Report: Penn State interested in Mississippi State's Mullen

ESPN reported Tuesday that Penn State has expressed interest in Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen as it searches for its next head football coach. The report, which can be read here, cites an anonymous source.

In three years in Starkville, Mullen has a 20-17 record. He led the Bulldogs to a 6-6 record this season, including a 2-6 mark in SEC games.

Mullen was born in Drexel Hill and went to school at Ursinus College in Collegeville. He was an assistant to newly hired Ohio State coach Urban Meyer at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida, coaching talented collegiate quarterbacks such as Alex Smith, Chris Leak and Tim Tebow.

In his regularly scheduled press conference at Mississippi State on Tuesday, Mullen deflected questions about being rumored in connection with the Penn State job.

On Monday, Penn State appointed a six-person search committee to find its next head football coach. The committee is headed by acting athletic director David Joyner and will meet this week, according to a Penn State press release.

Joe Paterno was fired Nov. 9 by Penn State's Board of Trustees in the fallout of child sex abuse allegations against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Tom Bradley has been serving as the interim head coach since Paterno was relieved of his duties.

--Jake Kaplan