Another massive domino in the 2025 coaching carousel fell over the weekend when Penn State officially announced the firing of long-time head coach James Franklin following the Nittany Lions’ third straight loss of the season.
With the job up in Happy Valley now vacant, fans and analysts alike have begun to speculate about who the next man to take the reins for the iconic Big Ten power will be.
Fox analyst Joel Klatt discussed the subject on Monday morning, breaking down who he believes will be in the running to land one of the top jobs in college football this winter.
Curt Cignetti? Brian Hartline?@joelklatt shares his top candidates for the head coaching job at Penn State. pic.twitter.com/wjDE1Qg3Sa
— The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football on FOX Pod (@JoelKlattShow) October 13, 2025“You can go after the big swing, you can go after the guy that you think would fit best at your location, or you can go after the unproven, non-head coach who you believe can take you to the next level,” Klatt said. “The big swing is obviously Curt Cignetti from Indiana, and I don’t think there’s a hotter name in college football.”
Cignetti is likely to be the target that most fans have circled, but Klatt also mentions 2 names in that second category who would be good fits: current Duke head coach Manny Diaz and current Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule.
Lastly, Klatt brings up an interesting possibility from that third category, and that’s none other than current Ohio State offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline.
“He’s a gut that’s maybe under the radar, and hasn’t been a head coach yet, but he’s seen it,” Klatt said. “Like a Dan Lanning, or a Kirby Smart, he’s been around it, and he knows what it takes.”
Joel Klatt outlines top candidates for Penn State coaching vacancy Saturday Down South.
Hence then, the article about joel klatt outlines top candidates for penn state coaching vacancy was published today ( ) and is available on SATURDAY DOWN SOUTH ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Joel Klatt outlines top candidates for Penn State coaching vacancy )
Also on site :
- US Housing Market Falling Into ‘Deflationary Vortex,’ Analyst Warns
- Maldives becomes the first country to achieve ‘triple elimination’ of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B
- Urgent debt relief demanded for Africa amid public sector crisis