The Boston Herald reports that New England Patriots offensive coordinator is telling NFL personnel that he has won the job as the new head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions.
I’m told that O’Brien has informed people around the NFL that he has agreed to become Penn St.’s coach. He has agreed to become the new Nittany Lions coach, filling the large shoes left by Joe Paterno …
It is not yet known if O’Brien will coach the Patriots through the playoffs. I have been led to believe he will, like Charlie Weis in 2004, but it is not certain.
This news appears to confirm Chris Mortensen’s report that the Nittany Lions have settled on O’Brien and that he will be announced as the new head coach on Saturday.
If in fact O’Brien is the new head coach, he’ll inherit a program broken down by allegations of child sexual abuse against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Legendary former head coach Joe Paterno was dismissed in the wake of the scandal.
For more on Bill O’Brien and Penn State’s search for a new head coach, check out SBNation.com.