As Penn State football’s coaching search continues to linger, every rumor or sighting seems to spark speculation about who the next head coach might be.
Case in point: former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll was recently spotted wearing Penn State gear. That was enough fodder for The Pat McAfee Show to pick up the story and debate the merits of Daboll as Penn State’s next coach.
“He’s seen walking out of his house wearing a Penn State hoodie,” McAfee said. “Penn State needs a head coach. Brian Daboll also has kids that are currently at Penn State. He would be a massive, splashy hire. He has a lot of history doing very good things in football, outside of what he did with the New York Giants. But how many could say they did good with the New York Giants is what a lot of people would say if you’re in Brian Daboll’s camp.”
Daboll’s football résumé is impressive: five Super Bowl championships as an assistant with Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots, an NFL Coach of the Year award after leading the Giants to the playoffs in his first season and a national title as Nick Saban’s offensive coordinator at Alabama in 2017.
At first glance, it sounds like the “massive, splashy hire” McAfee described. But it would, in reality, be a major mistake for Penn State.
Here’s why athletic director Pat Kraft should steer clear of Brian Daboll.
The Curse of the Nick Saban Offensive Coordinator
Saban developed a reputation at Alabama as the great rehabilitator of coaches. Over 17 seasons and a 201–29 record, many assistants used their time in Tuscaloosa as a springboard to head-coaching jobs.
Kirby Smart, Mario Cristobal, Dan Lanning, and Brent Key have found success. Steve Sarkisian and Lane Kiffin also thrived, though both were accomplished long before joining Saban’s staff.
But others flamed out. Jim McElwain struggled at Florida and was later caught up in the Connor Stalions scandal while at Central Michigan. Doug Nussmeier failed at Michigan and Florida before moving to the NFL. Mike Locksley has produced mixed results at Maryland. Bill O’Brien, after his own sideline and press conference meltdowns, now helms a one-win Boston College team. Tommy Rees, Saban’s final offensive coordinator, is still finding his footing in Cleveland.
Daboll’s lone college stop under Saban was a brief “cup of coffee” and hardly enough to suggest he’s built for the grind of college football leadership.
Daniel Jones and Regressing Offenses
One of James Franklin’s biggest shortcomings at Penn State has been failing to develop quarterbacks. Daboll’s track record offers no reassurance that he’d fix that problem.
Daniel Jones, once derided as “Danny Donations” in New York, has since flourished with the Indianapolis Colts becoming “Indiana Jones,” where he leads the NFL in passing yards (2,659) and passing success rate (53.5%), hardly a ringing endorsement for Daboll’s developmental skills.
Although Daboll deserves credit for helping Josh Allen mature in Buffalo, his offensive track record elsewhere has been abysmal.
Between stints with the Browns, Dolphins, Chiefs, and Giants, five of his eight offenses ranked 29th or worse in scoring, including two dead last finishes (2009 Browns, 2012 Chiefs). He was also the quarterbacks coach during the Jets’ infamous 2008 collapse with Brett Favre.
That’s not the résumé of a quarterback whisperer.
Personnel and Talent Evaluation
Franklin’s strength has always been identifying and developing underrated recruits. Daboll’s NFL draft record suggests the opposite.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.In 2022, the Giants entered the draft with 11 picks, including two in the top seven. Daboll’s first-round selections; Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal, have underwhelmed.
Thibodeaux, once projected as the next great edge rusher, has been inconsistent enough that the Giants spent major capital to acquire two-time Pro Bowler Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers and later drafted former Nittany Lion Abdul Carter No. 3 overall. You don’t make both moves if your top-five pick is panning out.
Neal, taken seventh, has struggled mightily. His PFF grades in run blocking (48.1) and pass protection (42.3) as a rookie ranked near the bottom of the league. He’s never earned a pass-blocking grade above 50 and is currently sidelined with injury after attempting a position switch to guard.
Then there’s Deonte Banks, taken ahead of All-Pro Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch. Banks currently ranks near the bottom of PFF’s coverage metrics (47.4) in 2025.
Daboll was also connected to the Giants’ ill-fated contract negotiations with Saquon Barkley, featured on Hard Knocks: Offseason. Barkley ultimately signed with the Eagles, broke rushing records, and helped lead Philadelphia to a Super Bowl LIX title an outcome that makes the Giants’ handling of the situation look even worse.
He’s an NFL Guy
Of Daboll’s 26 seasons in coaching, 25 have been in the NFL, with just one, 2017 at Alabama, in college.
While some argue that college football has become more “professional,” the opposite is also true: it’s more complex than ever.
NIL deals, the transfer portal, and constant roster turnover make the college game more chaotic and less structured than the NFL.
NFL players have contracts and defined hierarchies. College coaches, meanwhile, must re-recruit their own rosters annually while managing boosters, agents, and collectives.
There’s a reason Daboll was one-and-done in college. The grind and instability of modern college football demand adaptability and recruiting acumen are traits Daboll hasn’t demonstrated.
Verdict
Brian Daboll is a decorated coach, and his résumé reflects that. But so was Joe Judge, another Patriots disciple who flopped in New York.
Daboll thrived when surrounded by elite infrastructure: Belichick in New England, Saban at Alabama, and a star quarterback in Buffalo. Once removed from those support systems, his teams have cratered.
Some might compare him to Pete Carroll, who transitioned successfully from the NFL to USC, but Carroll had far more college experience, was more accomplished NFL coordinator/head coach and possessed charisma suited for recruiting. Daboll doesn’t.
In today’s college landscape, success requires more than schematic expertise; it takes adaptability, cultural awareness, and relentless recruiting energy. Daboll is an NFL lifer, and Penn State needs a college football leader.
Hiring Brian Daboll would not just be a risk, it would be a disaster for both sides.
