Just days after Boise State's Chris Petersen and the Tennessee Titans' Mike Munchak denied interest in taking over for Joe Paterno at Penn State, another big name is being connected to the Nittany Lions' vacant job.
Fox 29 in Philadelphia reports former New York Jets and Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini could be in the mix.
Fox 29 contributor Mike Missanelli from 97.5 The Phanatic said on Wednesday that Mangini, who coached the Jets and Browns, is the newest name to pop up in the long search for a Paterno successor.
"I know they are very interested on [Mangini] the former NFL coach who has been fired twice in the NFL," says Missanelli, who has reported on Penn State for years.
"He’s the latest flavor of the month. They will not be able to get a big name given to sustain what is going on."
Mangini coached three seasons in New York, leading the Jets to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth in 2006, but falling off to 4-12 and 9-7 records in 2007 and 2008 which led to his firing. In Cleveland, he posted back-to-back 5-11 seasons. He was Bill Belichick's defensive coordinator in 2005 and served as an assistant with the Ravens and Jets before taking the Patriots job.
Mangini is 40 years old and is a Hartford, Conn. native. He currently works as an NFL analyst at ESPN.
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