"Penn State has identified New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien as the coach it wants to succeed Joe Paterno, sources told ESPN. The two sides are expected to meet this week to try to work out a deal.

With New England getting ready to head into its bye week before the AFC divisional playoffs, and with Penn State's season finishing up Monday against Houston in the TicketCity Bowl, the school is expected to intensify its efforts to hire O'Brien.

Last week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak was the school's choice to succeed Paterno. Munchak responded to the report saying he wasn't leaving Tennessee. On Saturday, sources told ESPN's Joe Schad that Munchak was torn about reconsidering that stance.

Penn State has been eyeing, scouting and honing in on the 42-year-old O'Brien throughout the past month, sources said. He fits the profile of the head coach Penn State has been seeking. O'Brien is well-schooled and has a mixture of experience at the college and pro levels. In an odd coincidence, O'Brien even attended and played football at Brown, as Paterno did.

O'Brien is in the last year of his contract as the Patriots offensive coordinator.

"Bill is focusing on another Super Bowl run," O'Brien's agent, Joe Linta, said Sunday. "However, if an NFL team or Penn State seeks permission from Bill Belichick, then Bill will speak to them."

At a Penn State pep rally Sunday outside the Cotton Bowl, acting athletic director David Joyner cut off a reporter's question about the report and said, "No, don't believe anything you read in the newspapers. I was taught that long time ago.""