The coaching carousel around Penn State continues to heat up following James Franklin’s dismissal, and Indiana’s Curt Cignetti has done little to quiet the rumors. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the Hoosiers’ head coach praised interim Penn State coach Terry Smith, calling him “a great football coach” and adding that he’ll “do a great job there.”
Both Cignetti and Smith share ties to the Gateway Gators program in Pennsylvania, and their connection sparked renewed speculation about Cignetti’s potential interest in the Penn State job.
Although he hasn’t indicated plans to leave Indiana, Cignetti’s success, guiding the Hoosiers to a Top 5 national ranking in just his second season, has made him one of the most coveted names in college football.
Still, many within the program believe another candidate might be the ideal fit: Nebraska’s Matt Rhule. According to multiple reports, Rhule, who previously worked under athletic director Pat Kraft at Temple, has maintained a close relationship with him.
Their history, coupled with Rhule’s reputation for rebuilding programs, has fueled talk that he could be the long-term answer in State College.
Rhule has turned Nebraska around since arriving in Lincoln, guiding the Cornhuskers to their first winning season in seven years in 2024 and a 5-1 record this fall. A former walk-on linebacker for the Nittany Lions in the 1990s, Rhule didn’t deny his affection for the program when asked this week, as noticed by ESPN.
“I love that place,” he said. “I love Pat. I love James Franklin and am sad that came to an end. I wish him the absolute best. But I’m really happy here.”
Even so, one former Penn State staffer told CBS Sports the pairing feels natural. “They’re probably a perfect marriage,” the staffer said. “If you’re Pat, you hope Matt finishes really strong, and you can parade him in front of your donors. They have to hire somebody who infuses confidence into the fan base.”
Meanwhile, Franklin has remained silent since his firing, reportedly declining interview requests from major outlets like ESPN and The Athletic. Despite a 104-win tenure and six double-digit-win seasons, insiders say the administration felt the program had plateaued.
One university source told ESPN that Franklin “had everything he needed to win a national championship,” but expectations eventually outweighed results.
Now, with Smith holding the interim role and Cignetti and Rhule looming as potential successors, the pressure is on Kraft to make the right move. Penn State’s next hire could determine whether the program stays competitive in the Big Ten’s new era or risks falling behind entirely.
