Stephen Leonard
Ohio State Writer
College Football Backers’ writer TJ Chapman contributed to this article.
Penn State fired James Franklin on Sunday. The Nittany Lions started the season 3-3, 0-3 in Big Ten play. While losses to Top 10 teams were understandable, the last two losses to UCLA and Northwestern had the administration and boosters thinking “my skin is curling”.
Franklin’s 12-year tenure with Penn State ended with an overall record of 104-45. However, Franklin’s record against Top 10 teams was a dismal 4-21. Athletic Director Patrick Kraft is now tasked with finding a replacement for Franklin’s 69.8 winning percentage. Kraft will be doing this while dishing out Franklin’s $49 million buyout. Below is our list of the most likely replacements.
Any reasonable search has to start with Cignetti. What he has done in Bloomington has been miraculous. He’s simply a winner (36-6 at James Madison/Indiana). In his first season at Indiana, Cignetti made the playoffs as many times as Franklin has in 12 seasons. After the Hoosiers’ win against Oregon, Cignetti and Indiana are poised for another playoff run. Cignetti has to be the top option, but will Indiana let him get away? I hope not for their sake. $13M+ buyout from Indiana, and at age 64, he may prefer to stay if the money is right.
As an alum of Penn State (1994-97), Rhule has to be under consideration. Rhule is known as more of a program rebuilder for his jobs at Temple, Baylor, and now Nebraska. The Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1) are currently ranked No. 25. However, history has shown that once he’s built a program, he leaves so quickly that no one knows if he can maintain that success. Penn State needs a coach who can take them to the next level. Rhule does have ties to PSU AD Patrick Kraft from his Temple days. Rhule’s buyout is reported to be $49.6 million if he leaves on or before December 31, 2025. That buyout drops to $5 million on January 1, 2026.
Drinkwitz seems like the most obvious benefit for both parties. Drinkwitz’s success at a middle-of-the-road SEC program has been remarkable. Imagine what he would do with the boost of resources available at Penn State to take it to the next level. He has a history of championships, including the 2019 Sun Belt championship as head coach of Appalachian State. He has a national title on the staff at Auburn in 2010 as a quality control coach. Currently, he has coached Missouri to back-to-back 10-win seasons, and he’s on pace to win 10 games again. I’m sure the 2023 Cotton Bowl victory over Ohio State will look good on his résumé. Drinkwitz has a $5 million buyout from Missouri. That amount drops to $4 million if he leaves on or after December 2, 2025.
Former Penn State defensive coordinator (2022-23) who built elite defenses. Finished 9-4 at Duke in 2024, and the Blue Devils are 4-2 with a 3-0 ACC record in 2025. Nittany Lions Wire and Victory Bell Rings note Diaz’s familiarity with Penn State and quick turnaround skills. Diaz struggled at Miami, finishing 7-18 in his time there. Details on Diaz’s contract are not publicly disclosed, so the buyout amount is now known.
The ability to take Vanderbilt from laughingstock to a No. 17 ranking in 2025 is remarkable. Lea’s Commodores defeated Alabama in 2024 while finishing 7-6, which included Vanderbilt’s first bowl win since 2013. Lea is a defensive-minded coach who previously was the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. Lea has Big Ten coordinator experience. Newsweek and On3’s Pete Nakos flag him as a “fast riser” for energy and upside. Lea’s buyout information is not public.
Other names bubbling up include:
Penn State could target a splash hire with its resources, but that may trigger a mass exodus of transfers. Expect the search to heat up quickly, with Cignetti as the consensus frontrunner and Drinkwitz the most likely to be hired.
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