Tennessee fans are getting their way.

After fans gathered outside of Neyland Stadium Sunday to protest a rumored hire of Ohio State's defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, talks between Tennessee officials and Schiano broke down in midst of the backlash, according to multiple reports. Despite a signed memorandum of understanding between Schiano and athletic director John Currie, the deal was called off.

Currie had planned to announce the hiring of Schiano Sunday night but criticism of his alleged role in the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State — including from White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders — reportedly caused a rift in the negotiations.

Schiano was a Penn State assistant under Joe Paterno during Sandusky's tenure and has denied an allegation of his knowledge of child abuse by Sandusky. Still Sanders and Tennessee State Rep. Jeremy Faison spoke out against Schiano being hired because of it.

"The head football coach at the University of Tennessee is the highest-paid state employee,'' Faison said. "They're the face of our state. We don't need a man who has that type of potential reproach in their life as the highest-paid state employee. It's egregious to the people and it's wrong to the taxpayers.''

Schiano, 51, is in his third season as Ohio State's defensive coordinator. Prior to coaching under Urban Meyer, he spent two years in the NFL as the Buccaneers head coach. Schiano also spent 11 seasons leading Rutgers' football program where he posted a 68-67 record and won five consecutive bowl games.

The head coach position at Tennessee has been open since Currie fired Butch Jones on Nov. 12. Currie promised to spearhead "an exhaustive search" to replace Jones. ESPN broadcaster Jon Gruden is the coach most Tennessee fans want in Knoxville next season.