Penn State Scandal: Why Harvard's Tim Murphy Is the Underdog Choice PSU Needs

The second this scandal hit Penn State and head coach Joe Paterno was fired, everybody has been throwing out names that should replace him. We've heard retired coaches that need to come back to the sidelines. We've heard of NFL coaches that need to step out of the broadcast booth and coach Penn State.

We've also heard up and coming coaches that need a tougher challenge and should try to replace the legends shoes.

All of those ideas are possible and sound very nice, but there is another coach that hasn't been mentioned. His name is Tim Murphy and he is the head coach at Harvard.

He's actually been coaching since 1979 and has been very successful with the Crimson, leading them to a 119-59 record and six Ivy league championships. He won the Ivy league this season with a 8-1 record. In 2004 his team went 10-0 and was the only undefeated team in the Division I-AA that season.

From 2000-09 his 76 percent winning percentage was the seventh highest in all of Division I football. Every player recruited by Murphy that has played four years has played in at least one Ivy League championship.

He has the winning resume that would be needed for the Nittany Lions to show interest in him.

So, why else would he make a good hire?

He's been down this road before as he took over the Cincinnati Bearcats program in 1989 when they were on probation. At 32 years old he was the youngest coach in Division I-A.

How did he perform?

He finished his five years with a 17-37-1 record, but his 8-3 record in 1993 was their first winning season since 1982. They finished the season ranked 27th in the country which was the highest ranking ever at the school at that time.

He ended up taking the Harvard job in 1993 and has been with the Crimson ever since.

Murphy has the winning history, the loyalty and the experience to overcome adversity to help bring Penn State back to a respectable program. He doesn't have the big name that some of the other candidates do, but he has a lot to offer and could be the right fit. 

“He’s not a name that’s on top of everybody’s mind, but maybe that’s the whole point,” a source said, that claims Murphy is interested in the job.

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

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