Around 10 months ago, Penn State was on the verge of the national title game. Three months ago, the Nittany Lions entered 2025 as one of the most hyped teams in the country. Now, they're likely about to undergo a significant transition in leadership.
After an 0-3 start against Power Four teams, including losses to unranked UCLA and Northwestern, Penn State fired Franklin, who had led the team since 2014. It's been quite a while since the Nittany Lions needed a new coach — but now, one of the Big Ten's most famous brands will be entering a new era, with plenty of talent likely to depart as well.
There's been some ambiguity in Penn State's coaching search, from some reported high-profile targets landing extensions from their current schools to limited indications of which names the Nittany Lions have interest in.
Who is Penn State targeting to replace Franklin? Here are the latest news and rumors from the team's coaching search.
MORE: Who has the best odds to become Penn State's next coach?
Penn State coaching rumors tracker
Penn State negotiates new buyout amount for James Franklin
- Date: Nov. 17
- Source: On3
A potential financial factor in Penn State's new coaching search was reportedly settled, as James Franklin landed at Virginia Tech for an unknown contract amount. However, because language in Franklin's former Nittany Lions contract specified that his buyout amount would factor in how much he's paid by his new job, he will reportedly not be receiving the full $49 million buyout.
Per Pete Nakos, Penn State and Franklin negotiated a settlement on his buyout that gives him "roughly" $9 million, instead of the original $49 million.
MORE: Ranking the best fits to replace James Franklin at Penn State
Brent Key, Bob Chesney being 'explored' by Penn State, Daboll and Fitzgerald names to watch
- Date: Nov. 14
- Source: The Athletic
One of the first reports on Penn State's vacancy came on Nov. 14, as The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Ralph Russo reported that the Nittany Lions were still "exploring a lot of options." Those options included Georgia Tech’s Brent Key and James Madison’s Bob Chesney. Key has led Georgia Tech to a 9-1 start in the ACC in 2025 — and has expressed his commitment to stay with the team — while Chesney has James Madison atop the Sun Belt Conference.
Additionally, per The Athletic, Vanderbilt's Clark Lea is merely viewed as just a speculative fit for Penn State's job, with no real connections yet. The Nittany Lions have "vetted" on assistants like Oregon’s Will Stein and Ohio State’s Brian Hartline, though.
Three more names to watch in the search, per Feldman and Russo, are Pat Fitzgerald, Brian Daboll and Al Golden. Fitzgerald had three 10-win seasons at Northwestern prior to being fired, Daboll was recently let go by the New York Giants, and is a former OC at Alabama. He also has connections to Penn State, as his kids attended the school). Golden is now the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive coordinator.
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Reunion with Manny Diaz could be under consideration
- Date: Nov. 10
- Source: 247Sports
Manny Diaz, currently the head coach at Duke, could reportedly be a name to watch in Penn State’s coaching search. He makes sense as a candidate primarily because he has prior experience with the Nittany Lions.
From 2022–23, Diaz served as Penn State’s defensive coordinator under James Franklin, a stint during which the Nittany Lions boasted one of the country’s top defenses. In 2023, the Nittany Lions ranked No. 2 in total defense nationally, per CFB Stats, and in 2022, they ranked No. 17. While Penn State already has a big name at defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles, Diaz would help them lead further into a defensive identity.
Diaz was also the head coach at Miami from 2019-21, going 21-15 with the Hurricanes. He's found more success with the Blue Devils, leading the team to a 5-3 start in 2025.
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Cignetti, Rhule, Brohm, Elko among rumored coaches to land extensions
Because Penn State had one of the first coaching vacancies in college football, there’s been time for coaches to be linked to the program. However, many of the rumored or speculated candidates have already signed extensions with their current teams.
Curt Cignetti was one of the early hot names connected to Penn State. A Pennsylvania native, already in the Big Ten, and now one of the most respected coaches in the country, he seemed like a natural fit. But not long after Franklin was fired, Indiana re-signed Cignetti to a new eight-year contract reportedly worth around $11.6 million annually the school announced.
Around two weeks later, another rumored Nittany Lions target took his name out of the running. Matt Rhule had been insisting in press conference that he was committed to Nebraska, and he proved that by agreeing to a two-year contract extension that will take him through the 2032 season, the school announced.
Louisville's Jeff Brohm was another rumored name for Penn State, as he's led the Cardinals to three strong seasons in his tenure. But according to On3's report on Nov. 12, Louisville is "working" on a contract extension to keep Brohm with the team, seemingly taking his name out of the race as well.
One more potential target came off the board in November when Mike Elko signed a new six-year contract that extends through the 2031 season, Texas A&M announced. While Elko was never quite viewed as the kind of favorite for Penn State that Cignetti or Rhule may have been, there were questions over whether he'd depart from the Aggies for a more high-profile job with his 2025 success.