Joe Paterno Fired: Top 5 Coaches Suited to Rescue Troubled Program

Joe Paterno has been fired. So, who is going to take over and try and right this sunken ship?

I know this question is the last thing on Penn State officials’ minds right now, but it’s an issue that will have to be addressed at some point down the line.

Are they going to try and attract a big name coach to take over and save a once proud program? Or will they go the unknown route, with little to no pressure for the next few years to win as they attempt to get past the worst college sports scandal in history?

Here are five coaches that are going to be strong candidates to try and pick up the pieces to a program that is absolutely shattered:

1. Urban Meyer

This is the dream candidate.

Odds are this will never come to fruition, but he is the best man for the job. An Ohio native, Meyer has recorded eight or more wins in every season he has coached.

He guided the Gators to national championships in 2006 and 2008 and boasts a 104-23 record in 10 seasons as a coach at Florida, Utah and Bowling Green.

Of course, this guy can have any job he wants and there are about 118 better D-1 gigs right now than heading to Penn State.

2. Greg Schiano

The 45-year-old Rutgers coach was a coach with the Nittany Lions from 1990-1995, so I’m not sure if PSU officials want somebody with history in the program, but Schiano can recruit the area well.

Schiano is 65-66 at Rutgers. He guided the Scarlet Knights to five consecutive bowl appearances between 2005-2009.

I would hope Penn State doesn’t want a coach that has any sort of ties to the program, but if not then Schiano is a good pick.

3. Kevin Sumlin

The Houston Cougars coach has his team ranked 11th  nationally, and is considered a coach on the rise with his offensive minded philosophies. He goes against the defensive minded viewpoint of the program, but maybe it’s a good thing to completely re-make the team.

He has no ties to the program, but knows the Big Ten, playing at Purdue and serving as a assistant with the Boiler Makers and with Minnesota.

This would be a fine choice.

4. Kirk Ferentz

The Iowa head coach that is in his 13th  season with the Hawkeyes, Ferentz is now the longest tenured coach in the Big Ten.

He knows the conference as well as anybody and grew up in the Pittsburgh area, idolizing Paterno like so many others.

Problem is, at the age of 56, it’s hard to imagine Ferentz leaving everything he has constructed to try and rebuild a program that won’t be back to normal for the next decade.

5. Dan Mullen

What you really have to like about Mullen is his age.

At the age of 39, he has the energy to go all-in on this massive rebuilding project. The Mississippi State coach has been the headman since 2009, and holds a 19-15 career record. Impressive considering he resides in the SEC.

Mullen played his college ball at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa. I think that’s the perfect combination. He knows what football in Pennsylvania is like, but has absolutely no connections to the Nittany Lions.

If Penn State can land Mullen, I think they hit a home run.