The 2025 Penn State football season ended in smoke after the Nittany Lions' high expectations. They went all-in on this season, and after they barely lost to Oregon in the White Out, everything came off the rails, and James Franklin was fired. Now, with the regular season almost over, it seems like Penn State is getting close to hiring its new head coach.
College football analyst and insider, Josh Pate, said on his show that he believes Penn State has zeroed in on its next head coach after a long search. That head coach seems to be Bob Chesney at James Madison. Chesney is a Pennsylvania native, but there is concern that it would be a significant jump in competition for him, as he has never coached at the Power level.
Pate said, “Here is what I will say. I think they have zeroed in on their guy for the past several days. I think that guy might be Bob Chesney. That’s who I think that guy may be. Now that’s not the only one who has gotten a look here. I don't even think that’s the only guy who they will have gotten well down the road in contract negotiations with. Whoever they hire, they will claim was the only guy they offered the job too. Which is what everybody does.”
Penn State is keeping its options open, starting with interim head coach Terry Smith, especially given the possibility that Chesney could coach into December and January if James Madison reaches the College Football Playoff. That schedule could hurt the Nittany Lions, and they might have to pick someone else.
Bob Chesney has had head coaching stops at Salve Regina, Assumption, Holy Cross, and now James Madison, and while his rise has been fast, he has no experience coaching at a power school. Making the jump from James Madison to coaching the Penn State football program would be significant, but not unprecedented.
At 48 years old, Chesney is still relatively young and has a proven track record as a head coach, with a career record of 130–51 and a 2–0 bowl-game record.
The Penn State football program is built and does not need to be torn down. All the resources are there, and if Chesney is the guy, he can come in and infuse the program with his energy immediately, especially as a Pennsylvania native.
