Pats assistant may be PSU’s choice

Associated Press

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.

ESPN says New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will replace Joe Paterno as Penn State’s head football coach.

Sources told ESPN that the Nittany Lions plan to make the move official with an announcement Saturday.

Thursday, O’Brien interviewed for the vacant Penn State head-coaching position, his agent said.

Agent Joe Linta told The Associated Press that O’Brien was “flattered by the interest.”

In his first year coordinating the Patriots’ high-scoring offense, O’Brien has also coached star quarterback Tom Brady since 2009. He spent 2008 coaching receivers.

O’Brien first joined New England in 2007 following 14 seasons on the collegiate level, including stops at Duke, Maryland and Georgia Tech. He played college football at Brown — Joe Paterno’s alma mater.

Paterno was fired two months ago in the aftermath of child sex abuse charges against retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. Paterno, Division I’s winningest coach with 409 victories, coached 46 seasons before trustees ousted him Nov. 9.

Acting athletic director David Joyner has said he would like to give Paterno’s replacement at least a few weeks to recruit before high school seniors can begin to announce their official intentions to attend college on Feb. 1.