Penn State Football: Forget Jon Gruden, Lions Will Never Get a Big-Name Coach

Penn State is now one of the only schools in the country not to fill its head coaching vacancy.

Everyone, from Texas A&M to Toledo, has settled on their future, yet the Nittany Lions remain suspiciously quiet.

That is, except for the random rumors about "Big-Name Coach A" getting interest from the university, whether it be guys like Chris Petersen, Nick Saban or even a guy like Jon Gruden.

In case fans haven’t caught on by now, don't get your hopes up for a coach of that caliber. It simply isn’t going to happen.

Would the university have been able to lure away someone like that if the trial with Jerry Sandusky didn’t happen? Sure. However, now we’re looking at an entirely different university.

People want to take the emphasis off football and things are about to get really tight financially with all of the lawsuits the school is likely to get surrounding the trial.

There is absolutely no reason for a coach of such caliber to take this job in its current state. Penn State is a great school and its fans are some of the best and most passionate in the country, but a black cloud is hanging over them right now.

Getting through it is something that no one really wants to do, but someone has to. Why would a guy with a solid job as an announcer or head coach at another university volunteer to do that?

The Nittany Lions will have to hang their hat on an up-and-comer who is anxious to prove himself, not an established guy like Jon Gruden. With the coaching carousel nearing its end this year, that needs to happen sooner than later.