Penn State football beat Rutgers, 40-36, on Saturday. The win gave the Nittany Lions (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) bowl eligibility and interim head coach Terry Smith another victory on his resume.
Shootout win against Rutgers is exactly why Terry Smith should not be the next HC
After the game, reporters asked Smith if he had any clarification on his future in Happy Valley. His response avoided a direct answer to the question.
"Last week I came in with a lot of energy so to speak," Smith said. "This week, I'm just thankful we won the game. I'm thankful we have an opportunity to go to a bowl game. Thankful for these guys that played their hearts out for all of us. And I just told our guys we're going to have an opportunity to go play in a bowl game yet to be determined . . . and then we just start game planning from there; and take care of our veteran guys, and get our young guy's a lot of work and get them ready."
Interim head coach Terry Smith asked if he has received any clarification on his future with Penn State
— Lexie Linderman (@lexielinderman) November 30, 2025
His answer: pic.twitter.com/QmLPShWUtd
Regardless of his conversation with athletic director Pat Kraft, Smith was not going to give a clear answer on what his future is like. Completely avoiding any mention of a discussion or interview with Kraft, though, is a sign Smith won't lead the charge moving forward. His answer in the postgame press conference hints at nothing except the very short-term future where he coaches the Nittany Lions through their non-playoff bowl contest.
On top of that, his energy from Week 13 to Week 14 shifted. After beating Nebraska, it seemed like Smith had a legitimate shot at getting hired. After beating Rutgers, though, Smith is all about getting the players prepared for the bowl game — nothing more.
The support from players and fans for Smith to be the next Penn State head coach remains high, even though the shootout victory on Saturday is reason enough to seek a different candidate. That doesn't make Kraft's position any easier, though, as players still remain loyal to their interim, saying they'll stick around if he gets the job. Especially if the Nittany Lions win their bowl game, announcing a new name at the helm of the program that isn't Smith will feel like a slap in the face to some players and fans.
That's what the Nittany Lions need, though. Smith did his job as interim and did it well, but that's not enough to promote him full-time. Remaining on the staff outside of that position is the perfect solution for Kraft, Smith, and Penn State if that's the direction all parties go with.