STATE COLLEGE, Pa. Penn State may still be without a replacement for fired coach Joe Paterno by the time the Nittany Lions play in the TicketCity Bowl on Jan. 2

The six-person search committee is taking a “very deliberate and measured approach to the process in order to identify the coach that best fits the requirements of the position,” acting athletic director Dave Joyner said Thursday in a written statement.

• Surreal day for Nebraska, Penn State Nov. 13, 2011
• Penn State trustees promise to search for truth Nov. 11, 2011
• Paterno gone, but questions at Penn State remain Nov. 11, 2011
• Penn State shaken after firing of Paterno Nov. 10, 2011
• Tom Bradley named PSU interim head coach Nov. 10, 2011

School president Rodney Erickson and Joyner had both said they hoped to have a new coach before No. 24 Penn State’s bowl game.

But Thursday, Joyner said a new coach would be introduced “at the appropriate time,” and the statement offered no specific timeline.

Erickson was out of town Thursday for the holidays. Spokesman Bill Mahon said Joyner was providing Erickson with regular updates.

“I think they have both emphasized the most important element here is to get the right coach, not speed up the timing of the search,” Mahon said. “There is no update on possible timing.”

Longtime defensive coordinator Tom Bradley has been running the program on an interim basis since school trustees fired Paterno on Nov. 9 in the aftermath of child sex abuse charges against retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky .

Paterno is not a target of an into the Sandusky case by the state attorney general’s office, though he was dismissed amid mounting criticism that school leaders should have done more to prevent alleged abuse. Sandusky, who has maintained his innocence, is awaiting trial.

Making a good hire, and soon, is generally seen as a critical step to secure the future of Penn State’s storied football program. A couple of recruits have already revoked their commitments to the school in the wake of the Sandusky scandal.

Erickson said earlier this month one of the top criteria in the coaching search is “how that person would fit into the value system of Penn State, which clearly has to be honesty, integrity and commitment to excellence in academics.”

According to Joyner, the school “is continuing to talk with individuals that we’re interested in and work through the interview process.” He called it a “very important hire for Penn State.”

Bradley and defensive line coach Larry Johnson are among those who have been interviewed.

Green Bay quarterbacks coach Tom Clements was scheduled to have a phone interview last week, USA Today has reported. At Packers practice Thursday, Clements declined comment on whether he was interested in the job and would not confirm if he had interviewed for it.

Nebraska’s Bo Pelini also emerged this week on the seemingly endless rumored list of potential college-level prospects. Pelini after practice Tuesday called the reports irresponsible and untrue, and said he had not interviewed at Penn State.

As for the Nittany Lions, players have gone home for the holidays. They are scheduled to regroup Monday in Dallas to prepare for the bowl game against No. 20 Houston.

About this ad

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – While Gerry Matthews likes to joke that getting to 500 career wins means he’s been around a long time, the number reflects something more.

Longevity is part of it, but so is success.

On Tuesday, Matthews became just the 30th coach in NCAA Division III history – and the 12th active coach – to reach the milestone with an 83-60 win over North Carolina Wesleyan at the Stockton Athletic Center.

Old high school friends, family members and former players came out to see Matthews’ first attempt at the milestone. He even took phone calls after the game from people congratulating him.

“You don’t start out thinking about that,” said Matthews, who now has a 500-213 career record. “You’re still having fun and eventually the numbers start to add up.”

Those in attendance got to see a good showing by Stockton – once the second half started.

The Ospreys came out after halftime with a 31-4 run to ensure Matthews wasn’t going to wait long to reach 500. Stockton took a lead when sophomore Rich Suhr hit a 3-pointer to make it 34-31 with 15 minutes, 42 seconds left, and kept going from there.

Matthews is not the type of guy that craves attention. His focus is on basketball.

His plan for a celebration wasn’t surprising either: A Diet Coke and maybe some potato chips when he got home in Brielle, Monmouth County.

“I don’t usually celebrate,” Matthews said. “Maybe I’ll go to the White Castle in Toms River. That would be a celebration.”

Before last weekend, when Matthews was three wins shy of 500, the players spoke about how they wanted Matthews to get the milestone at home. That meant winning the two games in the Albright Holiday Tournament last Friday and Saturday.

“I knew for a while he was on the verge of 500,” said Stockton’s lone senior DiAndre Brown, who had 11 points Tuesday. “We really wanted him to get this win. I told everyone we had to win the tournament. It was important to us.”

In his 26 seasons, Matthews has had just seven assistant coaches. Bob Hutchings has had two stints with Matthews adding up to 17 years alongside the 70-year-old coach.

These wins mean as much to them as they do to Matthews.

“He talked about it in his own way, saying he’s been around a long time or things like that,” Hutchings said. “We have been through a lot. This is a very special night for all of us.”

Matthews told the team afterward to enjoy the win, but that today’s game against New Jersey Athletic Conference foe The College of New Jersey was more important.

“Of the four games we had in the last week and a half, that’s the important one,” Matthews said. “I hope we left something in the tank for that one.”

With the impressive run to control the game in the second half, Stockton showed how well the Ospreys have jelled this season.

They started the season 1-4. Many new faces, including transfers and young players, forced Stockton coaches to tinker with the lineup to find the best starting five.

After five games, it seems the coaches have found it. Stockton is 6-1 over the last seven games.

The difference showed when the Ospreys played better defense.

“Our offense comes from our defense,” said Suhr, who had a career-high 24 points on 6-for-8 shooting from 3-point range. “We can’t give the other team good looks and think it’s going to work out. When our defense is better, the offense works smoothly.”

Stockton shot 11-for-26 in the first half. But were even better in the second, hitting hit 17-of-30 field goals after the break, and 16-for-19 in the second half from the free-throw line.

“I think we get upset with ourselves at halftime,” junior Salman Yusuff , a Vineland High School graduate, said. “Coach always gives us a good speech and we always go out there and play better.”

609-272-7187

North Carolina Wesleyan 31 29-60

Richard Stockton 29 54-83

NCW- Snow 1 0-0 2, Nichols 3 0-0 6, Dougherty 4 0-0 11, Murray 3 1-2 7, Griffith 1 1-2 4, Daniels 1 0-0 2, Martin 0 0-2 0, Heriot 1 0-0 3, Daniel 0 2-2 2, Morrison 5 1-1 13, Yarbrough 5 0-2 10. Totals 24 5-11 60.

RS-McDonough 4 2-4 11, Brown 4 3-4 11, Hunt 0 2-2 2, Yusuff 3 4-5 10, Williams 0 0-2 0, Blamon 2 0-0 5, Moye 2 4-5 9, Suhr 8 2-2 24, McCargo 3 1-2 7, Bolden 2 0-0 4. Totals 28 18-26 83.

3-pointers-Dougherty 3, Morrison 2, Griffith, Heriot NCW; Suhr 6, McDonough, Williams, Moye RS.

Records-Richard Stockton 7-5, North Carolina Wesleyan 6-6.

Gerry Matthews’ milestones

First win: Stockton 66, Ramapo 65

100: Stockton 78, Kean 70

200: Stockton 59, Kean 50

300: Stockton 69, Marywood 46

400: Stockton 80, Rutgers-Camden 50

500: Stockton 83, N.C. Wesleyan 60

When most business school candidates read an essay question, they interpret it quite literally. For example, when Kellogg asks applicants to “Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing an MBA. (600-word limit),” many applicants assume that they must answer each subquestion within the broader question in the exact order in which they were asked. However, this is not true. Such questions are indeed quite flexible, and at times, by pursuing your own structure, you can truly engage your reader.

We have found that with regard to overrepresented candidates who have unique professional goals, one strategy that can be quite helpful is to lead with goals instead of professional history. After all, “typical” experience is not as captivating as unusual (but realistic!) ambitions. So, the Indian technologist who intends to open a boutique hotel or the male investment banker who aspires to start a competitive windsurfing circuit can use these bold goals to stand out from the start.

Again, we emphasize that such candidates need to have (and show!) a compelling connection to their goals, and we do not suggest that overrepresented candidates strive to imagine or create “wild” goals just to catch the admissions committees attention. However, if you have a profound connection to an unusual goal, then reordering the question and ensuring that your goals are out front can make a difference.

Kellen Moore deserves a better send off.

The Boise State quarterback, who has more victories as a starter than any college quarterback in history, will conclude his brilliant career Thursday night at the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas against Arizona State, a 6-6 team that has already had its coach fired.

What a waste.

In many ways there is no more damning indictment of the Bowl Championship Series and college football’s bloated bowl postseason than Moore and this group of Boise State seniors being relegated to a third-tier game.

Even mild-mannered coach Chris Peterson finally snapped at the BCS after his team’s latest snub. The Broncos were No. 8 in the final AP Top 25 for the regular season.

“Everybody is just very tired of the BCS,” Petersen told reporters in Idaho earlier this month. “I think that’s the bottom line. Everybody is frustrated. Everybody doesn’t really know what to do anymore. It doesn’t make sense to anybody. I don’t think anybody is happy anywhere.

“The whole thing needs to be changed, there’s no question about it,” he said. ” … I think (change) is coming, I really do.”

Too late for this band of Broncos, though.

In four seasons as a starter, Moore has led Boise State to 49 victories and thrown 140 touchdown passes, second on the NCAA career list.

Of course, it’s not just Moore.

Fellow seniors such as second-team All-American tackle Nate Potter, third-team All-American safety George Iloka, defensive tackles Billy Winn and Chase Baker and running back Doug Martin have formed the foundation of team that has lost twice the last two seasons. Both times they were a last-second field goal away from earning BCS bids.

Instead, it’s been two straight postseason trips to Las Vegas.

There’s no denying Boise State’s gaudy record has been inflated by playing in conferences _ the Western Athletic Conference, before coming to the Mountain West this season _ with more than a few soft spots.

There is also no denying the Broncos have proved capable of beating good teams from power conferences. Just ask Oregon, Georgia and Virginia Tech.

The bowl seasons should have been another chance to see Boise State take on the heavyweights, to find out if the Broncos were truly worthy of being labeled national championship contenders.

Maybe Moore would have gotten buried by a good SEC defense. Maybe Winn and company would have gotten shredded by a Big 12 offense. The haters could have happily dismissed Boise State as a fraud.

Or maybe the Broncos would have cut a couple more of the so-called college football elite down to size and stuck it to the doubters.

Come to think of it, it’s not just Moore who deserved better, it’s all college football fans.

The picks:

SATURDAY

New Mexico Bowl

Wyoming (plus 7) vs. Temple

Player to watch: Owls RB Bernard Pierce … TEMPLE 21-17.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Utah State (minus 2 1/2) vs. Ohio

Aggies bowling for first time in 14 years … UTAH STATE 33-24.

UPSET SPECIAL

New Orleans Bowl

Louisiana-Lafayette (plus 5 1/2) vs. San Diego State

Ragin’ Cajuns have short trip for first bowl since 1970 … LA.-LAFAYETTE 35-28.

___

TUESDAY

Beef `O’Brady’s Bowl

Marshall (plus 4 1/2) vs. FIU

Player to watch: FIU receiver T.Y. Hilton … FIU 28-21.

___

WEDNESDAY

Poinsettia Bowl

TCU (minus 10 1/2) vs. Louisiana Tech

Horned Frogs deserve better, too … TCU 38-24.

___

THURSDAY

MAACO Bowl

Boise State (minus 14) vs. Arizona State

Broncos don’t get bored … BOISE STATE 42-21.

___

SATURDAY, DEC. 24

Hawaii Bowl

Nevada (plus 6) vs. Southern Mississippi

Last game of the Larry Fedora era at Southern Miss … SOUTHERN MISS 41-21.

___

MONDAY, DEC. 26

Independence Bowl

North Carolina (plus 4 1/2) vs. Missouri

Player to watch: North Carolina DE Quinton Coples … MISSOURI 24-21.

___

TUESDAY, DEC. 27

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl

Western Michigan (plus 2 1/2) vs. Purdue

Boilermakers last bowl was in same spot against MAC team in 2007 … PURDUE 38-20.

Belk Bowl

North Carolina State (minus 2 1/2) vs. Louisville

Wolf Pack finished up and down season with two straight victories … LOUISVILLE 27-23

___

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28

Military Bowl

Air Force (plus 3) vs. Toledo

Player to watch: Toledo WR Eric Page … TOLEDO 45-35.

Holiday Bowl

Texas (minus 3) vs. California

Longhorns primed for big rebound in 2012 … TEXAS 28-20.

___(equals)

THURSDAY, DEC. 29

Champs Sports Bowl

Florida State (minus 3) vs. Notre Dame

The winner is overrated going into next season … NOTRE DAME 24-21.

Alamo Bowl

Baylor (minus 9) vs. Washington

RG3′s going away party? … BAYLOR 54-48

___

FRIDAY, DEC. 30

Armed Forces Bowl(equals)

Tulsa (pick’em) vs. BYU

Tulsa only loses to ranked teams … TULSA 31-24

Pinstripe Bowl

Rutgers (minus 2) vs. Iowa State

Player to watch: Rutgers WR Mohamed Sanu … IOWA STATE 28-24.

BEST BET

Music City Bowl

Mississippi State (minus 6 1/2) vs. Wake Forest

Middling SEC team vs. middling ACC team. Advantage, SEC … MISSISSIPPI STATE 31-14.

Insight Bowl

Oklahoma (minus 14) vs. Iowa

Sooners went from preseason No. 1 to playing on Dec. 30 … OKLAHOMA 38-21.

___

Championship weekend record: 10-2 (straight); 6-6 (vs. spread).

Season record: 211-53 (straight); 127-112-1 (vs. spread).

Best bets: 9-4.

Upset specials (vs. spread): 7-6.

___

Students at Wilburn Elementary in Raleigh moved into a new building featuring state-of-the-art technology on Monday.

“I love it, and my kids love it too,” parent Maty Emuobor said of the Raleigh year-round school’s move to its new Marsh Creek Road campus.

Principal Mark Tracy said the new school building boasts high-tech classrooms with smart boards, computers and other tools to help make learning more interactive.

“I think we have a perfect storm in a positive way of making positive academic and social growth for all our students,” Tracy said.

For more than a year, Wilburn operated out of mobile units on Spring Forest Road.

The new building goes along with other changes for the school, which was identified last year as one of the four lowest performing schools in the county. All teachers at these so-called “Renaissance Schools” had to reapply for their jobs.

At Wilburn, 80 percent of the teachers, including principal Tracy, are new.

“We are seeing academic growth in reading and math across the board in K-5,” Tracy said. “We are seeing some preliminary results to show what we are doing is successful, but it’s going to take some time.”

Tracy said the school expects positive changes in end of grade test scores this year, but the biggest impact will likely be seen within the next three years.

Emuobor said she is encouraged by the transformation she is already seeing in her second and third graders.

“You can tell the kids are more excited. They’re happier, and they are doing better so far in school, too. They are getting better help and stuff,” she said.

The Renaissance Schools project is being funded using the federal Race to the Top grant.