Penn State is in a place no one thought they would be in before the 2025 football season started. The Nittany Lions were ranked No.2 in the Preseason AP Top 25 rankings, and now they are out of the rankings, have lost three games in a row, and have fired James Franklin.
What in the world happened?
That is the question that every Penn State fan is asking right now. Fans knew Franklin wasn't perfect; he struggled to win the big games, but he always had the Nittany Lions in it. Now, with no head coach, Penn State is spiraling, and the biggest question on the board is who in the world does the university go get that is going to be better?
Any coach who is going to be better is probably pretty happy at their program right now with the success they are having, but if the offer is just right, maybe it can lure them away.
So, here are three current head coaches in college football that Penn State could likely be contacting as we speak.
1. Curt Cignetti
Curt Cignetti just helped Indiana win probably the biggest game in program history, taking down the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. That was something Penn State wasn't able to do, but Cignetti's mix of a solid offense and stifling defense helped the Hoosier secure the win and remain undefeated.
This was the big win that Cignetti needed at Indiana to prove that the Hoosiers are for real. After being thumped by Ohio State and Notre Dame last season, the two best teams the Hoosiers played, Cirgnetti needed a signature win, and the one against Oregon was just right.
Cignetti has a 17-2 record at Indiana right now and has proven that even in his past coaching jobs, he is a winner wherever he goes. If Penn State were to make the right offer, he could potentially stray, but who knows?
2. Dan Lanning
Even though Dan Lanning has been adamant about staying at Oregon at least until he wins a championship with the Ducks, it feels like, for the right price, he could move across the country. Lanning, like a coach like Ryan Day, has everything he could ever want at Oregon with the money, the players, and the brand; however, he could have the same at Penn State.
Lanning is another coach who has simply proven he is a winner, and the way he recruits is unlike any other coach in college football. With the Nittany Lions losing commitments left and right at the moment, bringing in a coach like Lanning would certainly help in the recruiting department.
3. Matt Rhule
Matt Rhule almost seems like the perfect coach for the job. He is a Penn State alum, went to high school in Pennsylvania, and even played under Joe Paterno. Rhule has definitely seen his fair share of coaching jobs, and if there is one thing he is good at doing, it is rebuilding a program.
Rhule has a three-year process of building a team from the ground up, and right now, the Nittany Lions are feeling pretty low. While Rhule has expressed his clear love for Nebraska, he is also a good friend of Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft. Could Rhule be lured back to the East Coast with a lofty job offer?