The firing of James Franklin has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the Penn State football program—impacting players, coaches, and recruits alike.
Quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien has been navigating all of it: a season gone off the rails, Franklin’s departure, the decommitment of four-star quarterback Troy Huhn (Mission Hills, Calif.), and his own uncertain future.
O’Brien addressed how he and the remaining staff are working to keep recruits engaged through the transition.
“It’s hard to get a read on from our vantage point,” O’Brien told reporters via Zoom Thursday. “Recruits in general—you keep the relationships going. It’s easy to let your mind wander on what could happen. What I’ve concluded is to continue building relationships with the ones you have. Keep doing your job because there’s just so much unknown.”
For now, O’Brien’s immediate priority is helping Penn State snap a five-game losing streak, its longest since 2020, while breaking in redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkmeyer after Drew Allar’s season-ending injury against Northwestern.
“Just trying to stay in the present,” O’Brien said. “Help us get this win. That’s what’s best for Penn State both now and in the future.”
O’Brien believes stability and returning to winning form are key to rebuilding trust with recruits.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“What I’ve tried to do every day I walk into the building is continue to do my job the best I can and get better at it, because that’s what’s best for everybody involved,” he said. “I know it’s a vague answer, but it’s true.”
Despite the setbacks, O’Brien remains encouraged by the team’s spirit.
“The competitive levels are very high,” he said. “They’re all playing their ass off. All the big goals we had going into the year are gone, obviously, but it’s been really cool to see them unfazed by that and band together even tighter.”
Interim head coach Terry Smith has taken on the leadership role since Franklin’s dismissal, and O’Brien praised his ability to keep the team grounded.
“Coach Smith has done an unbelievable job,” O’Brien said. “The way he runs team meetings and delivers his messages before and after practice—it’s been excellent. No matter what happens at the end of this season, we all see it as our duty to prepare these kids for the game and guide them through a tough time.
“It’s about handling adversity and continuing to get better at your craft. A lot of that comes from coaches and players who just love this game. Sometimes the best distraction is to go out there, put the ball down, and play the game we love.”
