The contenders ready to fill Paterno's shoes

When Joe Paterno retires from Penn State, here are some candidates to replace him.

Tom Bradley, Penn State defensive coordinator The energetic Bradley, a master recruiter, leads a defence consistently among the best in the country. He is the most talked-about internal candidate among fans. Jay Paterno, Penn State quarterbacks coach He answered critics who said he benefited from nepotism by developing QBs Michael Robinson and Daryll Clark. His father has said Penn State might not be the best place for him to start his head coaching career.

Larry Johnson, Penn State defensive line coach Another top-notch recruiter, Johnson has opened a pipeline into the Washington-Baltimore area that has helped recruit stars such as Derrick Williams and Aaron Maybin. Al Golden, Temple coach He spearheaded Temple's rise to title contenders. Played tight end for Paterno from 1987-91, and coached linebackers at Penn State in 2000.

Greg Schiano, Rutgers coach He was defensive backs coach at Penn State from 1991-96 and is a native of New Jersey - a fertile recruiting ground for Penn State. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa coach A Pennsylvania native, Ferentz has turned the Hawkeyes into a Big Ten contender, though he is under contract through 2015 at about US$3 million (Dh11m) a year.