Bill O'Brien's former team, Penn State, is 10-2 and playing in the Big 10 championship game against Wisconsin.
When O'Brien became the head coach at Penn State in 2012, the program was mired in sanctions created by the Jerry Sandusky scandal. When O'Brien left after two seasons to come to the Texans, he was replaced by James Franklin, who had resurrected Vanderbilt.
"I couldn't be more proud of that program," O'Brien said Monday. "A lot of those kids were there when we were there as a staff.
"In 2012, people gave up on that program. It's a great testament to that school and James Franklin's staff that's there now and especially those kids to come back from that and be playing in the Big 10 championship game when it was very close to the death penalty and SMU-type sanctions.