Penn State still doesn’t have a head coach, and its interim, Terry Smith, might be headed elsewhere.
According to FOX NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Smith is receiving interest from two separate programs. Schultz reported on Thursday that Smith is drawing “significant interest” from Memphis and UConn for their open head coaching jobs.
Former Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield departed to take the job at Arkansas, and UConn’s Jim Mora Jr. left to coach at Colorado State. Smith has never been a full-time college head coach, but was on James Franklin’s staff for 12 years and worked his way up to associate head coach
Penn State legend and All-Pro Green Bay Packers pass rusher Micah Parsons thinks Smith is absolutely the right man for the Nittany Lions’ job.
“If we have any common sense, if they ever want me to come back, they better put Terry there,” Parsons said. “I’ma be honest with you.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Parsons joins a long list of current or former players to put their support behind Smith. Options continue to come off the table, including Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer saying Thursday there hasn’t been any communication between him and Penn State, and that he is very happy at Alabama.
Linebacker Tony Rojas took to Twitter after a reported deal with BYU head coach Kalani Sitake fell through, with Rojas pointing to the main already in the building as Penn State’s answer.
“This is just funny at this point ngl (not gonna lie) lol,” Rojas said on Twitter. “We might go a whole season with no head coach, when we clearly got a head coach right upstairs in the office, don’t understand 🤦♂️”
This could be one way to increase an already hot stove under AD Pat Kraft and a growing amount of support for Smith to be the permanent head coach from big boosters and alumni.
Penn State remains the only large job unfilled, leaving a top 10-15 program in the country still searching for answers, a stunning 53 days after firing Franklin and naming Smith as interim.
