Tennessee fans protested on the school's campus after reports surfaced that Greg Schiano would be the Volunteers' next head coach.
While an announcement had not been made yet, 11Alive news partner USA Today Sports reported on Sunday that the Ohio State defensive coordinator was in final discussions with the Vols to replace Butch Jones.
Now, Rivals is reporting that Schiano will not be the coach after the fan backlash on social media and on campus. Instead, they will continue their search.
Fans began appearing at Neyland Stadium Sunday afternoon with signs and protested at street corners. Someone painted over a large boulder and wrote, "Schiano covered up child rape at Penn State."
Schiano is connected to the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal at Penn State. Sandusky was arrested and charged with 52 counts of sexual abuse of young boys over a 15-year period. He was sentenced to 60 years in prision.
Testimony from former Penn State assistant Mike McQueary released by a Philadelphia court included allegations that Schiano knew that Sandusky was sexually abusing boys. Schiano testified that he had reported seeing Sandusky rape a boy to Joe Paterno, the late Penn State coach.
Tennessee fans are not happy about the potential hiring of Greg Schiano
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 26, 2017
(📷: @LouisWBIR) https://t.co/o5Y9jKALEx pic.twitter.com/eeeUN9TPZz
Dozens of protesters arrived on Tennessee's campus after the news spread, and some even called for Athletics Director John Currie, university chancellor Beverly Davenport and other Tennessee personnel to be fired over the potential hire. The protesters left after the sunset.
Before going to Ohio State, Schiano was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2012-13. His only other head coaching job was with the Rutgers.
Vols fans have been hoping for a big name, such as former Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, to be the next head coach. Gruden nearly became the coach when the position opened in 2012 but eventually turned it down.
Schiano's head coaching record in the NCAA is 68-67.
