Penn State Football Is Getting a Major Overhaul. Our Predictions for the Future

Who's the next coach? Is the 2026 quarterback on the roster? A Q&A about what's next for the Nittany Lions.

A view of the White Out crowd at Beaver Stadium during the game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and Oregon Ducks. | James Lang-Imagn Images

Penn State lost its way, and its coach, this season, one that will go down as perhaps the most confounding in program history. The Nittany Lions went from preseason No. 2 to a head-coaching search in just six games. And James Franklin is the team's former coach promising to win a title elsewhere.

So as the Nittany Lions pause for a deserved exhale on the bye week, we peer into the program's future with a Penn State football Q&A.

RELATED: Penn State's key staff members who could follow James Franklin

What went wrong at Penn State this season?

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) takes hits from UCLA Bruins linebacker Jalen Woods (9) and defensive back Rodrick Pleasant (18) during the fourth quarter at the Rose Bowl. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Mark Wogenrich: A thousand reasons exist, but ultimately Penn State doesn't have a game-wrecker. The Nittany Lions had two last year, Tyler Warren and Abdul Carter, who wallpapered issues with huge plays. Who's the alpha this season? Kaytron Allen is the closest player Penn State has to an MVP. But when the Nittany Lions needed a drive or a stop, The Guy hasn't been there.

Amanda Vogt: While the double-overtime loss to Oregon was the first glaring error, I think that things weren’t quite right for Penn State well before that game. The nonconference slate of the season put the Nittany Lions at 3-0, but there were mistakes that weren’t fully corrected or addressed. Once they played against conference opponents those weaknesses were significantly exploited. I also think the expectations of the season were a factor because it seemed like Penn State played timid, as if it tried to play mistake-free football, but that only caused more errors to happen. Losses started compounding and before we all knew it, the season slipped away.

Chase Fisher: In short, the offense played too conservatively, the defense llacked of depth and the hire of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was not timely. Quarterback Drew Allar spearheaded a Penn State offense and is known for his plus arm strength and accuracy, but the team rarely stretched the field. Instead, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki took minimal chances downfield and condensed everything to the intermediate field. Additionally, the lack of linebacker depth plagued the Nittany Lions after Tony Rojas’ injury, and the hiring of Knowles in a win-or-bust year was questionable due to his long-developing system that often takes at least one adjustment year. 

Will Penn State play in a bowl game this season?

Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Kenny Woseley Jr. celebrates a Fiesta Bowl win over the Boise State Broncos. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mark Wogenrich: No, and the team will be OK with that. The opt-outs would be legion, the coaching staff would be gone or interviewing and the fans would be indifferent. The Big Ten has seven affiliated bowls. Penn State can politely lobby the conference to decline on its behalf.

Amanda Vogt: I do think there is still a chance that Penn State will play in a bowl game because there could be some wins at the end of the season. Typically a team needs six wins to be eligible and I think three more might be tough, but 5-7 teams have been invited to bowls in the past.

Chase Fisher: The Nittany Lions will make a bowl game despite the disappointing year. Once Penn State gets its obvious losses to No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana out the way, it will defeat Michigan State on the road and Nebraska at home to set up a win-and-in scenario against Rutgers. The Nittany Lions will defeat the Scarlet Knights and squeak into a bowl game.

Is Penn State's 2026 starting quarterback currently on the roster?

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) throws a pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Mark Wogenrich: No. Franklin never brought a transfer quarterback to Penn State, for better or worse, but the next coach will. And the days of multi-year starting quarterbacks at Penn State will change.

Amanda Vogt: I do not think so. Pat Kraft wants to hire someone that will be more aggressive in the portal and I think that includes the quarterback position. Or it could be a situation that depending on who the coach is, a player might want to follow them to Penn State. It’s not that I think Ethan Grunkemeyer is incapable, I just think Penn State might target someone who is proven in another system.

Chase Fisher: No. The next Nittany Lions head coach will bring his starting quarterback to Happy Valley. While quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has been OK in his game appearances the past two years, he hasn’t demonstrated that he’s a winning quarterback. And he will continue to show that throughout the remainder of 2025. it could be Nebraska’s Matt Rhule bringing Dylan Raiola or Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz, funnily enough, bringing Beau Pribula.

Who is Penn State's head coach next season?

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule walks the field before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Mark Wogenrich: One with ties to Penn State AD Pat Kraft, though not who you think. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko has won at Duke and Texas A&M, can recruit the portal and is gifted on gameday. Which is why Kraft tried to hire him at Temple and why he will at Penn State.

Amanda Vogt: Right now I think that Matt Rhule is the easy answer to this question because of his connection with Pat Kraft.

Chase Fisher: Penn State alum and current Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule will be the next Nittany Lions leader. Rhule’s ties to Penn State are telling and, he’s close with Athletic Director Pat Kraft. Rhule and Kraft spent three years together at Temple, where Rhule was the head football coach and Kraft was the athletic director. The hire seems obvious, even though it’s probably not the best. Rhule and Franklin are eerily similar. Rhule struggles in big games like Franklin did in State College, with a 2-23 record against AP top-25 opponents. 

Which players should the next coach prioritize on the current roster?

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas (13) reacts following a sack vs. the Villanova Wildcats. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Mark Wogenrich: Injured linebacker Tony Rojas can redshirt this season and return with two years of eligibility. He's priority No. 1, followed by sophomore tight Luke Reynolds, who can build on an inconsistent season. Among the young players, freshman edge rushers Chaz Coleman and Yvan Kemajou top the defensive list, and receiver Koby Howard is a future playmaker. In the 2026 recruiting class, the next coach should camp out at offensive lineman Kevin Brown's house.

Amanda Vogt: Assuming that Jim Knowles will remain the defensive coordinator, the defenders should be prioritized by the next coach. This is a tricky defensive system and if you maintain strong veteran leadership in that room, it will make the development of new and younger players that much easier. Losing some of those players to the transfer portal would be a huge loss.

Chase Fisher: The first answer is obvious: defensive end Chaz Coleman. The 4-star freshman of the 2025 recruiting class has been solid and is known as a strong pass-rusher. Cornerback Daryus Dixson is the future of the secondary and has the tools to be elite. The Nittany Lions also must do their best to keep wide receiver Koby Howard. The freshman has appeared in just three games and registered one catch but has strong hands and is good in space. Howard could turn out to be a stud receiver in Happy Valley.

When can Penn State realistically expect to compete for a national championship?

Penn State Nittany Lions fans react during the fourth quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Mark Wogenrich: Franklin helped lift the program into the 21st century regarding staff size, salaries and resources. But the next coach's job is even more difficult. Penn State could be a playoff contender as early as 2026 with the right roster moves, but winning it all requires luck too.
Penn State has gone nearly 40 years without a title, so the fans have patience, despite the pockets of booing lately. But they won't wait another 40.

Amanda Vogt: Probably not for five years because it will take time for the next coach to establish a system and build recruiting classes around Penn State’s next program identity. Within the next five years I think the program could realistically be back and ranked at a high level with expectations similar to how this year started.

Chase Fisher: It solely depends on the next coach. Penn State could compete for a national championship next year in this new era of college football. If the Nittany Lions are able to pull off a similar hire to Curt Cignetti at Indiana, they can compete right away. Penn State has a vast amount of resources to support a quick turnaround. However, hiring a head coach who’s more of a project could lengthen that window.