Jerry Sandusky Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal: Who Will Replace Paterno? The Top Contenders
Paterno-less at head coach for the first time in nearly a half-century, Penn State will be charged with a difficult decision in filling the jet black Nike shoes of JoePa.
While traditionally a program known to hire its former players to fill the football staff, the controversy surrounding former defensive coordinator and Nittany Lion alum Jerry Sandusky may lead the university in an alternate direction. With three games remaining on the 2011 schedule, Penn State will be led under the direction of Tom Bradley before seemingly giving way to a new vision for the beleaguered university.
According to The New York Times, Penn State has already begun the process of vetting potential head coaching candidates with names like Miami's Al Golden and Rutgers' Greg Schiano topping the list.
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With apologies to Tom Bradley, let's take a look at the top five most viable candidates Penn State may consider:
AL GOLDEN: The 42-year-old head coach of the Miami Hurricanes made a name for himself while turning around the Temple football program after being kicked out of the Big East after the 2004 season. Joining a Miami program bogged down by scandal stemming from players receiving illicit benefits from boosters, Golden has struggled in his first year as the Hurricanes currently occupy fourth in the Coastal Division of the ACC with a 5-5 record. Golden played tight end with the Nittany Lions in the late 80s and served as a linebackers coach for the program in 2000.
DAN MULLEN: A protégé of Urban Meyer, Mullen won two national championships as the architect of the Florida offense – working with quarterbacks Chris Leak and Tim Tebow. Making the move to Mississippi State in 2009, Mullen has enjoyed success in the difficult SEC West with a 19-16 record that includes a Gator Bowl victory over Michigan and a #15 ranking in the final AP poll for the 2010 season. Born in Pennsylvania, Mullen also holds collegiate ties to the state having played tight end at Ursinus College.
CHARLIE STRONG: A prominent figure in the recent success at Florida as defensive coordinator, Strong was the only assistant coach retained by Urban Meyer in the wake of Ron Zook's firing. Moving on to Louisville in 2010, Strong has a 12-11 record with a win over Southern Miss in the 2010 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl. Strong's career has seen him make stops at South Carolina, Southern Illinois, Notre Dame, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.
MIKE LONDON: According to The Washington Post, Penn State reached out to London before firing Joe Paterno. Allegedly, London was not interested in heading to State College and would prefer to commit to the Virginia Cavaliers long-term by signing a contract extension. Before joining Virginia as head coach in 2010, London won the NCAA Division 1 Football Championship with Richmond.
THE FIELD: Many football commentators speculate names such as Pat Fitzgerald, the Northwestern linebacker turned Wildcats head coach, Chip Kelly, the Nike-wearing big man on campus for the Oregon Ducks, or even Kirk Ferentz, the leader of the Iowa Hawkeyes since 1999, but the argument is easier to make that these three men are content with the status quo.
News outlets such as ESPN and The New York Times have tossed around names such as James Franklin, the former Maryland offensive coordinator turned Vanderbilt head coach, or former Penn State defensive backs coach, Greg Schiano, who rehabilitated a fledgling Rutgers program into a respectable Big East competitor. Beyond merely his football merits, Schiano makes for a compelling interview given how he and Rutgers University handled the injury of former player Eric LeGrand – left paralyzed from a vicious hit against Army in 2010.
Urban Meyer's name may circulate in conversation amongst the Penn State inner-circle, but his decision to leave Florida twice in successive seasons may belie the stability the Nittany Lions desperately need.
