Why did Tom Bradley stay at PSU so long? He could have been a Head coach the last 5-7 years he was there. It's because he thought that he was going to be the HC at PSU. Jerry thought the same thing and was just waiting for Paterno to leave. I don't think anyone believed that Paterno would be coaching until he was 85.
so he was waiting for Joe to leave by retiring? So then what? once joe retired he would come out of retirement and take over? That doesn't explain why he never landed another job, anywhere, ever.