. Is that accurate and did that play a factor in you leaving?

That's not accurate at all. I felt I (and my staff) had a ton of support at Penn State. I regret that conversation took place. I regret that. I know I had a ton of support there. Penn State is a special place. I believe in what we did at Penn State. The football program is in a better spot now than two years ago. Our staff, myself, our players were very proud of that. I think they're gonna take off. Penn State is a place where you can win National and Big Ten championships. I felt really good about the support I had there. I apologize to anyone that took that conversation the wrong way. I regret that conversation. Penn State is a special place. They'll be in great shape in the coming years.

First pick in the draft.

First thing we're doing, we're in the process of evaluating our team here. You have to evaluate your team, you have to understand the salary cap, you have to understand who the free agents are, you have to understand what schemes were they running before you came here, you have to look at your own team and understand your own team before you dive into the draft and free agency. The thing that is neat about this place for me is these decisions will be organizational decisions with Bob McNair, Cal McNair and obviously Rick Smith. I've enjoyed my two weeks on the job working with those guys. I want to be a good teammate and give them my thoughts when my thoughts are prepared. Right now, I just come in everyday with our staff and evaluate what we have here right now.

Where are you at the QB position (with the current team)?

You see a team that struggled last year but they were in a lot of close games. When you look at our QB position right now, you see guys who have played a lot of good football. I'm sure just like anyone else, they wished they had some plays they could take back. Over the years, whether it's Matt Schaub or Case Keenum or T.J. Yates, they've had success on the field. We're evaluating that. I've had the chance to meet Matt and Case. Two good guys and look forward to continuing our relationship there and looking forward to continuing to evaluate what we have here.

You coached Tom Brady for a long time. What's he like in a week like this?

I don't know if he changes that much. What makes him a unique and special player is the fact he's basically obsessed with the game. He comes in every single day prepared. I heard an interview Coach Belichick did last weekend where he said, "You better be prepared to coach him because if you walk into a meeting and he has a question for you about how they're gonna play this, and you're not sure, he already knows the answer." You have to be extremely prepared. He's already probably watched every game Denver has played over the last couple of years leading into this week of practice. He'll be very prepared. Manning will be very prepared. It will be a great game everyone is looking forward to watching.

Is there more to it, from the sides of the QB because they're playing against each other's teams?

The environment, there is definitely an intense environment, maybe slightly different than a regular season game because you know what's on the line. It's a chance to go to the Super Bowl. In that respect, everyone on both teams is doing everything they can to make sure they're at their best on Sunday at 3 o'clock. That's something Coach Belichick did a great job of when I was in New England was, 'Hey, do everything you have, maybe put a little extra time in every single day to study a little bit more film. Stay on the practice field a little longer to make sure we're at our best on Sunday." That's something probably both teams are doing.

 

He was also on with Jim Rome:

What made you feel like it was the right time to move and Houston was the right place to move to?

I had a great experience at Penn State. My family had a great experience there, especially with the players we had there. Those players meant a lot to us so it was a tough decision. At the end of the day, there were many things about the NFL that I missed. I enjoyed the relationships I had with the players, I worked for a great organization in New England, and I missed the day to day activity of the NFL. When I had a chance to sit down with the McNair's and Rick Smith, we had some real good dialogue and Houston is a great area for my family. Those things, with my desire to be a head coach, it led us to Houston and we're excited about being here.

A team is what it's record says it is but the roster you have and the injuries suffered last year, does it look like a 2-14 team?

You're right. You are what your record says you are. When I look at this team, and that's what we're in the process of doing, one thing that stands out right away is there were a lot of close games. There are a lot of good football players on this team that have played a lot good football in the NFL. There are things that we have to improve on right away. We can't turn the ball over like they did last year and we have to create turnovers more than we did last year. Little things like that add up to being a successful team. There's a fine line between winning and losing in this league. We're trying to evaluate our team and do our best to put a winning team on the field.

The last two teams who picked first in the NFL draft, the Colts and Chiefs, turned it around quickly. Can you see the Texans doing the same?

I think it's hard. Every team is different. I give a lot of credit to those two organizations. They did a fantastic job. Every situation is different. What we have to do here, again, is evaluate our team, work as a team to put together a team in the offseason and have a good offseason and work extremely hard to put a winning team on the field next year. It's about knowing your role, working hard, being a good teammate, being a good coach and trying to get better every day and let the chips fall where they may next year.

If Johnny Manziel is in the draft and played 100 miles from Houston, it would seem there is potential for a marketing and promotional dream off the field. What about on the field? Would he be a good fit for what you're looking to accomplish and do on the field?

We're a long way off from making that decision. That's definitely an organizational decision. Johnny Manziel is a very exciting player. He's a guy I've seen play on TV only. I have a lot of work to do on Johnny plus many, many other players in this draft. We're a long way from deciding what's a good fit and what isn't a good fit. I know Johnny Manziel is an exciting football player and had an excellent college career and you're right, he's right down the road at a great college program in Texas A&M and Texas is a great football state. It's gonna be fun to evaluate him and evaluate all the other players in the draft.

Going back to December, you had a conversation with David Jones of PennLive.com. "You can print I really don't give a bleep what the Paterno people think about what I do with this program. I've done everything I can to show respect to Coach Paterno, everything in my power, so I can really care less about what the Paterno faction of people or whatever you call them think about what I did with the program. I am tired of it." What were you tired of? What were you talking about?

I can tell you number one, I feel bad about that conversation. I regret that conversation. I felt we always had support at Penn State, especially from the student body. There were so many nice people in that community that supported our football program, our team and family. I feel bad about that conversation. I apologize to people about that conversation and wish it never happened but it did and I'll leave it at that. Penn State is a special place. They just hired an excellent football coach in James Franklin. Penn State, the football program is better shape two years down the road from where we took it over. I think it's in a better spot right now and has a chance to takeoff under James Franklin. I'm looking forward to watching them and see how they do.

When the sanctions came down, players had the opportunity to leave and the vast majority did not. Despite the sanctions, you had success recruiting. When you left, did any players or recruits express dissatisfaction to you about you leaving?

I really tried to speak every player on our team. I don't think I reached every single one. I tried to reach out to all of them and every prospect that committed to us. Not sure if I got a hold of everyone. Certainly there were some guys not the happiest in the world because they committed to our program based on what we told them but the majority of them understood. The relationships with the players I had there, especially the current players, and the prospects coming in were good, solid relationships. For the most part, the guys understood this was decision I made for my family and a decision that allowed us to join a great organization in Houston. We're looking forward to that and I know Penn State is in a good spot too.

Your son Jack has a rare brain malformation that causes frequent seizures. I know your family is very, very important in making a move like that. What conversations did you have with your family when you were thinking about making that move and why is Houston the right place in that regard?

I appreciate that question. I think it is...people throw it out there it's a family decision. Those are things that are important to everyone who has a family. We sat down, my wife and I and said "What's the best thing for our family?" Here in Houston, we're right here near a fantastic medical facility. In fact, my wife was here yesterday visiting with the people at Children's Hospital and all the things they can do to help my son. That was a big part of the decision for us, to do the best we can to give Jack the best life he can have. That was part of it. Also my son Michael, who's 8 years old, he's looking forward to moving to Houston too. Being here for two weeks now, it's a fantastic city that a lot of things to do and fantastic places to live. We're looking forward being a part of the community here.

I know you spent time with George H.W. Bush recently. How did that go?

What an experience. I was speechless. Just to be able to go in there and meet someone like President Bush and have lunch with him, my wife was with me. What a fantastic man he is. A great man. We had an excellent conversation; myself and my wife and Mr. McNair. A great day we'll remember forever.

 

The QB questions of MAnziel, Teddy and Bortle would probably best suited for Rick Smith to answer at this point.. Didnt he go to all 3 bowls of each QB, he would be a better guy to answer what he thinks of them.. Hope our sports Radio are smart enough to get Rick Smith an interview to ask him on this. Would be intersting

 

I don't think it really matters what Smith or O'Brien thinks. They are going to draft whoever Bob tells them to. O'Brien has pretty much made it crystal clear that he does not have soul control of this draft which he shouldn't and I'm sure Smith doesn't either.

 

would love to be a fly on the wall in O'Brien's evaluation sessions

 

would love to be a fly on the wall of J.R.'s computer room

 

I want to know who's taking the scrap job in Cleveland?