Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen vehemently denied a Jackson WAPT-TV report that he is close to a deal with Penn State.
“Yeah I heard about the TV report,” Mullen said Tuesday night at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Jackson. “It’s the most irresponsible reporting that I’ve ever heard of.”
Mullen said he had not been so much as contacted by Penn State “or any other school.”
Mullen, in town for the Conerly Trophy presentation dinner, then took it a step further.
“I blame it on rival institutions trying to ruin our recruiting which we have dominated in this state over the past three years,” Mullen said.
WAPT reported that “Sources close to Mississippi State University’s program have said that football coach Dan Mullen is close to signing a deal t replace Joe Paterno at Penn State.”
Mississippi State athletic director Scott Sticklin, also attending Monday’s Conerly Trophy presentation, also denied the WAPT report.
Said Stricklin: “They quoted a source close to the school. I can’t imagine who that could be, because I haven’t been contacted by Penn State and Dan hasn’t been contacted by Penn State. It’s not a story, period.”
Contacted by The Clarion-Ledger about his station’s report, Ray Coleman of WAPT said: “According to my source, Penn State was going to make an announcement today that Dan Mullen would be the next head coach.”
