5 Coaches Who've Shunned Penn State & Where the Lions Go To Replace Joe Paterno

As the Penn State scandal is still under investigation and the bowl season continues to play out, the Penn State Nittany Lions are still searching for a head coach to replace the legendary Joe Paterno.

Under normal circumstances, nearly every coach in the country would be interested, but since a black cloud is currently hanging about the program, every coach is more cautious on trying to repair the image.

While there are still tons of questions on who would actually have interest in coaching the Nittany Lions, here are a few that have already turned down the job and a few that remain options.

Mike Munchak

Mike Munchak is currently the head coach of the Tennessee Titans but was named a possible candidate because of his relationship with the university. Munchak played for Penn State from 1978-1981.

Those rumors didn't last long as the Titans head coach quickly squashed them.

"I love my alma mater, but I have no interest in being the head coach at Penn State," Munchak said, according to a tweet on Tennessean reporter Jim Wyatt's Twitter page. "I never want to leave Tennessee."

Chris Petersen

According to several reports, Petersen has no interest whatsoever in coaching at Penn State,  but there are also reports that the university is heavily pursuing him.

Regardless, don't expect the Boise State head coach to take the job. While he may be a great fit, he has turned down several offers over the years at some great programs. And while none have been as prestigious as Penn State, none of them have have a sex scandal hanging over them either. 

Petersen is waiting for the right offer and it's hard to believe the Nittany Lions are it under these circumstances.

Tony Dungy

Tony Dungy always has his name come up when NFL coaching positions become available, so it was a bit surprising when his name started floating around. Dungy was a fantastic head coach for the Indianapolis Colts but has no coaching experience at the college level.

He also let it be known that he has no interest in becoming a college coach either.

"I'm flattered when people mention my name, but I'm really in the parent mode right now,'' Dungy, currently an analyst for NBC, tells USA TODAY.

Mike London

Every season there is a head coach that does a great job with little that is given. He then becomes one of the hottest coaches on the market and every school wants him. Virginia head coach Mike London became that guy this season.

He led the Cavaliers to an 8-4 record this season and knows how to get the most out of his players. He's a great motivator and a fantastic defensive coach.

It appears that he may want to move up and coach more talent at a bigger program, but according to this report, he's just fine where he is.

London is doing a great job at Virginia and making over $1.5 million a season isn't too shabby either.

So Where Does Penn State Turn Now?

My guess is as good as yours, but here are a few names that could pop up as possible candidates.

Charlie Strong

Penn State may have turned their attention to Louisville coach Charlie Strong. He may not have a great offensive background, but he is a fantastic defensive coach and a great recruiter. He ran the defense under Urban Meyer at Florida.

Many believed that he should have been a candidate to replace Meyer when he left Florida. Strong's 14-12 record isn't impressive, but with his recruiting abilities and better athletes at Penn State, he may be able to do a better job.

Tim Murphy

It's being reported that Harvard coach Tim Murphy is at the top of the Nittany Lions' list. Murphy may not have the big name that these other coaches do, but he is a winner and a man of high character. He's 119-59 at Harvard and has won the Ivy Championship six times.

Any player who has played all four seasons under Murphy has won at least one championship. He has the most wins of all time at the university. People may have mixed feelings about hiring a coach from an Ivy league school, but let's not forget that Joe Paterno came from Brown.

Tom Bradley

When you're going through a rough time, probably the best thing you can hope for is some stability. That's where Tom Bradley comes in, as he has been the defensive coordinator for Penn State the last 12 seasons. He was also named the interim coach when Paterno was fired.

He would be able to keep the recruiting intact for the most part, as he has recruiting ties in the area. Bradley's done a great job as a defensive coordinator and was able to handle the pressure well this season, keeping the team focused on the game.

If it's true that Penn State wants to remove the entire staff that Paterno had, then Bradley stands no chance. But if the Nittany Lions are just looking for the best possible fit, he deserves some consideration.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]