Penn State football needs to consider this off-the-wall head coach candidate

Penn State football has had a disappointing season by preseason expectations, leading to a new coaching era for the Nittany Lions (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten).

Despite the mixed reactions to the coaching vacancy in Happy Valley, it signals a sense of anticipation for change that hasn't been available in over a decade. As the 2025 season continues, though, new positions are opening up week-by-week and Penn State's candidate board is getting smaller by the day.

High-profile openings at LSU and Florida emerged following the Nittany Lions' initial decision to toss former head coach James Franklin to the curb with a $50 million buyout, creating other coach-hungry teams. On top of more competition athletic director Pat Kraft must face in the hiring process, employed coaches whose names surfaced in the candidate pool got chopped off one-by-one.

First, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti signed a new deal to stay with the Hoosiers, riding the momentum and hype around his name to earn a big payday. Then, Penn State alumni and current Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule did the same, adding two years to his deal with the Cornhuskers after the SEC head coaching openings sparked renewed interest among established coaches.

Whoever ends up in Happy Valley must be an upgrade from Franklin. The Nittany Lions can't afford a coaching mishap. They need a leader who delivers the expected results and surpasses Franklin's ceiling.

Penn State needs a winner. One man, who has yet to enter the head coach discussion seriously, quickly established himself and is an interesting option to throw into the mix: JMU head coach Bob Chesney.

While the jump from Harrisonburg to State College poses a massive jump in competition for Chesney, handling the pressure in his young career is not a concern. The Kulpmont, Penn. native is 127–51 in his career and 7-1 with the Dukes this season.

Across every level of college football, Chesney succeeded to this point. A challenge for the 48-year-old is enticing, and if he feels ready to take the next step forward in his career, there's no reason he shouldn't be considered as a candidate at the very least.

The main criticism of Chesney so far is inexperience. It's argued that his success at JMU is largely due to players recruited by the previous coach, Cignetti, before he left for Bloomington. Recruitment and player retention is a huge part of building a program, but winning is another. Chesney proved he can win with the right players, and the Nittany Lions are still full of talent despite the 2025 results so far.

For whatever school takes a risk on Chesney, it'll likely reap benefits similar to those of Cignetti and Indiana.

For Penn State, it should consider taking a chance as the upfront cost to acquire Chesney now will be worth the long-term investment. If the Nittany Lions wants their own Cignetti-esque coach, it needs to do what the Hoosiers did: take a risk and create that environment.

Chesney won coach of the year honors at practically every level he's coached, but it's clear his long-term home is yet to be determined. After taking big leaps in his young coaching career, Chesney proved he can handle the added pressure one level to the next. In Happy Valley, he has the opportunity to rebuild a program and take his talents to the next phase of his career.

Another bonus to Chesney is that State College is only 90 miles from his hometown, something Nittany Lions fans will love to see. That personal tie to Pennsylvania combined with his eagerness to win is almost too good to be true on paper. Chesney only continues building his resume, and Kraft should take a serious look at it.