Just one season removed from winning two College Football Playoff games, James Franklin's seat quickly warmed as the Nittany Lions opened the 2025 season 3-3 overall and 0-3 in Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions took quick action on Sunday following another shocking loss, this time to Northwestern, firing Franklin despite a largely successful 104-45 run in Happy Valley as he departs tied with Rip Engle as the program's second-winningest head coach of all time, behind only Joe Paterno.
With a rich tradition, huge resources and a clear path to the playoffs in the future, the Penn State football coaching search should feature some of the biggest names in the sport. Who all is on the Penn State football hot board? If you love the Nittany Lions, or just want to know who will be calling the shots