Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak tried to put rumors that he's considering a move to Penn State to rest on Wednesday when he told reporters he's not interested in moving to Happy Valley. As ESPN's Joe Schad reports, however, there's still a possibility he could replace Joe Paterno as Nittany Lions' head coaching.
Munchak has repeatedly stated he would remain at Tennessee, but a source close to him said Munchak is struggling with the concept that he can "fix and make right" his alma mater.
"He loves his school and his heart is torn," the source said Saturday. "He really fits what they want and need to a tee."
In another report, StateCollege.com's Mike Poorman says Munchak did had interest in moving, despite his denial.
Despite protestations and disclaimers to the contrary, the Tennessee Titans’ current head coach was a legitimate candidate to be the Nittany Lions’ next head coach. Yes, he issued a strong "not interested" statement. But believe me, there was interest.
In fact, say three sources, there was interest to the point that Munchak, a Nittany Lion standout offensive guard in 1979 and ’81, had already reached out to a few former PSU players to ascertain their interest in joining the Penn State staff, should he be hired.
And so, it would appear it's not quite time to write Munchak off just yet. He was reportedly the first choice of acting athletic director David Joyner before the denial, so odds are he remains high on the list. If Munchak's Titans lose this weekend and miss the NFL playoffs, it's possible his name could come up as a big player in this search all over again.
For all the latest on the Penn State coaching search, stay tuned to SB Nation Pittsburgh.