The fact that Penn State is yet to bring in a James Franklin replacement is something that everyone can't believe. There was hope that Kalani Sitake would be the man for the job, but BYU isn't letting him go anywhere. Now what for Pat Kraft and the Nittany Lions?
This former NFL coach is still in the Penn State conversation
This week, speculation has arrived that Penn State could give former NY Giants head coach Brian Daboll a serious look. Daboll over Terry Smith? That's something that's on the table, but plenty of people in Happy Valley aren't loving that idea. On social media, linebacker Tony Rojas made it clear that for him and his teammates, Smith is the only way to go. If Smith doesn't get the job, could it lead to a mass exodus via the transfer portal?
We stand with Terry or nobody else, that simple
— Tony Rojas (@Tony_Rojas5) December 4, 2025
Penn State LB Tony Rojas keeps pushing for Terry Smith to be given the head coach job
Those are some strong words from Rojas. When the Nittany Lions parted ways with Franklin, it seemed like Penn State was going to go all-in to bring in either Matt Rhule or Curt Cignetti. Since then, both veteran coaches have received extensions.
They're not the only ones, as Kraft has swung and missed on the other top targets high on his board. Losing Sitake was the final straw for a lot of people. With that said, Smith has the support of the players on campus and he knows what Penn State is all about. With so many other options no longer in the running, would it be smart to just give Smith the job and then circle back on other candidates next year?
Never that😂😂 theres just no other coach majority of us would wanna play under in this “global search” that Pat kraft said meets all the requirements of this Job when Terry has checked all the boxes and more , plus with all the genuine love he has for this place wont be matched https://t.co/cpkgsdYPCJ
— Tony Rojas (@Tony_Rojas5) December 4, 2025
With the Early Signing Period here, Penn State has only signed two prospects as of this writing. That's the negative result of not having a full-time head coach in place. On the other side of things, James Franklin has flipped countless Penn State commits to play for him at Virginia Tech.
The past few months have been a mess for the Nittany Lions, but some stability is needed now more than ever. Rojas is passionately saying that Smith should be given the job, but no one knows if that will happen or not. As for Daboll - Penn State supporters are going to want to keep a close eye on him.