SATURDAY A.M. Smith is staying with Penn State, per multiple reports. He has signed a four-year deal to be on Matt Campbell's staff. The Huskies will now have to look elsewhere.

With the news that Penn State is moving toward an agreement with Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell for its head coaching vacancy, it looks like one of UConn's head coaching candidates is now going to be available. 

On Thursday, we heard that UConn is interested in Terry Smith, who had been serving as the interim head coach with the Nittany Lions. With him not getting that job, he figures to be more accessible for the Huskies.

Connecticut needs a head coach because Jim Mora just left to take the head job at Colorado State. The Huskies finished 9-3 this season and will play in a to-be-announced bowl game.

Per UConn Roundtable reporter Jami Leabow, who had more information on Smith:

Smith, 56, was promoted from associate head coach and cornerbacks coach to the interim job after Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12. His dismissal came after three consecutive losses in the Big Ten left the Nittany Lions 3-3 to start the season.

Under Smith, Penn State lost its first three games – to Iowa, to No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana – before closing out with three conference wins to become bowl-eligible. Those victories came against Michigan State, Nebraska and Rutgers.

Smith played his college football at Penn State and was a wide receiver, though he's now spent 12 years on the Nittany Lions staff as a defensive coach, working with cornerbacks notably. He's had five seasons as an associate head coach.

He's also coached at the high school level, at Duquense and at Temple.

Would Smith come to Storrs?

At this point, it's too early in the process to know anything officially. We don't know the level of interest that UConn has in him, and we don't know how Smith feels about the situation at his alma mater.

Does he want to stay and work at a place that is clearly special to him? Will Campbell want to retain him because of his Penn State background and his recruiting expertise? None of that is known at this time.

Also on campus

The UConn men's basketball team is 7-1 on the season and they'll be back in action on Friday night when they host East Texas A&M at 7:30 p.m. ET.

This game will serve as the backdrop for a much bigger game on Dec. 9 when the Huskies take on nationally-ranked Florida at Madison Square Garden (9 p.m. ET).

The Connecticut women are 8-0 on the season and they'll be back home on Sunday for a conference matchup with DePaul. Tip-off is 1 p.m. ET. Sue Bird will also have her No. 10 retired before the game.

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