University Of Tennessee Defends Schiano Vetting: Report

WYCKOFF, NJ — The University of Tennessee athletic director defended the process of hiring township native Greg Schiano to be the Volunteers next head football coach a day after talks broke down between the two following public blowback.

John Currie issued a statement Monday "acknowledging" that Schiano, a Wyckoff native, was a leading candidate to be the next head coach of the football team before the deal fell apart, ESPN reported.

Currie said the university "carefully interviewed and vetted" Schiano, who "received the highest recommendations," the report said.

Patch could not obtain a copy of Currie's statement. A University of Tennessee spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

ESPN previously reported that the backlash against Schiano's hiring was because of his alleged connection to Jerry Sandusky and the Penn State sexual abuse scandal.

A rock at Tennessee's campus had the words "Schiano covered up child rape at Penn State" painted on it Sunday after news of Schiano's then-pending hiring broke, ESPN reported. Schiano was an assistant coach under the late, and legendary, Penn State coach Joe Paterno while Sandusky worked under Paterno. Schiano worked there from 1990 to 1995.

Schiano tweeted in 2016 that he did not see any abuse and had no reason to suspect it while working at Penn State, according to the report.

Schiano is the associate head coach and defensive coordinator of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team.

Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer called Schiano, "an elite father, elite husband, and that carries over to how he handles his players," ESPN reported.

Schiano coached at Rutgers for 11 seasons and the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two seasons. Tampa Bay went 11-21 during Schiano's tenure.

Government officials and representatives have also expressed their opinions about Schiano's near-hiring.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reportedly wrote a Facebook post Sunday afternoon criticizing university officials for the move.

"Guess who's the new head football coach at the University of Tennesse (sic). Yup. The guy who covered for Jerry Sandusky. #GregSchiano,'' Sanders reportedly wrote on her personal Facebook account, NJ.com reported.

Senator and former Governor Richard J. Codey said he "disheartened" at the way Schiano was treated by the University of Tennessee community. He also called out Sanders.

"I am dismayed, but not surprised, by the White House press secretary’s uninformed comments that sought to validate the outrageous and unsubstantiated claims and that further inflamed the situation," Codey. "The Good Ol’ Boys and Sarah Huckabee should be questioning their support of Roy Moore and not attacking a man that we know here is of the highest character and a role model and mentor to scores of his former players."

RELATED: Did Alleged Role In Sex Abuse Case Cost Wyckoff Coach New Job?

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Photo: Former Rutgers football head coach, now Ohio State associate head coach/defensive coordinator, Greg Schiano running onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Rutgers in Piscataway. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)