It was time for Penn State to move on from James Franklin. The entire environment had gotten so toxic from his 4-21 record against top 10 opponents that a preseason national championship contender imploded after a double overtime loss to one of the best teams in the country.
Rather than being dissuaded by the $50 million buyout and staying in an unhappy marriage as things continued to erode after losses to UCLA and Northwestern, the program ripped off the band-aid on Sunday. Still, it’s not easy to replace a head coach who won 104 games across 11.5 seasons and made a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinal just nine short months ago.
So, it’s paramount that Penn State hits a home run with its next hire, and even an alum like Matt Rhule may not qualify as a big enough splash to justify moving on from the program’s second-most successful head coach.
Regardless of who the next head man is, Rhule, Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, Iowa State's Matt Campbell, or somebody unexpected, they’ll take on the task of flipping Franklin’s roster, one that is loaded with veterans in their final season of eligibility. Still, they’ll likely keep a few pieces in places, and these four names are where they should start.
The four-star cornerback got the green light to burn his redshirt this season and has already played 111 snaps across five games. The 6-foot-tall, 195-pound freshman from Mater Dei High School was a major get in last year’s recruiting class and looks to be one of the defense’s few bright spots. With his eligibility already spent, he’ll likely play out the rest of the year under interim head coach Terry Smith, who was instrumental in his recruiting and will have a great opportunity to develop.
The former five-star burned his redshirt in 2024, then, with so much returning talent in the trenches, was unable to crack the starting lineup. Still, Penn State should have high hopes for Cousins, who has shown the versatility to play all five positions along the offensive line and could be an important piece of the future. Offensive line talent is hard to come by in the transfer portal, so keeping something in-house will go a long way in the rebuild.
Luke Reynolds is not Tyler Warren, but Penn State has established itself as Tight End U, and Reynolds is the clear heir to that throne. As a youth movement likely takes place after Drew Allar’s season-ending injury, he may even become Ethan Grunkemeyer’s favorite target for the rest of 2025.
Chaz Coleman was a three-star recruit for much of the process, but he was a late riser, and you can see why. As a true freshman, he has carved out a significant role on Penn State’s defensive line, taking snaps away from veterans Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zuriah Fisher. He’s undeniably the most talented young player on this roster and will fetch a pretty penny if he tests the Transfer Portal waters. So, the next coaching staff should just pay up to keep him in Happy Valley, because a dominant pass rusher with multiple years of eligibility remaining is worth it.