Penn State football is officially moving on from the James Franklin era, and the search for his replacement is already taking shape. Days after the Nittany Lions’ shocking 22-21 home loss to Northwestern, their third straight defeat, the calls for Franklin’s firing finally reached their boiling point.
The longtime head coach, who led the program back to national relevance with five 11-win seasons and a 2016 Big Ten title, was dismissed following the loss.
The frustration had been building for weeks. Once ranked No. 2 in the nation and a projected College Football Playoff contender, Penn State spiraled with back-to-back losses to UCLA and Northwestern, capped off by a season-ending injury to quarterback Drew Allar.
Fans flooded social media with “Fire Franklin” chants, while alumni and boosters began pressing for change. Franklin’s 104-45 record and $50 million buyout weren’t enough to save him from one of the program’s most disappointing collapses in recent memory.
Now, attention has turned to who will take the reins in Happy Valley. According to The New York Times, two clear front-runners have emerged; both Big Ten coaches with deep local ties and proven success.
Curt Cignetti of Indiana has quickly risen to the top of Penn State’s wish list. The 64-year-old Pittsburgh native has turned Indiana into a contender in just two seasons, leading the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff in Year 1 and boasting a 17-2 record.
His team’s upset win at Oregon, featuring six sacks and 30 points on the road, made waves nationwide. Cignetti’s fiery leadership and ability to build a winning culture make him the “splash hire” candidate, though his $13 million buyout before December 1 could complicate things.
Another strong contender is Nebraska’s Matt Rhule, and his connection to Penn State runs deep. A former Nittany Lions linebacker, Rhule also has close ties to athletic director Pat Kraft from their Temple days.
“Matt loves Pat and Pat loves Matt,” a source told The New York Times. Rhule’s résumé includes back-to-back 10-win seasons at Temple, a program revival at Baylor, and a steady rebuild at Nebraska, where he’s guided the Huskers from 5-7 to 7-6 and now 5-1. His buyout is reportedly $5 million.
Penn State’s farewell to Franklin also drew attention online. Soon after announcing his dismissal, the program’s official X account posted, “Thank you for everything, CJF,” alongside a “Thank you, Coach Franklin” graphic.
Replies were disabled, but that didn’t stop fans from flooding the quote tweets, some grateful, others relieved. The post quickly went viral, symbolizing the end of an era that began with hope and ended in frustration.
Penn State’s search is expected to move quickly as recruiting season looms. Whoever steps in will inherit high expectations and the pressure to restore one of college football’s proudest programs.
