Navy sinks rumor that coach eyed by Penn State

An Internet report about Penn State's job search to replace Joe Paterno was dismissed yesterday.

A Navy spokesman said Penn State has not contacted Middies football coach Ken Niumatalolo about its head-coaching position.

"Just talked to coach Niumatalolo and he said it wasn't true," Naval Academy associate athletic director for sports information Scott Strasemeier said in an email.

The FootballScoop.com website reported yesterday: "Don't know how this one will play out; but passing along info from good sources . . . Penn State representatives have contacted Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo."

Said Strasemeier: "I also talked to our athletic director, Chet Gladchuk, and he said when we signed coach Niumatalolo to a long-term contract on April 21 that he said he wanted to coach at the Naval Academy for the rest of his life and there is no reason to believe that has changed.

"I can also confirm that Penn State has not contacted Navy."

Niumatalolo, 46, is 32-21 in four seasons at Navy, 5-7 this year.