Rising college football coach emerges as ‘name to watch’ to replace James Franklin at Penn State

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; James Madison Dukes head coach Bob Chesney on the sidelines in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Penn State fired long-time coach James Franklin on October 12 after a string of damaging losses (three straight to Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern) and a 3-3 start that left the program off its championship path.

AD Pat Kraft said after making the decision to fire Franklin that "he's here to win a national championship" and that the move reflected that.

Yet, with Penn State still hunting for a long-term successor, several names from around the coaching world have surfaced.

Among the most unexpected yet increasingly prominent is Bob Chesney, the architect of James Madison’s rapid rise after the Dukes’ move to FBS, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

Holy Cross football head coach Bob Chesney runs a practice at the school earlier this season. | Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chesney climbed from small-college stops (Salve Regina, Assumption) into FCS success at Holy Cross, then was hired by James Madison in December 2023 to lead the Dukes into FBS.

Across his head-coaching career (all levels), Chesney holds a 130–51 mark and multiple league titles, including a dominant run at Holy Cross (five straight Patriot League crowns) before taking the JMU job.

In his first JMU season (2024), he went 9-4 and won the Boca Raton Bowl (27-17 over WKU), delivering an early tangible FBS success that helped validate the hire.

This season, Chesney’s JMU Dukes have been a revelation in the Sun Belt, entering Week 14 at 10-1 overall and unbeaten in conference play (7-0 Sun Belt) with a No. 20 ranking in the AP Top 25.

Chesney is a proven winner at lower levels who has already shown quick FBS competence (bowl win, conference surge), experience winning conference titles, and an ability to manage transitions. 

For Penn State, the choice will reflect whether the AD prioritizes immediate, proven Power-Five experience or bets on a rising architect who’s shown he can scale success quickly.

The decision will immediately shape one of the biggest openings not just in the Big Ten, but across college football.

Read More at College Football HQ

• $6.2 million college football coach ‘in the mix’ for Arkansas head coaching job

• Rising SEC coach emerges as popular candidate to replace Brian Kelly at LSU

• Lane Kiffin makes future at Ole Miss clear amid leaving rumors

• $6 million college football coach emerges as candidate for California head coaching job