Penn State football head coaching board: Rhule drops off list, new candidates emerge

Penn State has been without a full-time head coach for just over three weeks after firing James Franklin, and the search for his replacement has begun to pick up.

Every week we’ll rank the top five candidates (with another group of names to ponder and information on anyone who falls out of the top five) as the search progresses. The rankings will be based on a combination of who the program is targeting at the time, according to several sources, along with the likelihood that the candidate is a real possibility. Early in the process, the rankings will skew more toward the former. Later, it will skew toward the latter as candidates say no, take other jobs, or sign extensions with their current programs.

With that being said, here’s version 2.0 of our coaching board.

1. Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko (Last week: 2)

This list is still skewing toward top targets, but should begin to find the middle ground of targets and likely hires here soon. That being said, Elko is the most likely among the big swings athletic director Pat Kraft is expected to take when it comes to making a hire. He’s from New Jersey and would make sense as a high-end target, but Texas A&M will likely have to lose some games down the stretch for this to be realistic. The Aggies are currently 8-0.

2. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer (Last week: 3)

DeBoer is a less likely target than Elko at this point, but he still remains one of the candidates Penn State will most aggressively pursue. He’s been successful his whole career, but there are questions about his fit in Tuscaloosa, and pressure could ramp up if the Crimson Tide lose another game or two. And it will certainly ramp up if the team misses the College Football Playoff for a second year in a row. While that outcome isn’t likely as things stand, a separation between DeBoer in Alabama could be on the table if that comes to fruition.

3. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea (Last week: not mentioned)

Lea is the first newcomer to the board, with Penn State having some interest in him beyond their “big swing” targets. He’s in his fifth season as his alma mater’s head coach and has taken the Commodores to a 7-2 record with a chance to make the playoff if they can win out. He’s a defensive coach who spent three years as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator before taking the job at Vanderbilt, where he’s compiled a 23-35 record in that time. He seems to have turned the program around — much like Franklin did when he was at Vandy — and fits the mold of a CEO-type who can lead a program in modern college football.

4. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz (Last week: names to ponder)

Penn State has kept tabs on Drinkwitz, but there will be competition for him if the Nittany Lions decide he’s the right candidate. The Missouri head coach has the Tigers at 6-2, although a playoff berth seems unlikely with the school’s remaining schedule and the fact that its starting quarterback, Beau Pribula (yes, the former Penn State QB), is out with an injury. Drinkwitz will likely not have a potential postseason to worry about, making him an appealing candidate for most of the current openings — which includes Florida. He’s likely to be heavily involved in that search as well, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was the Gators next head coach.

5. Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key (Last week: not mentioned)

Key is another newcomer to the board. He, like Lea, is leading a turnaround at his alma mater, getting Georgia Tech to an 8-1 record with a chance to make the playoff. Timing could be a concern with him, especially if his team makes the playoff, but Key is in the group of candidates just below the program’s biggest swings. He’s a former offensive line coach who worked under Nick Saban at Alabama and has leaned on a physical run-heavy approach in his time with the Yellow Jackets. He’s someone Penn State is expected to keep tabs on down the stretch.

Who fell off and why?

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule (Last week: 1)

Rhule signed an extension last week at Nebraska, but even that likely wouldn’t have been enough to deter Penn State if it really wanted to make a run at Rhule. However, the Cornhuskers’ loss to USC on Saturday and quarterback Dylan Raiola’s injury has the team looking at a difficult home stretch that is unlikely to end with the type of season Rhule would have needed to get the job.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman (Last week: 4)

Freeman is still in the group of swings Penn State will take, he’s just less likely than DeBoer and Elko. If he were to leave Notre Dame, it would likely be for an NFL job rather than another college job this offseason.

Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm (Last week: 5)

Brohm has done a good job at Louisville, but there are enough questions about him to remove him from the list. He’s someone who loves the coaching aspect of being a head coach, and Penn State’s next head coach will need to be more of a CEO than anything.

Names to ponder: Freeman, Brohm, Duke head coach Manny Diaz, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein, Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, James Madison head coach Bob Chesney

Jon Sauber

Centre Daily Times

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Jon Sauber covers Penn State football and men’s basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.