Stephen A. Smith pushes back on Matt Rhule to Penn State due to relationship with Pat Kraft

Penn State shocked the college football world this week when it parted ways with long-time head coach James Franklin, who had been with the program since 2014. Franklin led the Nittany Lions to a 104-45 (64-36) record over 12 seasons, but back-to-back-to-back losses to No. 6 Oregon, previously 0-4 UCLA and Northwestern this season ended his tenure.

Athletic Director Pat Kraft will now head the program’s first head coaching search since the 2013 offseason, when head coach Bill O’Brien departed for the Houston Texans after spending two seasons in Happy Valley. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, who played college football at Penn State (1994-97) and coached under Kraft at Temple (2013-16), has emerged as the prime candidate for the opening.

Stephen A. Smith doesn’t like the idea of Penn State hiring Matt Rhule

Due to Kraft’s prior relationship with Rhule, ESPN‘s Stephen A. Smith revealed on Friday morning’s edition of ‘First Take‘ that he doesn’t like an AD potentially hiring someone he is friends with. Smith explained in detail.

“That’s a strike against him,” Smith said. “I don’t want the head coach being best friends with the Athletic Director. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. It’s one thing to cultivate a relationship once you get there and you work with each other. It’s another thing to have it before it happens. That usually leads to a lot of cover and CYA (cover your ass) going on. I’m suspect on that. Matt Rhule, I respect the hell out of him. He did do a good job at Temple and he is doing a good job now at Nebraska. I get that part. He deserves that respect. But when I think about a college football coach, particularly at a program like Penn State, I need sizzle. I need somebody that’s gonna draw in a way that allows you to elevate your recruiting.

“We looked at Penn State and they paid for the defensive coordinator (Jim Knowles) to come over from Ohio State. Highest highest-paid coordinator in college football. They have money for NIL and the Transfer Portal, and they still walked away saying James Franklin didn’t have the pieces in place. Penn State wasn’t as talented as we all thought they were. My point is, can Matt Rhule get the players you need at Penn State? I’m not questioning his coaching, but I’m questioning whether or not he can have that attractive of an allure to do that.”

Matt Rhule declares Nebraska ‘a destination job’ on Thursday

With his name being floated as a candidate at Penn State, Rhule went on record to call Nebraska a ‘destination job’ during an appearance on Thursday’s edition of ‘The Pat McAfee Show.’

“With my team, it’s just unbridled honestly,” Rhule said. “You tell them the truth and don’t B.S. ‘em, because they’ll know. And secondly, just with what’s out there, this is it, this is part of (being a coach). It’s better than when I was in Carolina and they were chanting to fire me; it’s better than being on a hot seat list. So having other schools maybe be interested in you is pretty cool. But I don’t do that during the season, I don’t mess around with that, I don’t play that.”

“And, at the same time, (Nebraska) is not a jumping-off job. This is a destination job. This is one of the greatest places in the world. … I can do whatever I want here. I have a great young team, the youngest team in the Big Ten. Think about how good we’ll be next year. Now I’m not thinking about next year, but where we are right now, we’re learning, learning, learning. Think about where we’re going to go with (sophomore quarterback) Dylan (Raiola) and all these guys. So I refuse to be distracted.”

Until a new name emerges, Rhule currently seems to be the favorite for the Penn State head coaching job. He and his team will look to block out these rumors Friday night when his Nebraska Cornhuskers travel to Minnesota for a Big Ten clash.