Not to say I told you so, but…
Back on July 8, 2010 – more than 200 days ago – I wrote on these very digital pages that I thought Mike Munchak would be a good candidate to replace Joe Paterno.
Apparently, Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams thinks Munchak would be a good head coach, too.
…OK, I told you so.
It looks like Munchak, a standout guard for the Nittany Lions in 1979 and 1981, is a leading candidate to replace Jeff Fisher, who “parted ways” on Thursday with the Tennessee Titans after 16 years as their head coach.
And Munchak could be the guy who succeeds Fisher, who had been the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach.
That’s what SI.com and the Tennessean are reporting.
If he doesn’t get the job – and many Nittany Lion fans could be hoping he doesn’t – Munchak should jump high atop the list of possible successors to Paterno.
RIGHT ON THE MUNEY
Munchak, who turns 51 in March, is the right blend of experience, relative youth, big-time credentials, even-keeled mentality, loyalty (his entire pro career has been with the Oilers/Titans) and Penn State and Pennsylvania roots – he is a native of Scranton.
And he knows how to coach the hell out of an offensive line.
If he doesn’t get Fisher’s job, I’ll gladly be the driver, once again, of Munchak’s Penn State bandwagon. (That’s if the off-season job-searching scramble by Tom Bradley means that he isn’t in the running to follow in Joe’s very considerable footsteps.)
I like Munchak. Back when I covered the team as an undergraduate for The Collegian, Munchak was a really good guy. Measured, friendly, positive, low-key.
At Penn State, Munchak played on perhaps the Nittany Lions’ best-ever offensive line, opening holes for two-time All-American running back Curt Warner with All-Americans Bill Dugan (tackle, 1980) and guard Sean Farrell (guard, 1980 and 1981). Center Pete Speros, a team captain in 1982, and tackle Ron Heller, who had a stellar pro career, rounded out the Lions’ front five in 1981.
A TITAN CAREER
Munchak has been a longtime offensive coach for the Titans, dating back to when they were the Houston Oilers. He has been Tennessee’s offensive line coach since 1997, and from 1994-96 he was an offensive assistant and quality control assistant with the Oilers.
Munchak was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. He was the Oilers’ first-round draft pick, and eighth selection overall, in the 1982 NFL Draft. He played in 159 regular season games and 10 playoff games. He was an All-Pro nine times.
As a coach, his offensive line paved the way for five different running backs to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. Munchak has had four different offensive lineman named to the Pro Bowl.
Last season, Munchak’s line helped Titans running back Chris Johnson run for 2,006 yards, making him only the sixth player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season.
For more about Munchak, check out the Titans’ website.
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