With so much attention focused on Joe Paterno's return, the futures of both coordinators may have gone unnoticed -- until yesterday's press conference, when the pair addressed next season.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley acknowledged he's interviewed for head-coaching jobs in the past. And offensive coordinator Galen Hall couldn't voice any certainty that he would even return next season after his three-year contract ends.

"I think, first off, anybody in this profession -- most people aspire to become a head coach some day," Bradley said. "And when the right opportunity arises, if I felt it was a better situation than Penn State, then it's something I would look into."

Bradley admitted leaving wouldn't be easy, while Hall said he didn't want to leave.

"Well, I hope I'm back next year," Hall said. "Who knows what's going to happen? But, hopefully, we're back and carrying on and picking up this spring where we leave off this fall."

Neither went into specific details. After all, it's difficult to talk about the 2007 season when Michigan State and a bowl game have yet to be played.

But, as far as this year, the duo has played a huge role in carrying the load during Paterno's absence. And while the start of the press conference took on a serious tone with talk about the future, it was an overall light-hearted atmosphere.

Bradley and Hall arrived seven minutes early in matching navy-blue blazers. Bradley opted to walk around the room and make small talk, while Hall smiled politely and thumbed through a stack of Big Ten statistics from a corner.

At one point during the 30-minute press conference, Bradley stopped. And he just started grinning.

"You guys are kinda tight up here, for real. I mean, doesn't anybody have any fun up here?" he said.

Bradley was the joker, while Hall played the role of straight-man. When one reporter asked if the two were enjoying taking on the press conference duties, a friendly banter ensued:

Bradley: Go ahead.

Hall: There are people that wanna know things, and I've enjoyed it. I wish Joe were here doing this. But other than that, it's not been a problem to me, and I enjoy it.

Bradley: That's not what you said on the way up here.

The two went back and forth a few times, drawing some laughter, even when the subject of the 79-year-old head coach was brought up.

Bradley said if it weren't for the press conference, he'd do his best Paterno imitation. He didn't -- but he did say he expected the coach in the Lasch Building for practice yesterday, and he could possibly be in the coach's booth for the Big Ten finale against Michigan State Saturday.