Penn State football coaching latest news: BYU's Kalani Sitake 'the focus'Matthew Glenesk and Frank Bodani, USA TODAYTue, December 2, 2025 at 3:01 AM UTC·4 min readPenn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12, and remains the biggest pony left in this year's college football coaching carousel. While Franklin was quick to find a new home, Penn State is still searching.
The best move on the market has been to be linked with Penn State job. It usually meant good news for your bank account. Western Pennsylvanian Curt Cignetti (Indiana), PSU alum Matt Rhule (Nebraska), Eli Drinkwitz (Missouri) and Clark Lea (Vanderbilt) all had their names mentioned with the opening. All got new deals.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAnd the SEC Gone Wild has dominated the coaching cycle, leaving State College out in the cold... so far. Things are starting to heat up.
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Here's the latest on the Penn State coaching search:
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Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.
Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris from North Texas to be the Cowboys next head coach. Morris replaces longtime OSU coach Mike Gundy, who was fired earlier this season.
Colorado State hired Jim Mora Jr. as its new head coach. Mora led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons and replaces Jay Norvell, who was fired midseason.
Oregon State hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its head coach, replacing Trent Bray who was fired after an 0-7 start this season.1 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.1 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.2 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris from North Texas to be the Cowboys next head coach. Morris replaces longtime OSU coach Mike Gundy, who was fired earlier this season.3 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Colorado State hired Jim Mora Jr. as its new head coach. Mora led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons and replaces Jay Norvell, who was fired midseason.4 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Oregon State hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its head coach, replacing Trent Bray who was fired after an 0-7 start this season.BYU's Kalani Sitake 'focus' of Penn State job
A Dec. 1 report from ESPN's Pete Thamel says BYU coach Kalani Sitake is "the focus" of Penn State's search.
Sitake has built the Cougars into one of the Big 12's premier programs. The 50-year-old coach and BYU alum has the school in Saturday's Big 12 Championship game with a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line.
Sitake was asked, on Monday, about his possible connection to the Penn State job:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"This is a great distraction to have, let’s be honest," Sitake said, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. "I’ll address it with the team. … But they are used to me saying, 'Hey, this is a good sign that things are going well for us.' But I will say that this isn’t about me.
"I'm all about the Big 12 championship and keeping our team focused on that. We’re going to avoid all of the distractions."
Potential Penn State target Bob Chesney hired at UCLA
Bob Chesney was another name loosely linked to the Penn State job. But the James Madison coach is headed west to coach UCLA.
Brian Dabol, Kalani Sitake prediction favorites for Penn State job
BYU coach Kalani Sitake and recently-fired New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll are Monday's favorites to become the next PSU leader, according to Kalshi, the federally regulated exchange and prediction market.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPlayers advocate for Terry Smith to get Penn State job
Interim coach Terry Smith went 3-3 after Franklin's dismissal as the Nittany Lions clawed their way back to bowl eligibility. PSU players lobbied for Smith to get the job permanently.
After the Nov. 22 win over Nebraska, Smith seemed to stake a claim for the job during a postgame on-field interview while players behind him held signs that read "Hire Terry Smith" and fans chanted his name.
“The emotion is I love my guys. I love my locker room, and you see how hard my guys play," Smith said. "These guys play inspired football. They’re motivated. And we finished once again tonight... These guys listen to me. They trust me. And they’re going out there playing great football.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It’s my locker room.”
What about Josh Heupel for Penn State?
Tennessee fans mocked USA TODAY columnist Blake Toppmeyer when he suggested Josh Heupel swap Knoxville for Happy Valley and maybe get ahead of a growing frustration with some sects of Vols fans. In those same predictive markets, Heupel was sitting at 18% Not a favorite. But nothing to laugh at either.
"As Heupel’s stock absorbs a hit in Tennessee, candidates with his credentials remain in short supply within this wild coaching carousel," Toppmeyer wrote in early November. "He’d be a boon for Penn State. Now's his time to strike, while his resume remains catchy.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"Before Heupel's Tennessee revival, Franklin staged one at Penn State. Franklin stayed too long. The posse got him.
"Exiting Tennessee for Penn State would be a lateral move, but it's a move with an easier path to the playoff. That’s what this sport is now, for programs like Penn State or Tennessee: Playoff or bust."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penn State football coaching search latest news, updates, rumors
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