Penn State Coaching Job Remains in Question

Over a month after Penn State began its search to replace the legendary Joe Paterno, the post remains vacant.

One name that has continued to come up in rumors surrounding the position is Harvard coach Tim Murphy, mentioned as an ideal candidate because of on-field success and a clean track record. Murphy became the winningest coach in Harvard football history this season and earned his sixth Ivy title.

But with rumors continuing to circulate, Murphy has adamantly denied any contact with the search committee throughout the process, a claim corroborated by Russ Rose, the Penn State women’s volleyball coach and one of the six members of the search committee.

“I have not met with Mr. Murphy,” Rose said. “I don’t know if he’s talked with other people on the committee or if he has previous relationships with anybody, but I have not met or spoken with him.”

Dave Joyner—the acting Athletic Director who is leading the search committee—told the media before Penn State’s Nov. 19 game against Ohio State that he hoped to name a new head coach in a month’s time.

But that deadline has come and gone, and the committee is still in the process of interviewing candidates.

“My thought would be that [the hire] would happen after [Penn State’s Jan. 2] bowl game,” Rose said. “The university will be closed for a while. I don’t think there will be a decision made [before then].”

With the college football season coming to a close, recruiting is well underway. The Boston Herald and others have suggested that a failure to quickly name a new head coach will even further damage Penn State’s recruiting efforts, which took a major hit in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Already, two major recruits have backed out of verbal commitments.

“The search committee is aware of the recruiting calendar,” said assistant athletic director Jeff Nelson.