Penn State makes major decision as James Franklin replacement push intensifies

Penn State's coaching search moved into a new phase this weekend.

James Franklin | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State's coaching search moved into a new phase this weekend, as the school is set to conduct a formal interview with interim head coach Terry Smith for the full-time job.

Penn State will conduct its formal interview with Terry Smith this week https://t.co/08FtUkbVUi

— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) November 23, 2025

Penn State's head coaching search

It's the clearest sign yet that Smith, a longtime assistant and Penn State alum, is more than just a bridge between eras after James Franklin's midseason exit. Franklin was fired on Oct. 12 following a 3-3 start that included losses to UCLA, Northwestern and Iowa. The move ended his 12-year run in with the Nittany Lions and ultimately paved the way for his hiring at Virginia Tech.

Athletic director Pat Kraft has insisted from the start that he is running a national search and that Smith would "absolutely" be considered a candidate. As recently as last Monday, though, Smith told reporters he had not had any formal talks about the permanent job, saying he viewed every day in the interim role as his "interview." The scheduled sit-down this week marks a meaningful shift from that stance.

Penn State Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

On the field, Smith has given Kraft something real to evaluate. Penn State has won two straight and is back to 5-6 after a 37-10 demolition of Nebraska in the regular-season home finale. The game never felt close and showcased a more balanced, confident team compared to the one that stumbled through October. Fans at Beaver Stadium even chanted Smith's name during the rout, adding to the pressure on Kraft to take the interim seriously.

The Nittany Lions have pushed No. 2 Indiana to the brink, handled Michigan State on the road and, outside of a blowout loss at Ohio State, have looked like a different group under Smith.

Inside the building, the push for Smith has been prevalent. Players and staffers have publicly lobbied for him. Safety Zakee Wheatley said this week that "everyone loves him" and that Smith "bleeds Penn State" as he argued his coach deserves a shot at the job. Also, after the recent win over Nebraska, players held up a sign that read "HIRE TERRY SMITH."

Penn State players making their case for interim HC Terry Smith 🤝 pic.twitter.com/C4nYaPbbNJ

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 23, 2025

Reports have linked Penn State to Washington Commanders wide receivers coach and program legend Bobby Engram, as well as to current college head coaches such as Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz and Georgia Tech's Brent Key.

Since Franklin's firing, Penn State has suffered 19 decommitments across the 2026 and 2027 classes, leaving the 2026 group at just 12 players and sending several former commits to visit Franklin's new program at Virginia Tech. The buyout math is at least better now: Franklin's agreement to accept a $9 million final payment rather than the roughly $50 million gives Penn State more flexibility to pay its next coach.

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Terry Smith | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images