Penn State Looks to Recalibrate a 'Mismanaged' Coaching Search

Penn State's search for James Franklin's replacement enters its 53rd day with continued uncertainty.

A general view of Beaver Stadium prior to the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Penn State Nittany Lions. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Welcome to Day 53 of the Penn State football coaching search, which has taken on a media life of its own. With Lane Kiffin recruiting at LSU, the locusts are swarming around State College, and they see a broken, amateurish, inept search that only can end poorly.

But could there be a former NFL head coach on tap? A pivot to popular interim head coach Terry Smith? Or perhaps a weekend surprise from a conference championship game? Let's tour the circuit for the latest on how Penn State seeks to recalibrate what one analyst called a "mismanaged" search.

RELATED: How quarterback Peyton Falzone found his way back to Penn State

Is Penn State still targeting Kalen DeBoer?

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer encourages his team vs. the Auburn Tigers. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama's Kalen DeBoer was among the early targets of Penn State's search, though college football analysts like Paul Finebaum shot down the idea in November. Things have changed dramatically since then, and DeBoer has returned as a potential candidate.

On the Colin Cowherd Show, FOX Sports' Joel Klatt said that he suspects Penn State, having been told no by BYU's Kalani Sitake, is waiting for a coach with a team playing in a conference championship game.

As Klatt said, that could include Virginia's Tony Elliott or former Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz at Duke. The two meet in the ACC title game. Klatt also said that it could include DeBoer, whose Tide plays Georgia in the SEC title game.

"Something is up their sleeve," Klatt said.

Klatt further said that the search has been "mismanaged" and speculated that Athletic Director Pat Kraft initially targeted Indiana's Curt Cignetti, who signed a long-term contract to remain with the Hoosiers. That Penn State did not have a coach for Signing Day on Wednesday was "wild," Klatt said.

"It speaks to the possible mismanagement as to what's gone on, or at least it's going off the rails," Klatt said. And Klatt wasn't the only broadcaster to suggess DeBoer could be in play.

The longer the @PennStateFball job remains open, the longer Bama fans need to come to grips with the fact that he may get ahead of their posse and take that job! There’s no way in my mind they would have let today go by without a Head Coach, without having contingencies in place.

— Tim Brando (@TimBrando) December 3, 2025

ESPN's Heather Dinich and Paul Finebaum discussed the Penn State opening, with refernces to DeBoer. "There has been a lot of speculation that Kalen DeBoer is involved there, but his people tried to put that fire out," said Finebaum, who also called Penn State's search a "disaster."

"I think this program is a shell of its former self," Finebaum said. "I don't care how much money they have. When you're heading into the first week of December without a coach, it's pretty embarrassing."

Brian Daboll remains a candidate

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll reacts after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll continues to be a player in the Penn State search.
According to FootballScoop, Penn State "re-engaged" this week with Daboll, whom the Giants fired in November.

The Athletic's Chris Vannini reported that Buffalo Bills owner, and Penn State donor, Terry Pegula has backed Daboll's candidacy. Daboll served as the Bills' offensive coordinator from 2018-21. Though Daboll's only college job was a one-year stint as Alabama's offensive coordinator in 2017, he did win a national championship. And former Penn State center AQ Shipley is a big fan.

"I think he would be great," Shipley said on the Pat McAfee show recently. "He's an offensive genius, he really is, and he understands it. He coached under Nick Saban when they had a great offense. And then you take what he learned from Bill Belichick, you take what he learned from being a head coach, splash hire.

Notes on other Penn State candidates

Louisville Cardinals head coach Jeff Brohm on the sidelines during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two potential targets came off the board Wednesday. Louisville's Jeff Brohm signed an extension at his alma mater, and Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline accepted the head-coaching position at South Florida.

And though UCLA hasn't officially announced James Madison's Bob Chesney as its new head coach, the Los Angeles Times reported in a story about the Bruins' recruiting class that Chesney is expected to be anounced this week.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith agreed with former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in suggesting that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin would be successful recruiting players to Penn State.

"If you're talking about Mike Tomlin going into a living room to recruit kids, you can't tell me two people that would be better than him at that," Smith said. "He would be elite at that, and I think he would get a boatload of athletes to resurrect that program."

pic.twitter.com/HBZRS84h3F

— SB (@SamuelBrungo) December 3, 2025

Terry Smith gets more endorsements

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Zuriah Fisher (36) holds up a Hire Terry Smith sign following the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

According to multiple reports, including one from FootballScoop, Penn State donors are showing their dissatifaction with the search and want it resolved with interim coach Terry Smith being promoted.

Current and former Nittany Lions are on board, and there's a growing sense that making Smith the full-time head coach could make a huge difference with roster retention. Smith also played an essential role in Penn State making a surprise signing Wednesday during the first day of the early signing period.

Peyton Falzone is a 4-star Pennsylvania quarterback who previously decommitted from Penn State's 2026 recruiting class. Yet he was one of two players to sign with Penn State on Wednesday, saying that Smith and assistant quarterbacks coach Trace McSorley were among the key reasons he returned.

"I think he's hopeful to get the head-coaching position," Falzone said of Smith. "I think he's more than qualified. I'd love to be able to play for him, and I can tell you right now the players love him, too. Obviously at Rutgers they had a plane flying overhead that said, 'Hire Terry Smith,' so I thought that was pretty cool. He's won the hearts of a lot of people."

Penn State quarterback commit Peyton Falzone of Nazareth (Pa.) High at his Signing Day ceremony with Penn State and Nazareth helmets. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State on SI

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