Russ Rose Retires - Articles and Player and Coach Tributes

First, we don't know that the rumor is true. If it isn't, then that, of course, is a very good reason why nothing has been announced. But if Russ is retiring/resigning, ICA wouldn't want to step on PSU Football's National Signing Day (today) nor on the NCAA WVOL semi-finals tomorrow and the finals on Saturday. I don't see any harm in waiting 4-5 days to make an announcement and having all ducks in a row if, in fact, Russ is retiring.

You mean RR is in the Portal? Lol.

OK. Here's my hypo... PSU didn't leak this. They're waiting to announce AFTER Saturday. Because they'll announce who the new coach is, but have to wait for the tourney to be completed. So the staff of the new coach inadvertently leaked.

Could it be that they are holding off on an announcement until after the tourney ends because the replacement candidate is still coaching? I would imagine if this news is true and Russ is indeed stepping down and not being terminated, conversations would have been had with Russ and his recommended successor.

If Russ is retiring, I doubt we'll see his replacement announced quickly. My guess would be sometime in January. We have no way of knowing how long ago Russ may have informed Barbour that he was retiring, if he has, but it's unlikely Penn State has been in touch with potential replacements while their teams were competing in the tournament.

I don't think it's automatic that Russ's replacement will be female. I don't doubt that Barbour would prefer to hire a female, but hiring a replacement who projects to be highly successful is likely a greater priority for a pretty visible sport with high expectations at Penn State. I do suspect that neither Dennis Hohenshelt nor Katie Schumacher-Cawley would be the choice, but I can only speculate like everyone else.

As to Dani Busboom Kelly, I assume she would be at the top of Barbour's list, but she may not see Penn State as a step up professionally or financially. Could Neeli Bendapudi have any influence with Kelly?

I would put Nebraska AHC Tyler Hildebrand high on the list, too. And it would be great to see Alyssa D'Errico and/or Nicole Fawcett on the new coach's staff, but that's even more speculative.

All of this assumes Russ is retiring, and we don't know that at this hour.

Very small sample size, and containing almost totally irrelevant info in terms of coaching ability, but I was very impressed by Nicole Fawcett's comments in the Russ video that was released this fall.  Having said that, IF Russ is retiring, regardless of Fawcett's qualifications, it would be a huge leap from volunteer coach at Ohio State to Head Coach at Penn State.  Stranger things have happened in life (my wife agreeing to marry me, for example -- thankful, thankful, thankful!) but it certainly would be a big step up.

My guess is that all other factors put aside, Salima would love to be the HC at Penn State.  Unfortunately, we can't put aside all of those other factors.