$33.6 million coach emerges as candidate to replace James Franklin at Penn State

Penn State dismissed James Franklin after a 3-3 start and a string of damaging losses that included Oregon, UCLA, and an upset at Northwestern, producing a wide-ranging coaching sweep of names.

Athletic director Pat Kraft has been explicit that the next hire must be aligned with a national-title-caliber vision, and insiders say the search is still in early, exploratory phases.

Among the candidates now circulating is Jeff Brohm, the Louisville head coach and former Purdue boss, whose name surfaced in On3 Insider Pete Nakos’s recent coaching carousel coverage as one to watch for Penn State.

Nakos’s reporting groups Brohm with several veteran and rising coaches, who are being monitored by the Nittany Lions’ staff and boosters.

Louisville football coach Jeff Brohm. — Louisville football coach Jeff Brohm ple with the side judge as officials ultimately ruled against a touchdown against the Cards during the game against Clemson at L&N Stadium. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brohm is a proven turn-around figure at multiple stops.

He captured two Conference USA titles at Western Kentucky (2015-16), revived Purdue (including the program’s first Big Ten West title in 2022), and returned to his alma mater, Louisville, in 2023.

Across his FBS head-coaching career, Brohm’s record sits at 92–56 through the 2025 college football season.

This season at Louisville, Brohm’s team finished the regular season at 7-4 (4-4 ACC) and secured several signature wins over the course of the year, including at home versus JMU, at Pittsburgh, at Miami, and at Virginia Tech.

That run produced rumors linking Brohm to higher-profile openings while Louisville talks extension.

Brohm signed a six-year deal when he returned to Louisville in late 2022, with a base salary of around $5.9 million and a total buyout of $33.6 million.

Louisville has been reported to be working on an extension to retain him amid outside interest.

Brohm checks several boxes for Penn State, including Big Ten experience, regional recruiting ties, and a track record of elevating programs.

However, it also raises the question as to whether Penn State wants a coach with immediate national title upside or a multi-year builder.

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