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DALLAS It took more than eight minutes before Penn State interim head coach Tom Bradley was asked about the Jerry Sandusky situation Tuesday morning.
It's not like the story has gone away. It's just that Bradley and his Nittany Lions have more pressing concerns.
Penn State (9-3) has less than a week to get ready to try and stop Case Keenum and the Houston Cougars (12-1) in Monday's TicketCity Bowl at the Cotton Bowl. Penn State may have to try and do so without quarterback Matt McGloin, who was injured in a fight with teammate Curtis Drake nearly two weeks ago.
Add in the uncertainly surrounding Bradley and the rest of the Penn State coaching staff, and it's easy to see why Sandusky was far from the minds of the Nittany Lions when they got in their first Texas practice at Bishop Lynch High School.
"Let's talk football and it's great to finally talk football," Bradley said. "We're playing a heck of a team. We're excited. Our guys are excited. They're excited to play and it's fun to get out and play some football. It's a great game."
Penn State is hoping to be at its best for the game. McGloin suffered a seizure in a fight with Drake, who did not travel with the team for the bowl for personal reasons. McGloin's situation will be monitored daily and he was in street clothes for the opening of Tuesday's practice.
As for preparing to try and stop Houston and its quarterback, the Nittany Lions certainly are concerned. Jack-of-all-trades Evan Lewis will play the role of Keenum in practice this week for Penn State, but Bradley knows it's nearly impossible to replicate what college football's all-time passing leader can do.
"We haven't played anybody like that," Bradley said. "That's a whole different animal. To duplicate what they do is very, very difficult for us. We do know that. Any time you play a team like that you have to tackle well. You can't give them the big play."
Bradley is also preparing for what could be his first and last bowl game as the Nittany Lions head coach. He's been involved with Penn State as a player or coach for the last 37 years, but this is the first time he's in charge.
While Bradley has gotten advice from plenty of his friends in the coaching profession, he's hasn't talked to former head coach Joe Paterno, who was fired during the height of the Sandusky scandal. Paterno is getting cancer treatment and recovering from a broken pelvis.
Bradley's not sure Paterno wants him to waste time calling the former coach either.
"I have not talked with coach Paterno at all," Bradley said. "I talked to coach (Paterno) the day after this happened. I tell people I could have put the phone down because I knew what the answer was going to be. 'Why are you calling me? Take care of the players.' I've got my hands full and he knows we have a group of guys on the staff that knows how to prepare for a bowl game."
One factor Bradley can control leading up to the game is the uncertainly around his future. He's determined not to let that interfere with his team's preparations.
"We haven't heard a thing about it," he said. "They said they weren't going to decide until after the bowl game. Everybody makes a bigger deal than I think it is. We're out here fighting for our lives. We're playing against a great Houston team. A bunch of players are dying for me, doing what I ask them to. As I told people from the get go, whatever happens, I'm going to hang in there until the last minute and do whatever I can for my players."
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