Penn State Football weekly chat: What's the latest on the coaching search?

As the 2025 football season has gone off the rails, more and more focus has been on the off-field dealings of the Penn State football team. That all came to a head last weekend when Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft fired head coach James Franklin after the team’s 22-21 loss to Northwestern. Since then, Blue White Illustrated has tracked the fallout of the decision from personnel to recruiting and beyond. Join the Penn State Football weekly chat as we review what we’ve learned about the state of the team as they end the first full week without Franklin in over a decade. Of course, the main topic of conversation this week is the coaching search. Here’s a selection of what we’re talking about this week.

• How realistic is someone like Kalen DeBoer?
• Other than being Kraft’s best friend. What would make Matt Rhule a good choice as the Head Coach of Penn State Football?
• What’s the vibe in the (Lasch) building right now? 
• Will the eventual new GM report to the head coach or AD?
• How important is timing for the new HC. Specifically, as it relates to being on board before the early signing period (Dec 3-5) or before the transfer portal window (Jan 2-16)?

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Kraft swinging for the fences with Penn State head coaching search

During his opening statement to the media on Monday, Kraft gave a lengthy outline and description of what he’s looking for in his next coach. In short, he wants the total package for Penn State.

“Our next coach will be someone who embodies everything Penn State stands for: Integrity, accountability, toughness, humility, and an elite motivator.

We’ll find a coach who can achieve excellence at the highest level, doing with it confidence and conviction. Recruiting will always be a pillar here. We want someone who will attract elite talent, retain players in the NIL era, and make Penn State a destination.

This is also about the modern era of college football. Our next coach needs to be able to maximize elite-level resources, attack the transfer portal, and develop at the highest level.

This person has to fit Penn State. They need to represent the toughness, the blue-collar work ethic, and the class that defines this institution.

We want someone who honors our tradition but isn’t afraid to evolve; someone who understands the weight of “we are” and leads us forward with a vision of championships.

The right coach will rebuild the unity and pride that defines this historic program, and they will ignite this fan base around a shared belief that we’re capable of greatness, and we’re going to do it in the right way and we are the best program in the country.”

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