Jordan Rodgers 'not convinced' with popular candidate to replace James Franklin at Penn State

Skepticism over alumni hires frames Penn State’s coaching search as Jordan Rodgers questions Matt Rhule’s ranked-game resume.

SEC Network analyst Jordan Rodgers disagrees with what has become the conventional wisdom that Penn State should pursue Nebraska's Matt Rhule to replace James Franklin. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

ESPN analyst Jordan Rodgers used Friday’s “Get Up” to challenge the idea that Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule should be the automatic choice to replace James Franklin at Penn State. Rodgers acknowledged Rhule’s track record of turning programs around, yet he pushed back on the notion that a familiar face guarantees the right fit for a program in reset. The message cut through a noisy coaching market as Penn State pivots after a high-expectation season that fell apart.

The backdrop in State College is raw. Franklin was dismissed six games into his 12th year after a three-game slide capped by a 22-21 loss to Northwestern at Beaver Stadium. The move came despite heavy offseason investment, a veteran roster led by quarterback Drew Allar, and an administrative mandate to contend for a national title. Athletic director Pat Kraft made the call with a $49 million buyout on the books, signaling urgency and a willingness to reset the program’s ceiling.

Rodgers’ on-air critique centered on results. “Well, you say fit. Why, because he played there, because he’s a ‘Penn State man’? I think too often these schools get fooled by the alumni hire, and you forget that this could very well be James Franklin 2.0, someone that’s been able to turn around programs but has not been able to execute at the highest level against ranked teams. He’s 2-23 against the Top 25 in his career. Those two wins came at Temple.

"He hasn’t been able to do more with less at Nebraska. That was James Franklin, not being able to do more with sometimes less and take the next step. I love Matt Rhule; he’s a great coach, but I think you get fooled a lot of times by ‘Oh, he’s a Penn State guy, let’s bring our guy home.’ Get the best coach. Don’t go get the best alumni. Go get the best coach that can win big games and do more with less. And right now, Matt hasn’t proven that yet at Nebraska.”

Jordan Rodgers Pushes Back On Matt Rhule As Penn State Coaching Candidate

Rodgers dialed in on a single metric he believes matters in a playoff era dominated by elite matchups. He cited Matt Rhule’s 2-23 mark against Top 25 opponents and framed it against Penn State’s recent shortcomings in similar spots under James Franklin.

In Rodgers’ view, choosing a coach primarily because of alumni ties risks repeating the exact issue that cost Franklin his job, namely, falling short in games that define a season.

.@JRodgers11 is not convinced Matt Rhule should be Penn State's top target for head coach 👀 pic.twitter.com/s4FMbIuLGF

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) October 17, 2025

The context supports the skepticism. Franklin went 4-21 against AP top-10 teams at Penn State, including 1-18 in Big Ten play, while the 2025 collapse included a double-overtime loss to Oregon and back-to-back upsets by winless UCLA and unranked Northwestern.

Rodgers argues that familiarity should not outweigh proof of concept against ranked competition. He separated admiration for Rhule’s program-building from the question of whether he has demonstrated the ability to win when the talent gap narrows. In a search where fans, donors, and players expect an immediate return to national contention, Rodgers urged Penn State to resist sentiment and prioritize a résumé that shows consistent success on the sport’s hardest Saturdays.

Penn State’s Search Criteria After Firing James Franklin, And Where Rhule Fits

Pat Kraft framed the move as a long-term trajectory decision, not a three-game reaction. The school matched top programs with significant investment, kept star talent on campus, and hired high-profile assistants, yet the returns did not arrive. That backdrop shapes the search.

Names connected to the opening include Curt Cignetti, Matt Campbell, Mike Elko, and Brent Key, with national outlets also noting interest in Marcus Freeman and Manny Diaz. Within that larger field, Rhule stands out as the candidate with deep institutional ties and proven rebuilds at Temple and Baylor, while also carrying a record against top-tier opponents that invites scrutiny.

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule has emerged as a top candidate to replace James Franklin at Penn State. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Rodgers’ stance is not anti-Rhule so much as it is pro-standard. The next coach must win ranked games, manage high-leverage moments, and translate resources into postseason breakthroughs. Alumni ties can energize a base, but they do not guarantee tactical edges on fourth down, two-minute execution, or roster usage across a 12-team playoff run.

After investing heavily and enduring a season that unraveled quickly, Penn State needs a hire that changes outcomes against the best. That is the lens Rodgers applied on national TV, and it is the filter Kraft will be judged by once the choice is made.

Penn State will travel to face the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock for the Nittany Lions' first game in the post-Franklin era.