SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 10: Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on from the sideline against the Marshall Thundering Herd during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium on September 10, 2022 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The next Penn State coach to lead their football program will be anybody's guess. But that doesn't mean some big names aren't floating around to be James Franklin's permanent replacement. The school fired Franklin Sunday after an 0-3 start in the Big Ten.
Penn State is going big-game hunting in its job search. The Penn State job is a big one and the next coach will be expected to deliver a national championship. There are only three active coaches to have won a national championship. Ryan Day, Kirby Smart, and Dabo Swinney are on that list and none are going anywhere. Although expect Penn State to make a call to Day. It will be a short conversation.
Speaking of calling, they will reach out to retired champions Nick Saban and Urban Myer to no avail. Jimbo Fisher is another former champions and he is looking to return to coaching. Plus he is from nearby West Virginia. He would be an interesting candidate.
NEXT PENN STATE COACH
But according to Sports Illustrated the top three names on Penn State's list are Indiana's Curt Cignetti, Alabama's Kalen DeBoer and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman. Why would Freeman leave Notre Dame for Penn State? Well, why did Brian Kelly leave Notre Dame to go to LSU? Money. Notre Dame historically doesn't pay top dollar for its coaches. But that is not the case anymore. Freeman is among the highest paid coaches in the country at $9 million dollars a year.
Penn State will talk to a lot of coaches and throw a lot of money around. To date we have no idea who the next Penn State coach will be. Who will take that job and the crazy expectations that come with it?
