Maxwell Club lauds PSUâ??s Oâ??Brien as top coach

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) â?? Penn Stateâ??s Bill Oâ??Brien has picked up another coaching honor.

The Maxwell Football Club named Oâ??Brien coach of the year on Tuesday after the first-year head coach guided the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 record under unprecedented circumstances.

Oâ??Brien will pick up the award on March 1 at the Maxwell Clubâ??s awards gala in Atlantic City. That same night, Penn Stateâ??s senior class will receive the Brookshier Spirit Award for commitment, leadership and effort in 2012.

The season began under the cloud of strict NCAA sanctions for the schoolâ??s handling of the child sex abuse scandal involving retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

But Penn State finished a surprising second in the Big Ten Leaders Division behind unbeaten Ohio State.

Oâ??Brien has also been named ESPN coach of the year.