Report: ‘Top-Level’ Penn State Donors Pushing For Terry Smith to be Promoted

Terry Smith has the support of plenty of Penn State fans and players, and apparently that support extends to the donors.

Per a report by Pete Nakos of On3Sports, “top-level Penn State donors are pushing for athletic director Pat Kraft to promote” Smith to be promoted from interim to full-time head coach.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise.

It became apparent after Penn State’s 37-10 win over Nebraska on Senior Night at Beaver Stadium that Smith had plenty of support. One fan even made signs that said “hire Terry Smith,”  which made their way to the Penn State sideline and became a big part of the postgame celebration. Smith has indeed done an admirable job since becoming the interim coach after James Franklin’s firing Oct. 12.

Penn State Fires James Franklin

Although Penn State’s 3-3 record under Smith looks pedestrian, context is always important.

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Smith had to leave Penn State through the experience of Franklin’s dismissal, and if one more play had gone differently in one-point losses at Iowa and against No. 2 Indiana at Beaver Stadium, Smith would have gone 5-1, and maybe he’d have already been promoted.

But Penn State still doesn’t have a head coach 52 days into the search, and the options are dwindling.

By 3:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline took the head-coaching job at South Florida, Georgia Tech extended Brent Key and Jeff Brohm told Louisville he wasn’t leaving.

The more options fall off the board, the more likely Smith is to be promoted.

Stay tuned for further updates on the Penn State coaching search.