Penn State is looking at major names in its search to replace fired football coach James Franklin .

One of those names is Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, according to On3 .

The website reports Penn State is going to “take a couple of big swings” after firing Franklin six games into the 2025 season following their third straight loss.

Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer “are not serious candidates,” the report added. 3

Freeman, 39, is in his fourth season as Notre Dame’s coach and led the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff national championship game last season, where they lost to his alma mater, Ohio State.

He was officially promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach late in 2021 after Brian Kelly took the LSU job. The team went 9-4 in Freeman’s f

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