A Penn State football insider believes that Nittany Lions fans should not expect the program to replace James Franklin with a big-name coach after the season.
Two weeks ago, a second straight upset loss to an unranked team was the last straw for Penn State administrators, and the university took the bold step of firing head coach James Franklin after 12 seasons in State College. Despite a playoff birth and 13 wins last year, the pressure was on the 53-year-old to finally take the next step and move the program into title contention. He came nowhere close this year.
The big knock against the coach has long been his inability to score pivotal victories against the elite schools in the sport. After his ouster, Penn State fans are hoping they can replace him with a big-name coach who has a proven track record, and possibly a national championship appearance or a win on their resume.
- James Franklin record: 128-60
Well, according to PSU alum and team insider Jason Cabinda, fans won’t be satisfied with who the program gets to be the next head coach of the Nittany Lions.
“I’m not sure if there’s a guy right now out in the coaching carousel who will really satisfy the fans,” Cabinda told 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, OH. “I’ve heard Matt Rhule. Lane Kiffin. I’ve heard the Missouri head coach. But the guys who you want to take a big swing for, for the most part, are gone.
“Curt Cignetti’s not leaving [Indiana]. Dan Lanning’s not leaving Oregon. You’re not getting Nick Saban or Urban Meyer out of retirement for this job,” he added. “I think the names that will normally get people buzzing, they’re not really there.”
Could the next Penn State head coach come from rival Ohio State?
So who does Cabinda think will be the next head coach at Penn State? After originally feeling that Clemson’s Dabo Swinney should be an option, he has shifted gears in recent days and actually believes the current offensive coordinator at Ohio State is a name the program must consider.
“I’ve just been thinking about the new coach every day, and I’m liking Brian Hartline,” Cabinda revealed. “But will he get that opportunity since he’s never been a head coach? That remains to be determined. But I think he’d be a great hire.”
Hartline has been a major reason why the school has become an NFL wide receiver factory this decade, but he has also helped turn the Buckeyes’ offense into one of the better units in the nation since he took over the job in 2023. His work turning Julian Sayin into a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in his first season as a starter is more evidence of his ability to develop talent beyond just receivers.
