James Franklin replacements: 5 best candidates Penn State should target after firing long-time HC

Penn State and James Franklin parted ways on Sunday after over 11 years with the Nittany Lions.

The 53-year-old coach, who led Penn State to the College Football Playoffs semifinals last season, was fired a day after losing 22-21 to Northwestern.

The setback dropped the Nittany Lions to their third straight loss in the Big Ten and 3-3 overall. This pushed them out of the AP Top 25 after starting the first three weeks at No. 2.

Franklin had a 104-45 record with Penn State and was a two-time Fiesta Bowl winner in 2017 and 2024. He also guided the Nittany Lions to six seasons with 10 or more wins in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Associate head coach Terry Smith was appointed interim coach until the remainder of the season. Penn State athletic director and vice president for intercollegiate athletics Patrick Kraft will have work to do in hiring a full-time coach that would replace James Franklin.

With this in mind, here are the five best candidates the school should target as new Nittany Lions coach:

Five best candidates Penn State should target for the coaching job

#1. Matt Rhule

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule (Image Source: IMAGN)

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule could get the job outright thanks to connections with Penn State and Patrick Kraft. He was a walk-on linebacker for the Nittany Lions from 1994-97 and was a volunteer assistant in 1998 before venturing a career in coaching.

Kraft hired him in Temple head coach in 2013, one year after working with NFL's New York Giants as assistant offensive line coach. Rhule coached the Owls until 2016, guiding the team a 28-23 record.

In 2017, he was hired by Baylor and worked for three seasons with the Bears. The Carolina Panthers signed him as coach in 2020 and worked there until the middle of 2022 season where he was fired after a 1-4 start.

Rhule secured a new job months later and began coaching in Nebraska for the 2023 season. Currently, Nebraska is 5-1 and 2-1 in the Big Ten Conference standings.

#2. Jon Gruden

Former Super Bowl champion Jon Gruden could give a professional football look into Penn State if the university hires him as coach.

The 62-year-old coach could lure potential top prospects to fill up the exodus of commits after Franklin's firing with his well-decorated resume.

He previously had college football coaching stints at Southeast Missouri State as passing game coordinator and Pacific as tight ends coach in the late 1980s before pursuing the NFL path beginning in the 1990s,

Gruden went 117-112 in NFL stints in Oakland/Las Vegas and Tampa Bay and 5-4 in postseason appearances. The hire could be worth a try for Penn State, unless they're worrying at a possible another high buyout rate proposal just like they'd previously agreed with Franklin.

#3. Kellen Moore

Kellen Moore (Image Source: IMAGN)

Kellen Moore played quarterback for the Boise State Broncos from 2008-1011.

After his collegiate stint, he signed with the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL in 2012-2017. He appeared in three games for the Cowboys in 2015 where he passed for four touchdowns and six interceptions.

Moore began coaching in 2018 as Dallas' quarterbacks coach before he was promoted a year later as offensive coordinator. He had separate stints as OC with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 where he won a Super Bowl.

He was hired as head coach by the New Orleans Saints in 2025. His stints as pro football offensive coordinator could serve as a big boost for the Nittany Lions, who had several breakdowns on offense in the past three losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern.

#4. Jimbo Fisher

Former national champion coach Jimbo Fisher had an excellent stint with Florida State, winning the 2014 Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game en route to an 83-23 record from 2010 to 2017.

Fisher signed with Texas A&M the following year where he had mixed results and was fired in 2023 after a 6-4 record. The firing gave him a $76-million buyout which is considered as the highest in college football history.

He currently works as an analyst for the ACC Network and the 60-year-oid Fisher could be a great coaching hire for the Nittany Lions with his brilliant mind that led to winning the BCS national championship. But he could be a great risk considering his age and previous experience with the Aggies.

#5. Terry Smith

Former standout wide receiver Terry Smith has been a long-time coach in Penn State, serving as defensive recruiting coordinator, cornerbacks coach and associate coach in 12 seasons with the program.

Per Penn State website, Smith is a highly-regarded recruiter, barging into the top-25 recruiting rankings in 12 straight seasons and nine top-15 classes in the last 11 years.

His coaching skills in the cornerback spot have placed Penn State as a top program for the position with seven NFL draft picks since 2015. He will handle the coaching chores for the Nittany Lions in an interim basis, beginning in their game against Iowa on Oct. 18.

Are there any other coaches capable of replacing James Franklin at Penn State? Let us know your insights in the comments section.