5 Potential Head Coach Candidates for Penn State

Penn State has fired head football coach James Franklin after suffering three straight losses. They are now in the market for a head coach. Here are five potential head coach candidates for Penn State.

1. Curt Cignetti

Cignetti has risen up the coaching ranks quickly the last few years. He currently has built Indiana into one of the best teams in the country in just under two seasons. They made the CFP last season. Before that, he had success as the head coach of James Madison, Elon and IUP. He has a 36-6 record at the FBS level.

It doesn’t matter the level or the resources he has, Cignetti has proven he can win. Indiana isn’t a historic powerhouse, but they are winning big games, something that was missing under James Franklin’s leadership. He evaluates talent well and can recruit even better players with the resources at Penn State. It may take a lot for him to leave a good situation at Indiana, but Penn State may be able to convince him.

2. Matt Rhule

While Matt Rhule didn’t work out at the NFL level, he has proven to be a good college coach. He did well in the east at Temple before. He had success at Baylor and is now doing solidly at Nebraska. Rhule has a 64-57 record at the FBS level and has a knack for turning programs around quickly. At Temple he went 28-23 and went 19-20 at Baylor, but won 11 games in his last season with the Bears. He currently has Nebraska at 5-1 and on pace for their best season in a long time.

Rhule’s success as a program builder and in the eastern part of the country should make him a candidate for the job. With more resources at Penn State, Rhule could help turn things around. He has recruited well at Nebraska and used the transfer portal. Meshing the two together is a good path for success, but luring him away from Nebraska won’t be easy.

3. Alex Golesh

Golesh has been a great offensive coach during his career. He was an assistant at Ohio State, Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Toledo, Illinois, Iowa State, UCF and Tennessee. USF hired him and he has had some success. He turned a program that had one win the season before he got there to having back to back seven-win seasons. That was with starting quarterback Byrum Brown getting injured. This season, he has the Bulls in contention for a CFP spot with a 5-1 record.

The offense not developing under Franklin has been a pain point for the program. They can’t consistently move the ball and seem to not get the best out of their talent. Golesh is doing that and his offensive mindset can really help them in the future. He will be a hot name in the coaching carousel, but Penn State will likely have a leg up on other jobs who may offer him.

4. D’Anton Lynn

Lynn went to Penn State and played cornerback. Since that point he has had a successful coaching career as an assistant. He has worked with the Jets, Bills, Chargers, Texans and Ravens in the NFL. He was UCLA’s defensive coordinator in 2023 and has been the USC defensive coordinator from 2024 on and has helped those teams improve on that side of the ball.

If Penn State wants someone connected to the program, Lynn should be the hire. They were considering him for the defensive coordinator role this offseason. His familiarity with the program can help the transition, but he would still have to prove himself as a head coach. Penn State may aim higher with this job to get someone with experience, but Lynn could have some success at his alma mater.

5. Ryan Silverfeld

Silverfeld has been successful as the head coach of Memphis. He has been there for six years with a 48-20 record. Silverfeld has not had a losing season with the Tigers, which is impressive for a group of five team to keep that momentum each year. He has plenty of experience as an assistant around the country, specifically coaching the offensive line.

While Silverfeld has been successful at Memphis, Penn State will likely aim their sites a little higher. If Penn State has trouble finding a coach, Silverfeld is a fine choice who could do well with more support than he is currently getting. Penn State will have to committ to not just buying out Franklin but also roster construction costs.

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