Penn State's Top HC Targets After James Franklin Fired amid Historic Contract Buyout

After a 3-3 start to a season that began with championship hopes, Penn State is moving on from head coach James Franklin.

The Nittany Lions fired Franklin on Sunday after a tenure that lasted more than 11 years.

Now, Penn State is tasked with finding a new head coach who can lead the Nittany Lions to the championship they've so long coveted. Here's a list of names to keep an eye on in the search.

Matt Rhule, HC, Nebraska

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After a three-year stint in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, Matt Rhule returned to the collegiate level in 2023 when he joined Nebraska. He saw improvement in his second season, going 7-6, and now has the Cornhuskers playing well in Year 3.

Nebraska jumped into the AP Top 25 this week after it improved to 5-1 with its win over Maryland on Saturday.

Rhule doesn't have a ton of national success on his resume, but he was a Big 12 Coach of the Year when he led Baylor to an 11-3 record, and he helped turn Temple into a solid Group of Five team during his stint with the Owls.

Rhule walked onto Penn State in 1994 and played linebacker for the Nittany Lions. He got his first coaching gig after graduating, joining the team as a volunteer assistant.

Rhule also has a connection to Penn State athletic director Patrick Kraft, who was Temple's AD when Rhule was the Owls' head coach.

Curt Cignetti, HC, Indiana

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It's hard to find a head coach in college football who has risen to prominence as fast as Indiana's Curt Cignetti in recent years.

The 64-year-old spent most of his career as a position coach, but was the head coach at IUP and Elon before taking over at James Madison in 2019. He helped the Dukes make the transition to FBS and led them to an 11-2 record and a bowl game in the first year they were eligible.

That led to him landing the gig at Indiana, and he has the Hoosiers looking like national contenders for the first time in school history. Indiana went 11-2 with a College Football Playoff appearance a year ago and is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation after a massive win over Oregon, improving to 6-0.

Alex Golesh, HC, South Florida

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Alex Golesh is the youngest coach on the list and the only one without previous experience as a Power 5 head coach.

But his success so far in his coaching career speaks for itself.

Golesh was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee from 2021 to 2022 and helped produce one of the best offenses in the country in his second season. That offense made quarterback Hendon Hooker a Heisman candidate for much of the season and helped wide receiver Jalin Hyatt win a Biletnikoff Award.

Golesh then landed his first head coaching job at South Florida, and he's quickly turned the Bulls into a CFP contender out of the Group of Five. They reached bowl games in his first two seasons at the helm and are now the highest-ranked G5 team at 5-1 with upsets over Boise State and Florida.

Golesh would be a riskier option given his lack of experience, but getting a fresh face in State College could be the perfect option for Penn State.