Penn State’s Coaching Search Hits Roadblocks as Top Targets Stay Put
Tuesday brought the most dramatic twist yet in Penn State’s ongoing coaching search - and not in the way fans in Happy Valley were hoping. The Nittany Lions made a serious push for BYU head coach Kalani Sitake, only to see BYU donors step in with a late-game blitz of their own.
The result? Sitake stays in Provo with a fresh extension, and Penn State is once again back to the drawing board.
This isn’t just a one-off miss. Sitake is now the sixth presumed target to turn down Penn State’s overtures in favor of re-upping with their current school.
And it’s not just about loyalty - these coaches are getting paid. Big time.
A Coaching Carousel That’s Spinning, Just Not Toward Penn State
Let’s run through the scoreboard. Curt Cignetti and Mike Elko both landed raises that now have them among the top 10 highest-paid coaches in college football, thanks in part to Penn State’s interest.
Eliah Drinkwitz at Missouri got bumped to over $10 million per year. Matt Rhule didn’t see a salary increase, but he did tack on two more years and $25 million to his Nebraska deal.
Clark Lea, once the lowest-paid coach in the SEC, is now getting a significant bump - along with investment into Vanderbilt’s facilities. And Sitake?
While the exact numbers are still under wraps (private schools tend to keep those details close), the word is he’s now among the highest-paid in the Big 12.
The ripple effect is clear: Penn State’s coaching vacancy has become one of the most lucrative leverage tools in recent memory. Call it a coaching stimulus package - and it’s still growing.
Who’s Next? And Does It Even Matter Right Now?
With Sitake out of the picture, eyes are now turning toward Louisville’s Jeff Brohm. But he’s coaching at his alma mater, and Louisville isn’t exactly strapped for cash - especially with major corporate backing behind the program. That’s the challenge Penn State keeps running into: they’re not just competing with programs; they’re going up against emotional ties and deep-pocketed boosters.
Openings at Florida and Auburn have also shifted the market. Those jobs helped fuel extensions for guys like Lea and Drinkwitz, but they also had clear top targets from the jump - Alex Golesh for Auburn, Jon Sumrall for Florida.
Penn State, on the other hand, hasn’t had that obvious go-to candidate. And that’s made them an easy mark for agents looking to cash in.
A Moment of Reflection in Happy Valley
At this point, Penn State is well into Plan C - maybe even D - territory. And that’s forced a hard truth into the spotlight: the program may be overestimating how it’s viewed nationally.
The Nittany Lions have operated like they’re one of the sport’s elite destinations. But the market is saying otherwise.
You don’t lure coaches away from good jobs - especially not their alma maters - unless you’re a destination job. Think LSU.
Right now, Penn State just isn’t in that tier.
It’s still a strong job - no doubt about that - but within the Big Ten, it probably ranks behind Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, and USC. Expectations in State College are sky-high, with fans and boosters hungry for championships.
But Penn State hasn’t won a conference title since 2016, and the last national title came in the 1980s. That’s a long drought, and it’s understandable why coaches might hesitate to leave a stable, well-supported situation for a program where the bar is set that high.
Where Does Penn State Go From Here?
Someone will eventually take the job. And while the Nittany Lions didn’t land a splashy name, that’s not always a bad thing.
Sometimes the best hires are the ones that don’t dominate the headlines. Franklin himself proved that sustained success is possible in State College - he just couldn’t get over the final hump.
Penn State still has the resources, the fan base, and the tradition to compete at a high level. But this search has made one thing clear: expectations may need a reality check. At least for now.
If they don’t reset the bar, they could find themselves in this same spot again in a few years - watching other programs lock up their coaches while Penn State plays musical chairs with the coaching carousel.