Pick 6: Possible candidates for new Nittany Lions coach
In this Nov. 2, 2013, photo, Miami coach Al Golden talks to defensive backs Rayshawn Jenkins (26) and A.J. Highsmith (30) during an NCAA college football game in Tallahassee, Fla. Miami plays Louisville in the Russell Athletic Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)
Greg Schiano was fired as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Monday and now is one of the candidates to replace Bill O’Brien at Penn State.
Penn State is in the market for a coach again now that Bill O’Brien has jumped to the NFL.
Here are six possible candidates to replace him.
• James Franklin, Vanderbilt. The eastern Pennsylvania native played at Division II East Stroudsburg and began his coaching career at Kutztown. His time as an assistant at Maryland overlapped with O’Brien in 2003-04. He has gone 23-15 at Vanderbilt, taking the perennial SEC doormat to three straight bowl games. He signed a long-term extension after last season.
• Al Golden, Miami. Played and coached for Joe Paterno at Penn State and won at Temple before getting hired by Miami. Has guided the Hurricanes through NCAA sanctions and has a 22-15 record in three seasons. His contract runs through the 2019 season, and would he want to leave one program finally getting through sanctions for one that still has some rocky road ahead.
• Mike Munchak, Tennessee Titans. The 53-year-old former Penn State offensive lineman played for Paterno in the late 1970s and early `80s. He is 22-26 after three seasons with Tennessee, and might not be back for next season. He was a candidate for the Penn State job the last time it was open.
• Pat Narduzzi, Michigan State defensive coordinator. Has been a key cog in Mark Dantonio’s staff as Michigan State has become a perennial Big Ten contender. The 47-year-old Connecticut native was a candidate for the UConn job and it seems only a matter time before he is running his own program.
• Greg Roman, offensive coordinator, San Francisco 49ers. Roman is one of the most highly regarded offensive coaches and was a candidate for the Penn State job when O’Brien got it. He’s mostly been in the NFL, though he spent two years at Stanford working under Jim Harbaugh before moving to the 49ers with the head coach.
• Greg Schiano, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Another former Penn State assistant coach under Paterno and the former head coach at Rutgers. Was fired by Tampa Bay after going 11-21 in two seasons, but his rebuilding job at Rutgers is one of the most impressive accomplishments by a college coach in recent history.
Other possibilities include Ball State coach Pete Lembo and BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall.