Heather Dinich outlines what’s next for Penn State after James Franklin’s firing: 'Money is not an object'

James Franklin’s tenure at Penn State officially came to an end Sunday. The longtime Nittany Lions head coach was fired following the team’s third consecutive loss — a stunning 31–17 defeat to Northwestern in Happy Valley.

The decision closed the book on one of the more polarizing tenures in modern college football. Franklin left with both significant accomplishments and consistent questions about the program’s trajectory.

As Penn State begins its search for a new leader, ESPN’s Heather Dinich joined Get Up to provide insight into what comes next for the Nittany Lions. According to her, no financial limitations will stand in their way in their search for Franklin’s replacement.

“First, to be clear, money is not an object,” Dinich explained. “They can go after whoever they want to replace James Franklin. There’s not a rush to do that — they want to take their time and see how the rest of the season unfolds.

“You don’t want to go after a coach who looks good now but maybe in a month from now isn’t having such a great season. But there’s also a lot of respect within the program for their interim head coach, Terry Smith. They want to give him a chance to see what he can do as well.

“They’ve got a really tough schedule ahead — Iowa, Ohio State, Indiana. A source told me today that they’re not expecting any additional staff changes, so they’ve got to see if they can pull this back together.”

Moreover, early evaluations of potential candidates have begun from fans and media members alike. Dinich named several high-profile options who could fit the bill for Penn State.

“I think you have to start with Matt Rhule at Nebraska,” she said. “He’s having a great season — a Penn State guy with a close relationship to their athletic director, Pat Kraft. But one of the other names to watch is Indiana’s Curt Cignetti. He’s winning immediately, flipping that program, and even going on the road to beat Oregon. So I’d certainly keep Cignetti’s name in the mix.

“Another name is Mike Elko at Texas A&M, who’s doing a really great job there. Those are three names to start with, but again, I wouldn’t rule anyone out — especially coaches who are having strong seasons and could be chasing a national title.”

For now, interim coach Terry Smith will steer the program through the remainder of the 2025 season. But with Penn State’s resources, expectations will remain sky-high. Whoever takes over next will be tasked with restoring the Nittany Lions’ identity, and guiding them back into the College Football Playoff conversation for good.