STATE COLLEGE — Though Penn State’s focus is on a Senior Day matchup against Nebraska on Saturday, hoping to get one step closer to bowl eligibility in a roller coaster season, some attention was pulled away from Happy Valley this week.

Longtime head coach James Franklin found his new job after being fired on Oct. 12, agreeing to a deal with Virginia Tech on Monday. He was formally introduced in Blacksburg on Wednesday.

Interim coach Terry Smith took a moment after Wednesday’s Penn State practice to reflect on his old boss’s new digs.

“I’m really happy for him,” Smith said. “In this industry of coaching, we all go through highs and lows. At some point, if you’re coaching, you’re gonna get fired. Just happy for him and his family to bounce back.”

Smith, a former Nittany Lions capta

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