Why Urban Meyer Should Not Replace Joe Paterno at Penn State

Urban Meyer is not the right man to replace Joe Paterno as head coach of Penn State football because the former Florida coach is a better fit at Ohio State.

Meyer is an Ohio native and is likely a candidate to replace current Buckeyes head coach Luke Fickell if the school does not bring him back next season.

Meyer won the 2006 and 2008 BCS national championships with Florida and also won the 2005 Fiesta Bowl with Utah before arriving in Gainesville. Meyer has never won fewer than eight games in a season.

There are several other more realistic coaching options to replace Paterno at Penn State than Meyer, who may very well continue with ESPN next season as part of the network's college football coverage.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is a fabulous choice to take over Penn State football for the future.

Ferentz is 6-3 in nine bowl game appearances during his 13 years with the Hawkeyes, including two BCS bowl game appearances.

His Iowa teams have won eight of the last 10 games against Penn State, so Nittany Lions fans would certainly like him to come to State College to help end that trend.

More importantly however, is Ferentz's ability to keep a clean program with consistent success on the field.

Since the 2002 season, Iowa and Ferentz have won eight or more games seven times and captured at least a share of two Big Ten conference titles.

Ferentz recruits well and he is familiar with the Pennsylvania region. He grew up in the Pittsburgh area and understands what Penn State football means to the people of Pennsylvania.

Urban Meyer may be the choice for many Nittany Lions fans, but Ferentz is a more realistic candidate than Meyer to replace Paterno, and is a better fit in State College.