Two people with knowledge of the situation tell The Associated Press that Minnesota reached out to Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead about its open head coaching job and was turned away.

Minnesota contacted Moorhead’s agent to gauge the possibility of landing the highly thought of assistant, but was told that Moorhead wasn’t interested in leaving the Nittany Lions. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because the school is not publicly discussing the specifics of its coaching search.

Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle fired coach Tracy Claeys on Tuesday after the program became embroiled in a standoff between the players and the administration over the suspension of 10 players in connection with an alleged sexual assault. Coyle promised Tuesday to move quickly to fill the position.