Official: OBrien announces staff changes

Penn State coach Bill O'Brien has confirmed that assistants Charlie Fisher and Ron Vanderlinden are leaving the Nittany Lion football staff.

In a news release issued Tuesday night, O'Brien announced that Fisher and Vanderlinden had resigned from their positions coaching the team's quarterbacks and linebackers, respectively.

"I appreciate all of Ron and Charlie's hard work and thank them for their dedication and service to Penn State," O'Brien said in a prepared statement. "I wish them well in their future endeavors."

One of two holdovers from Joe Paterno's staff, Vanderlinden had been at Penn State since 2001 and had developed five first-team All-Big Ten players, including future NFL standouts Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor, Sean Lee and NaVorro Bowman. One of his most recent success stories was Michael Mauti, who won first-team All-America honors in 2012 and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings only five months after suffering a severe knee injury.

"I've greatly enjoyed my 13 years at Penn State and all the student-athletes I had an opportunity to work with," Vanderlinden said in Penn State's official statement. "I wish Coach O'Brien and Penn State nothing but the best in the future."

Fisher began working with the quarterbacks last year. A central Pennsylvania native, he was the final addition to O'Brien's coaching staff for the 2012 season, joining Penn State after spending the previous season as quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at Miami (Ohio).

"I want to thank Penn State and Coach O'Brien for the opportunity to be part of the program the past two seasons," Fisher said in the Penn State news release. "It was a great experience, and I am very proud of what we accomplished. Now I'm looking forward to the next chapter and making a positive impact on the next group of players I have the privilege of working with."

O'Brien said that Penn State will begin an immediate search to fill the two vacancies.