New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has agreed to become Penn State's first new head football coach in nearly a half-century.

The Nittany Lions plan to announce O'Brien's hiring Saturday, sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen. Acting athletic director David Joyner on Friday did not say what the announcement would be about, when it would be made or how it would be communicated. Joyner met with the coaching staff on Friday afternoon.

According to a website that tracks flights, a plane registered

to Penn State returned from the Boston area to State College on

Friday evening. O'Brien was seen on campus with his family later in

the night, including a stop at the athletic department offices at

the Jordan Center.

Joyner declined comment on the

reports about O'Brien when he arrived Friday at the team's

spacious, glass-enclosed headquarters on campus. He was scheduled

to meet with the coaching staff and other officials at the program.

"I'm not going to confirm anything as I've always done out of

respect for people," Joyner told reporters. "When there is

something to confirm, I'll let you know."

By dusk, several coaches had trickled out one-by-one from the

football building to head home. Each declined comment, though when

asked, a couple assistants said they planned to return to work

Saturday.

A person familiar with the discussion told the AP Friday evening

that the assistant coaches were informed that a new head coach had

been hired, and was not from the current staff, though the

replacement was not identified. That person also spoke on condition

of anonymity because no one was authorized to speak about the

discussion.

The Associated Press reported Friday that terms and details of O'Brien's contract still needed to be set, that nothing was official and there was no signed contract.

Division I's winningest coach with 409 victories, Joe Paterno was

fired Nov. 9 by university trustees following 46 seasons in the

aftermath of child sex abuse charges against retired defensive

coordinator Jerry Sandusky. O'Brien has no apparent ties to Penn

State and a proud program tarnished by a scandal that also led to

the departure of school president Graham Spanier.

O'Brien and Paterno do share at least one connection though --

both coaches attended Brown University.

"I understand Bill O'Brien has been named head coach and I want

to congratulate him on his appointment," Paterno said in a

statement to the AP provided by his family. "I don't know Bill,

but I respect his coaching record, and I am particularly pleased we

share a connection to my alma mater, Brown."

"Despite recent commentary to the contrary, Penn State football

has always been about more than winning," Paterno added, citing

what he said was the program's commitment to education and

community service.

"I am hopeful this tradition will continue."