Reports: Scratch Dungy, Ferentz off Penn State list

LOOKS AS if you can cross Tony Dungy and Iowa's Kirk Ferentz off the list to be the next coach at Penn State.

Dungy, the former Super Bowl-winning coach with the Indianapolis Colts, told USA Today, "I'm flattered when people mention my name, but I'm really in the parent mode right now."

Dungy, an NBC analyst, said his son, Eric, is a freshman wide receiver at Oregon and "I don't see doing anything other than [that] for the next 4 years."

Ferentz is represented by agent Neil Cornrich. A report in the Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said Cornrich contacted Penn State on behalf of a client.

Ferentz told the newspaper that client was not him.

"Am I a candidate? I'll be coaching at Iowa next year, is that your question?" Ferentz said. "Year 14 coming up. As long as Iowa will have me, I'll be here."

Penn State has formed a search committee to look for Joe Paterno's successor. University president Rod Erickson has said he expects a new coach in place by the bowl game.

Penn State faces Houston in the TicketCity Bowl on Jan. 2.

NCAA president Mark Emmert said he is willing to help colleges and universities do a better job protecting minors on campus.

In the wake of two disturbing child sex-abuse allegations in the last month, Emmert said he has contacted U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan so he can advise school leaders about the best practices in dealing with ball boys, ball girls and students who attend summer camps.

"We're looking into that right now," Emmert told the Associated Press. "Because we've never been involved with this kind of thing before, we're trying to determine what is the best thing to do."

Emmert did not provide specific details on what those guidelines may include, how extensive they could be or when they might be completed.

Emmert said he wants to prevent future improprieties from occurring and wants to find out if there is a pervasive culture within athletic departments that could lead to coverups of criminal conduct.

"When you have a veil of secrecy, you have the potential for abusive behavior whether it's in the Catholic church, a school or whatever, and that applies to all of us, not just the NCAA," Emmert told reporters in Indianapolis.

Emmert's comments came in the wake of recent allegations at Penn State and Syracuse.

After a grand jury report accused former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky of abusing eight boys over a 15-year period, university trustees fired coach Joe Paterno and school president Graham Spanier. Two other former Penn State officials are charged with failing to report complaints of abuse and with lying to a grand jury. They have pleaded not guilty.

Last week, after three men accused Bernie Fine of molesting them, Syracuse fired the longtime assistant basketball coach.

Federal authorities are investigating, but no charges have been filed.