Bill O'Brien says he's happy at Penn State

(State College) -- Penn State coach Bill O'Brien is reiterating his commitment to the Nittany Lions.

After a surprisingly successful 8-4 season, several NFL teams came knocking at O'Brien's door.

While acknowledging having preliminary conversations with some of them, he says he loves coaching at Penn State. "This is a top-10 football program," he says. "This is one of the best academic institutions in the country."

O'Brien says no job was ever offered and denies using the NFL as leverage to get more money out of the university. "It's not true. It's never happened and it never will happen," he says. "That's the last thing that I'm about. If I was about money...if I was about money, more than likely, I probably wouldn't be sitting here right now. It's not about money."

The Penn State coach was named Coach of the Year by the Maxwell Club and the Big Ten.

The Nittany Lions still face three years of NCAA sanctions, including a ban on postseason play and a reduction in scholarships.