Terry Smith makes the case to become permanant head coach at Penn State: 'No one knows Penn State better than me'

Penn State does not have a full-time head coach. While other programs make hires, including James Franklin at Virginia Tech, the search continues in Happy Valley. A lot of the discussion revolves around outside names but plenty of people inside the program appear to be campaigning for Terry Smith.

Named the interim when Franklin was fired, Smith got an opportunity to give his sales pitch during a Monday press conference. He spoke to his experience at Penn State, knowing more about the Nittany Lions than anyone else out there.

“No one knows Penn State better than me,” Smith said. “Of all the candidates that are out there, I know the history of Penn State. I know the culture, the DNA. I know the locker room. I know administration. I think I’m a good leader, I think I’m a leader of men.”

When Penn State beat Nebraska on Saturday, some players held up signs saying “Hire Terry Smith.” Players going to bat for interim coaches is nothing new in the world of college sports. However, rarely is the tag taken off.

Athletic director Pat Kraft might have a tough decision to make. This is certainly an important hire for Penn State, replacing a coach who found consistent success in the Big Ten. Making sure the next guy can get them over the hump is a must. Smith believes he can be the one to get the job done.

Terry Smith still focused on helping Penn State close season out

Whether or not Smith gets officially hired by Penn State, there is one game remaining on the 2025 schedule. The Nittany Lions head on the road, facing off against Rutgers. A win would bring one more game due to gaining bowl eligibility.

Smith claims all of his focus at the moment is on taking down Rutgers. He says the atmosphere inside the building is as if there are College Football Playoff implications on the line.

“That will take care of itself when the time comes. My focus right now is, obviously, we’ve got to beat Rutgers. We approach these last couple weeks as do-or-die, playoff-type games. This is another playoff game for us in our reality of our world.”

Kickoff in Piscataway is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. This series has not provided too much trouble for Penn State, holding an all-time record of 32-2. Rutgers got those wins in 1918 and 1988.