Penn State linked to two underwhelming head-coaching candidates

The Penn State Nittany Lions’ coaching search remains something of a mystery, and it does not appear that they are likely to land any of their dream candidates.

Some around college football believe the Nittany Lions may look to the likes of Duke’s Manny Diaz and Syracuse’s Fran Brown, according to Bruce Feldman and Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic. Both coaches have ties to Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft, though neither is having a great season and really justifies getting such a big job.

Manny Diaz and Fran Brown are familiar, but disappointing

Diaz is in his second season as head coach of the Duke Blue Devils. Duke is 4-3 after going 9-4 last season. Diaz was also the Miami Hurricanes head coach from 2019 to 2021, and he went 21-5 and never won a bowl game. But he was also defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Penn State from 2022 to 2023. Brown is in his second season as head coach of the Syracuse Orange. Brown’s Orange team is 3-5 this season after going 10-3 in 2024. He held several titles at Temple from 2012 to 2016 and in 2019. Kraft was the AD at Temple from 2013 to 2020.

More realistically, speculation has centered around Louisville’s Jeff Brohm and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea. Lea, however, may be difficult to pry away from his current job, and Vanderbilt may be planning to give him a contract extension.

Brohm has Big Ten experience, having previously coached at Purdue. Louisville is his alma mater, however, and getting him to leave might be a challenge. Lea is in the same situation at Vanderbilt, which he has quickly built into a nationally relevant program.

There had been rumors linking the Nittany Lions to Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, but Rhule agreed to a contract extension and is off the board now.

Realistically, Penn State might struggle to land a top-tier candidate. Two SEC jobs are open in LSU and Florida, and both will probably be seen as more attractive. The names that have popped up before are not necessarily that inspiring, either.