By Nelson EspinalShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberAccording to a new report, former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is among the names the Penn State Nittany Lions are considering, along with others.
It has been a while since the program fired former head coach James Franklin, and since then, he has already found a new employer with Virginia Tech.
Penn State, however, has not found a replacement for its coach of over 10 years, continuing with an interim coach while conducting a thorough search of all options.
The school is one of the more elite and highly regarded programs in the nation. They have a good deal of NIL money, high-end facilities, and strong recruiting roots, all of which help them attract elite talent and remain competitive in the Big Ten.
...Penn State has already agreed to a contract buyout with Franklin, who will receive $9 million upon being fired, allowing the university to find a suitable replacement.
More news: LSU Ready to Make Lane Kiffin One of College Football’s Highest-Paid Coaches
Entering Saturday, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has not chosen his future coaching gig. He has a new contract lined up at Mississippi, with offers from Florida and LSU.
His decision seems to be holding up the coaching market, which would allow other openings like Penn State to develop.
Still, the Nittany Lions have reportedly developed a short list, according to Chris Vanniani of The Athletic, with recently fired Giants head coach Brian Daboll in the mix.
"Names to watch at Penn State include James Madison coach Bob Chesney, Louisville coach Jeff Brohm, Drinkwitz, Key and Lea, among others. Chesney was an option for Virginia Tech before James Franklin took the job," Vanniani wrote.
"Former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is an option, as is Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. Former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald has spoken with almost every open school, including Penn State."
More news: James Franklin Breaks Silence on Taking Virginia Tech Job
Daboll was the head coach of the Giants from 2022 until midway through the 2025 season. Before his time in New York, he spent four years as the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator.
In 2017, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama.
His time as an offensive-minded coach could end up helping him deliver an explosive offense at Penn State, and more importantly, elite quarterback play, which Franklin was not able to develop at the program.
The Nittany Lions' next hire will be crucial to the program's future — they fired Franklin because he could not get the "big wins."
However, there is no guarantee their next hire will be able to maintain the success that they had, much less deliver a National Championship.
For all the latest NCAA news and rumors, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
NCAAOhio State Gets Brutal Injury News on Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate2 min read
NCAALSU Finalizing $90 Million Contract for Lane Kiffin3 min read
NCAAKalen DeBoer-Penn State Rumors Get Major Update From CFB Insider3 min read
NCAAJames Franklin Reveals What Sold Him on Virginia Tech Job3 min read
Affiliate LinksHow to Watch Hawaii vs UNLV: Live Stream NCAA College Football, TV Channel3 min read
NCAAAlabama, Kalen DeBoer Receive Brutal College Football Playoff Outlook3 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
Live BlogTrump Reveals What He and Mamdani Have In Common After ‘Great’ Meeting2 min read
NewsUncommon Knowledge: Mamdani and MTG, Two Sides of the Same Coin5 min read
NewsTrump Says He’s Ending Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in Minnesota3 min read
PoliticsRepublicans Are Facing a Generational Rift5 min read
NewsDonald Trump’s Redistricting Gamble is Backfiring4 min read
U.S.Map Shows States Where Trump’s Tax Cuts Will and Will Not Take Effect3 min readTrending
Higher EducationFull List of Degrees Not Classed As ‘Professional’ by Trump Admin8 min read
NursesNursing Is No Longer Counted as a ‘Professional Degree’ by Trump Admin7 min read
Donald TrumpDonald Trump Faces Articles of Impeachment Before Christmas3 min read
Winter StormWinter Storm Warning As 18 Inches of Snow To Hit5 min read
Product recallAmazon Recall: Threat-To-Life Warning Issued For Items Pulled Nationwide4 min readOpinion
OpinionConventional Wisdom: Price of Culture Edition3 min read
OpinionLatinos Catch the Fish. Why Aren’t They at the Decision-Making Table? | Opinion5 min read
OpinionWhy Is the US Punishing Legal Immigrants? | Opinion5 min read
OpinionWhat Is an American?6 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: MAGA Infighting Edition2 min read
