Sometimes there are firings in college football that you can see coming a mile away. Others you can scarcely believe.
When it comes to Penn State axing James Franklin on Sunday after a stunning loss to Northwestern, the truth is both.
How is it possible that a head coach who was in a College Football Playoff semifinal—and was a pass away from the national title game—is somehow fired 276 days later with a near $50 million buyout?
When a universal preseason top five team with championship aspirations sees its season over before it’s even light-jacket weather though, things come into greater focus that this is one of the all-time greatest collapses in college football history between a program and its head coach. Now, Franklin is sitting at home having gone 104–45 in Happy Valley with five top 10 finishes, some major postseason wins like the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl and the second-largest buyout ever.
When you come to grips with that, your mind starts to wonder who the Nittany Lions will go out to get next on what should be a particularly active coaching carousel. Their search figures to center on two current Big Ten head coaches, but things are likely to go a number of different directions given how crazy the cycle has already been.
Who could Penn State turn to? Here are eight candidates who could be a great fit.
Matt Rhule, Nebraska head coach
This is likely to be the first call for Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft as the two are not only close, but Rhule is also a beloved former linebacker who would bring with him a link to the past. He’s also an excellent turnaround artist who has impressed at Temple, Baylor and now with the Cornhuskers. Nebraska plays at Beaver Stadium on Nov. 22 and you can bet there will be numerous signs and chants from the fans begging Rhule to come home.
Curt Cignetti, Indiana head coach
There’s no such thing as a fool-proof hire, but if Penn State would back the Brink’s truck up to Bloomington, Ind., to lure Cignetti away, this is about as close as they come. He’s from Pittsburgh, got his first head coaching gig at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and obviously knows how to win based on turning Indiana into a true Big Ten contender virtually overnight. The question is whether Cignetti would entertain the idea of a move east or is comfortable with having a statue built of him in Indiana.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss head coach
Kiffin’s name will be a hot one this cycle, though there are questions over if he would really agitate for a big move after getting so much on- and off-field alignment in Oxford, Miss. He’s an offensive mind who has held big jobs before and could benefit massively from being at a job like Penn State and have a clearer path to a national title in the Big Ten.
Brian Kelly, LSU head coach
There’s a case to be made that Kelly and Franklin were the two most successful head coaches not to have won a national title and that going from one to the other will only produce the same results in State College, Pa. But Kelly is a serial winner and seems like a much better cultural fit at Penn State than LSU. A change of scenery on the coach’s end and a big name on the school’s end could be a win all around.
Matt Campbell, Iowa State head coach
Campbell has done wonders as one of the best coaches in Iowa State history but may finally have the opening to make the step up to a blueblood job like Penn State this cycle. He’s talked with some NFL teams in recent years but seems like a college lifer who could help get Penn State over the hump after thriving in a hard-to-win job like the Cyclones.
Manny Diaz, Duke head coach
Diaz was the Nittany Lions’ defensive coordinator in 2022–23 so he knows the lay of the land in State College and what works. He really elevated his unit into an elite group during his time there and has a wealth of coaching experience to go with good connections up and down the Eastern seaboard. This wouldn’t fire up the fan base as much as others, but he could thrive if given the opportunity—especially in this day and age of NIL.
Dan Mullen, UNLV head coach
Mullen has one of the big surprises of the 2024 season with the Rebels off to a 6–0 start in his return from the booth. He was a phenomenal Xs and Os guy at Mississippi State and Florida, and if you could pair him with a strong general manager to handle recruiting, that could be an incredible combination to get over the hump. He would love to get another Power 4 shot and is from the state, too.
Mike Tomlin, Steelers head coach
It’s been nine seasons since Tomlin won a playoff game and even longer since that lone Super Bowl title. The Steelers franchise values continuity, but there’s been increasing talk in recent years about a mutual separation if those trends continue. While Tomlin could likely walk into any broadcast booth in the country and would have other NFL teams fighting for his services, his style would resonate well in college and could be worth at least checking in on to take a big swing if you’re Penn State.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Eight Candidates for Penn State Football Coaching Search After James Franklin Firing.
