If it feels like Penn State football has not had a Tuesday press conference for a while, that’s because it really hasn’t. There was nothing the Tuesday after the Illinois game due to the bye week, and Joe Paterno’s conference last week was cancelled less than an hour before it was expected to begin, setting off complete chaos outside of Beaver Stadium. Three weeks later, Tuesday afternoon press conferences finally resumed with Tom Bradley taking questions from the media before Saturday’s game at Ohio State.

A common theme throughout Bradley’s press conference was communication. Between team captains, redshirt freshmen (who Bradley believes are sometimes forgotten about), verbal recruits, and parents of current players, he made it clear that he is willing to talk to just about anybody. While Bradley did decline to comment on most questions involving Jerry Sandusky and Mike McQueary, his answers to questions provide a bit more depth than Paterno’s. A full transcript of the press conference is available, but here is a rundown of some topics covered:

• On Joe Paterno’s name being removed from the Big Ten championship trophy:   “I just think it’s another part of a tragedy that’s occurring.”
• On updates regarding coaching staff changes: “This week Coach (Larry) Johnson and Coach (Ron) Vanderlinden will make the calls on defense.  And I’ve elevated Elijah Robinson. I told you before, Elijah will become one of our full time coaches. And Bill Kavanaugh will move up, and Bill will be our wide receiver coach from here on out.” Bradley went on to say that he could still step in to make defensive calls but would like to reach out to the players on offense more.
• On concerns of heading into a hostile environment during the scandal: “No, not at all. We’ve been contacted by Ohio State. Luke Fickell called me the other day. We’ve been assured there will be no problems.”
• On if Penn State will accept an invitation to a bowl game: “Yes.  I want to make it [clear] the players and the guys on this team didn’t have anything to do with any of this that’s surrounding them. I did address that, because there was rumors flowing around that if we make it we won’t be able to go to a bowl game. I told them that was untrue. Basically a lot of questions have come up that I’ve tried to answer with them, being very transparent about what I know, what I hear.”
• On Silas Redd’s status for Saturday: “Silas came to practice yesterday. He did not run any plays. He’s banged up. Silas will not be hit this week, but I’m expecting him to be able to play in the game on Saturday.”
• On the quarterback situation: “It depends game to game. Right now Matt’s the starter.”
• My question asking him to compare Braxton Miller to Terrelle Pryor: “I actually got a text message from Terrelle. Braxton is an excellent quarterback. He does a lot of different things, a lot like Terrelle. He’s awful good in open field and space. He’s quick. He’s an excellent football player. He’s really, as you watch him from game to game he’s gotten better each and every game.  He’s obviously got an outstanding future ahead of him. .That offensive football team they have is pretty good.  The names — Shugarts and Brewster and Adams and Posey is back this week.  And it’s Brown.  We know the names.  It’s a heck of a football team.  That offensive line of theirs has been around for a long time.  Big time group.  And so we’ll have our hands full.  Miller just adds to it because he adds another dimension with his great athleticism.”

Bradley also added that he has not yet seen Paterno in person but does plan to do so at some point when time permits. When asked if he saw Jerry Sandusky’s Monday Night NBC interview, Bradley responded by saying he was watching Ohio State film. One more quote that stood out was Bradley saying, “the expecations are the expectations.”

Despite all of the craziness that is surrounding the program, Tom Bradley continues to attempt to establish a culture of normalcy for his players.