Nick Saban urges Penn State to replace James Franklin with former NFL coach

Penn State’s coaching vacancy, opened when the university dismissed James Franklin on October 12 after an unexpected slide, has become one of the most-watched stops on this year’s carousel.

Athletic director Patrick Kraft and his search team are weighing several proven coordinators and head coaches.

In recent days, however, the conversation added an unusual name from the NFL: former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll — a push that gained fresh steam after Nick Saban publicly endorsed Daboll on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Wednesday.

"He's a very good coach, he's a bright guy, he's a good recruiter, he relates well to the players, he's a good teacher, he's got a good offensive mind, he'll be able to put a good staff together. I think that would be an outstanding hire," Saban said.

NEW: Nick Saban is in favor of Penn State hiring former Giants head coach Brian Daboll:

"He's a very good coach, he's a bright guy, he's a good recruiter, he relates well to the players, he's a good teacher, he's got a good offensive mind, he'll be able to put a good staff… pic.twitter.com/VhmbD24Uhl
— On3 (@On3sports) November 26, 2025

Penn State parted ways with Franklin following a 3–3 start that included a 22–21 home loss to Northwestern, a collapse that extinguished a preseason No. 2 College Football Playoff long-shot.

Interim coach Terry Smith has steadied the ship with consecutive wins over Michigan State and Nebraska entering the regular-season finale, but the program has signaled it intends to look long-term.

Franklin’s tenure (12 seasons) left the program in contention for blue-chip recruits and playoff rankings, but the abrupt decision reflected high expectations and impatience for consistent, national-title-level results.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll. — East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll stands on the field prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Daboll, fired by the Giants after a 2-8 start in 2025, is a former Alabama offensive coordinator (2017 national champion) and the 2022 NFL Coach of the Year who helped revive the Buffalo Bills’ offense and develop Josh Allen.

As Giants head coach, he compiled a 20-40-1 record, including a 9-7 record and a playoff win in 2022.

Other names reported as possibilities have included Eli Drinkwitz, Jeff Brohm, Mike Elko, and internal candidates such as interim Terry Smith.

Daboll brings an offensive identity, NFL pedigree, and a recent track record of working with high-end quarterbacks, attributes that could jump-start a roster hungry for vertical tempo and pro-style quarterback coaching.

However, he lacks an extensive, modern college recruiting resume and long-term NIL/transfer-portal management experience, areas that separate college success from NFL success.

Penn State’s AD would need to be convinced Daboll can recruit at the Power Five scale or build a staff that can.

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