Rob Rossi reports that, in contrast with a tweet from USA Today Sunday afternoon, the Penn State Nittany Lions are not finalizing contract details with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to have him become their next head football coach. They are, however, considering O’Brien as a candidate.
O’Brien would become at least the third candidate to interview as early as this week …
Also, the sources said, Joyner hopes to interview an unnamed top assistant from one of the college teams playing in a BCS bowl.
If he does not hire Bradley, Joyner is leaning toward an NFL assistant because there is concern the Penn State job is not attractive enough to current college head coaches or top assistants, sources told the Tribune-Review.
Essentially, it sounds like nothing is imminent here. O’Brien certainly is a candidate, but the earlier report may have been premature. That’s no surprise, of course – the number of times stuff like this happens when Twitter is involved is too large to count.
For more on the Nittany Lions’ coaching search, stay tuned to SB Nation Pittsburgh.