Posted by: Josh Kendall on November 30, 2012

Bill O'Brien's name is on the short list for national coach of the year this season, but Penn State's first-year head coach listed two men he thinks are more qualified than him Friday morning.

"There's Brian Kelly, you've got Urban Meyer," O'Brien said on SiriusXM College Sports Nation. "You have a number of guys who are more deserving than me of that award, but I appreciate it. It's a humbling award."

O'Brien, who faced perhaps the most challenging first year of a coach in college football history considering the scandal surrounding the school and enormous NCAA sanctions announced after he took the job, already has been named the Big Ten coach of the year. Penn State started the season 0-2 but finished 8-4 with a 24-21 overtime win over Wisconsin last week. The Nittany Lions are not eligible for a bowl game.

"I've been fortunate to be in some pretty neat locker room scenes," O'Brien said of the postgame celebration following the Wisconsin win. "I can tell you this was one of the better locker room scenes I have been a part of. The players were all jumping around. Somebody threw me into the middle of the mosh pit. I was a little concerned about my own health there. It was a great emotional locker room. It was a bunch of kids who put a bunch into that year."

Here's an emotional O'Brien talking about the Wisconsin win:

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Josh Kendall is a staff writer for CoachingSearch.com and has covered the SEC for more than 15 years for papers such as the Athens Banner-Herald, Macon Telegraph, and The State. He’s the father of two boys who he’s hoping don’t inherit his wide receiver frame and offensive guard feet. Follow @EyeOnCoaches on twitter and send your feedback to josh@coachingsearch.com