We won’t know who the next head football coach at Penn State is for close to two months, maybe a little longer, but there are already betting odds out for who will replace James Franklin.
Hours after Franklin’s firing Sunday, BetOnline posted its odds on who is most likely to take the Penn State job.
The favorite for the job is a guy who will upset plenty of Penn State fans but shouldn’t surprise anybody: Matt Rhule.
Rhule has already turned around Temple (2013-16) and Baylor (2017-19) and is in the process of doing the same at Nebraska, which is 5-1 and in the Top 25.
Rhule leads the way so far at 2-1.
The name behind him might surprise some people.
FAMILIAR FACE NO. 1
Could you imagine if the guy who replaces James Franklin at Penn State is the same as the guy who Franklin replaced at Penn State?
Me, neither.
But, for one reason or another, Bill O’Brien has the second best odds to succeed Franklin at 3-1.
Considering O’Brien’s new program, Boston College, is 1-5, his name probably won’t be too hot on the market, and Penn State needs to land a big fish in order for the Franklin firing to go down as a good move.
The name behind O’Brien on the list, Curt Cignetti (6/1) would be a big one, since he’s turned Indiana from a joke to a juggernaut in two seasons.
The name behind Cignetti is one who has ties to Penn State.
MANNY
Manny Diaz looks on as Penn State’s defense surrenders a 4th quarter touchdown.
Manny Diaz led the best defense in the country when he was at Penn State, and that helped him become Duke’s head coach. After going 9-4 in Year One, Diaz is 4-2 in Year 2 with a 3-0 record in the ACC.
Diaz is a charismatic figure and a great defensive mind. But would Penn State want to move on from the Franklin era by hiring a guy who was part of it? Time will tell.
THE LEGEND
BLOOMINGTON, IN – OCTOBER 08: Urban Meyer of Fox’s Big Noon Saturday Kickoff broadcast crew prior to a college football game between the Michigan Wolverines and Indiana Hoosiers on October 8, 2022 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire)
We now know that Urban Meyer (9/1) almost became Penn State’s coach after the 2011 season.
That was before a lot of things— the Jerry Sandusky scandal, James Franklin’s rise, NIL etc.
Meyer hasn’t coached since 2021 and hasn’t coached in college since 2018. But he’s one of the best ever, so it’s at least worth a call.
THE REST OF THE LIST
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and Penn State head coach James Franklin speak with the media ahead of the 2023 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023, in Atlanta, Ga. (Paul Abell via Abell Images for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl)
Other notable names on this list include Lane Kiffin (10/1), Joe Brady (12/1, former Penn State GA), Oregon OC Will Stein (16/1), Jon Gruden (18/1), Dabo Swinney and Ed Orgeron (25/1).
There will be plenty of names thrown around.
We’re only getting started.
