Penn State's Coaching Gamble Yields Early Disaster
AI-generated image · US National Wire
A chaotic midseason firing and a botched search have left the Nittany Lions struggling under new leadership.
Penn State's attempt to elevate the program to national championship status has resulted in a stark decline on the field, as CBS Sports first reported. According to the outlet, Athletic Director Pat Kraft fired head coach James Franklin on Oct. 12 last year following a loss to Northwestern that left the team at 3-3. While Franklin had previously led the program to a College Football Playoff semifinal, the administration sought a coach more capable of winning a title.
The subsequent 54-day search was described by CBS Sports as a mess. High-profile targets including Nebraska's Matt Rhule, Texas A&M's Mike Elko, and Indiana's Curt Cignetti declined the position, while Alabama's Kalen DeBoer was never a serious option. After considering candidates such as Louisville coach Jeff Brohm, former New York Giants coach Brian Daboll, and James Madison coach Bob Chesney, Penn State nearly hired BYU's Kalani Sitake, who ultimately reversed course to stay with the Cougars.
This instability triggered a recruiting collapse. CBS Sports reports that 24 recruits decommitted, causing a top-20 class to plummet outside the top 60. The Nittany Lions signed the third-worst class in the Big Ten, trailing programs like Syracuse, Rutgers, and Temple. Notably, 11 former commitments followed Franklin to Virginia Tech.
Penn State eventually hired Iowa State's Matt Campbell, who brought 24 players from Ames—including quarterback Rocco Becht—to State College. However, the transition has been rocky. Currently 3-2 and 12th in the Big Ten, Penn State recently suffered a 34-13 loss to Northwestern, where they were outgained 506-291. Meanwhile, Franklin has started his tenure at Virginia Tech with a 4-1 record.