Emerging college football coach named candidate to watch for Penn State job

The last time Penn State needed to make a big football hire, it plucked a fast-rising first-time coach from Vanderbilt.

A dozen years later, could the Nittany Lions do it again? Multiple national reports suggest that's a real possibility.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg broke down the latest buzz on the major coaching searches and noted that Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea is "an emerging name to watch at Penn State."

Rittenberg quoted "an industry source" saying, "The guy can win big games when the lights are bright. Last year against Bama, this year against LSU and Missouri, like, he shows up."

No. 9 Vanderbilt did just lose a huge game Saturday at No. 20 Texas, 34-31, but there's no denying the incredible job Lea has done with the Commodores program.

Vanderbilt entered the weekend off to its best start since 1941 and with its highest national ranking since 1937. The Commodores were coming off back-to-back wins over top-15 opponents -- then-No. 10 LSU and then-No. 15 Missouri -- and they almost rallied all the way back from a 24-point deficit in the fourth quarter Saturday at Texas. They scored three straight touchdowns and barely missed recovering an onside kick in the final minute to fall just short.

The point is, like Rittenberg's source said, Lea is clearly a big-game coach.

As referenced, Vanderbilt also stunned then-No. 1 Alabama last year, 40-35, in a win that teased the potential for a season like this.

The Commodores (7-2, 3-2 SEC) are effectively out of the SEC race now, but they could still have a compelling College Football Playoff case if they win out the rest of the way with home games vs. Auburn and Kentucky and the regular-season finale at No. 14 Tennessee.

Lea got his big career break as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame from 2018-20 before taking his first head coaching job with Vanderbilt. It took him five seasons to elevate the program after some early struggles, but he has taken the Commodores to historic heights.

Rittenberg also quoted an industry source suggesting Texas A&M coach Mike Elko "should take that job," referring to Penn State. But Elko is already at school with considerable financial support and has the Aggies undefeated and ranked No. 3 nationally, so it's not as clear what the appeal would be for him to make a career move.

Meanwhile, A report by The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Ralph D. Russo also suggested "speculation in the industry" has Lea as a top candidate for Penn State, along with Louisville's Jeff Brohm.

But there are a couple of big obstacles for Penn State when it comes to trying to land Lea. One, he's a Vanderbilt alum and originally from Nashville, so he's doing this both back home and at his alma mater. Additionally, The Athletic reported that Vanderbilt is intent on doing everything possible to retain its highly coveted head coach this time.

Brohm also is coaching at his alma mater where he starred as a quarterback three decades ago.

It was January of 2014 when Penn State hired James Franklin away from Vanderbilt after three seasons with the Commodores, including back-to-back 9-4 finishes.

Franklin lasted 11 and a half seasons at Penn State, posting a 104-45 record with six seasons of double-digit wins, including a 13-3 mark and run to the CFP semifinals last year. But a 3-3 start with three straight losses, including stunning defeats to UCLA and Northwestern, was enough for the Nittany Lions to fire Franklin and really set the annual coaching carousel spinning.

And if the buzz is accurate, it could all come full circle for Penn State if Lea ends up being the choice.