Erick Smith of USA Today reports that Penn State will interview New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien for its vacant head coaching position on Thursday. O'Brien was connected to the Penn State job over the weekend when ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter reported that O'Brien had been identified "as the coach [Penn State] wants to succeed Joe Paterno."
The Boston Herald reported on Sunday that O'Brien had not been contacted and that he would like to coach in the NFL, though it acknowledged he may be interested in the Penn State job.
Considering a number of head coach firings across the NFL this past Monday, it'll be interesting to see how things play out with O'Brien. It's possible he could be a candidate for some jobs in the pro ranks as well, so those searches will be worth keeping an eye on as Penn State acting athletic director David Joyner and his six-person search committee continue to work toward hiring a new leader for the Nittany Lions' program.
For the latest on the Penn State coaching search, stay tuned to SB Nation Pittsburgh.