Penn State Greg Schiano.JPG

Greg Schiano is reported to be a candidate for the Penn State coaching job.

(Daniel Wallace/Tampa Bay Times/MCT)

Is Penn State coach Bill O'Brien close to a deal to become head coach of the Houston Texans?

ESPN reported Saturday that O'Brien has emerged as the overwhelming favorite and that the two sides are "working to get a deal in place within the next week."

But Penn State recruits and current Nittany Lions who say they have spoken to O'Brien recently, are indicating that O'Brien has calmed their fears -- at least for now.

Why is this important to New Jersey fans?

Because if O'Brien takes the NFL job, it would open the Penn State position to ex-Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, who might have reached the realization, after two trying seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, that the NFL isn't for him.

PennLive's David Jones reported last week that "at least three other head coaches have had their intermediaries inquire about the Penn State job." He listed Mike Munchak of the Tennessee Titans, Schiano and Vanderbilt's James Franklin as the interested parties.

Munchak and Schiano have denied the reports.

“You know, I heard that,” Schiano told the Tampa Bay Times. “No, there’s zero truth to that. And I’ll make it clear: The only job I want is the one I have right now.”

But will Schiano, rumored to be on the hot seat, have a job when the season ends?

O'Brien interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns last offseason, but returned to Penn State with a new deal, and the school agreed to lower his buyout from $19 million to $6.5 million should he take an NFL head-coaching job, the ESPN report said. ESPN added there have been conversations to further reduce the buyout.