According 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.
