New Intel suggests four top names to replacement James Franklin at Penn State originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With James Franklin out as Penn State’s head coach, the Nittany Lions’ search for a successor has entered a critical phase.
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More school are making changes, which adds to the craziness of the coaching carousel. Athletic director Pat Kraft and his staff have reportedly widend the scope of the search, which now appears to center on four prominent names.
Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and Louisville’s Jeff Brohm are at the top of the list, according to the latest report from On3’s Pete Nakos.
Who Penn State is targeting as the next head coach?
Elko, in his second season at Texas A&M, has the Aggies off to an 8-0 start and on the path to reach the College Football Playoff. A New Jersey native, Elko has compiled a 32-14 record as a head coach between A&M and Duke. He remains one of the nation’s premier defensive minds. His Big Ten roots and consistent success make him an appealing fit, though his deep NIL support in College Station may keep him in place.
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Drinkwitz has built one of the SEC’s most stable programs, going 56-27 overall as a head coach and delivering Missouri’s best season in a decade in 2023. Known for his creative offenses and strong recruiting, Drinkwitz has proven he can rebuild in difficult environments. This could be a next-level task for his career.
At Vanderbilt, Lea has engineered a quiet turnaround. The Commodores are in the midst on a 7-2 record this season and has support from a more football-invested administration than his predecessors enjoyed.
Brohm, meanwhile, continues to rise as a top-tier offensive coach. He has led the Cardinals to ACC title contention. Though money is not his main motivator, Louisville fans have pushed for a raise to keep him home.
Whoever is up next in Happy Valley, there will be challenges from a switch to Adidas from Nike, to demands from administrators. These are two reasons why Franklin was pushed out months after a Playoff run.
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