Report: Patriots Offensive Coordinator Bill O’Brien Top Candidate for Penn State Head Coach Position

Forty years ago, the Patriots tried to hire Joe Paterno away from Penn State to become their head coach. Now the Nittany Lions are trying to get a New England coach to make the reverse trip.

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien is Penn State's top choice to fill the position filled for 46 by Paterno and currently manned by interim coach Tom Bradley, ESPN reports. A meeting could be held this week to work out a deal, according to the report.

Titans head coach Mike Munchak had been reported as Penn State's first choice, but Munchak said last wek that he was staying in Tennessee.

O'Brien would be the second coordinator under Belichick to depart become a head coach at the college level. Charlie Weis was the Patriots' offensive coordinator before leaving to coach Notre Dame in 2005.