Jeff Brohm Reportedly Rejects Penn State HC Overtures, Eyes New Louisville Contract

At this point, a head coach in college football must feel offended if they haven't been contacted by Penn State.

Another one declined the opportunity to lead the Nittany Lions, with Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde reporting Louisville's Jeff Brohm "turned down overtures from Penn State."

Brohm is expected to sign an extension with the Cardinals.

The 54-year-old is a Louisville native who remained home to attend college. He could plausibly spend the rest of his coaching career there.

Still, it doesn't look great for Penn State when the head coach at Louisville leaves the Nittany Lions on read.

This comes after Kalani Sitake came to a similar conclusion and wanted to remain at BYU. Sitake wouldn't have been fans' first choice, but he has made the Cougars a consistent winner and might've done the same in Happy Valley.

Other prospective candidates have fallen off the board for one reason or another.

Bob Chesney cashed in his stock from a strong two-year run at James Madison to take the UCLA job. Jon Sumrall stayed in the Southeast and is on his way to Florida. South Florida just hired Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. Nebraska's Matt Rhule and Indiana's Curt Cignetti signed extensions.

This coaching search couldn't be unfolding in a more embarrassing manner for Penn State.

And it could all culminate in sticking with the guy who finished out the year after James Franklin's dismissal. On3's Pete Nakos reported donors are lobbying for interim coach Terry Smith to get the gig permanently.

Smith has never been a head coach before, and he had the same record as Franklin (3-3) this year. Two of those losses were to Ohio State and Indiana, but beating Michigan State, Nebraska and Rutgers didn't exactly prove much, either.

One silver lining to promoting Smith is that it might be a more sensible alternative to spending a lot of money on a coach who would be perceived as a panic hire by now.