Former Colorado Buffaloes QB says Penn State is the ‘Apple of the Cycle’ — and the job that could redefine college football’s coaching landscape
If he’s right, Penn State’s next move won’t just reshape its own future. It could set the tone for an entire coaching carousel.
Joel Klatt has seen enough coaching changes to know when one stands apart. On a recent episode of The Joel Klatt Show, the FOX analyst revealed who he thinks should replace James Franklin as the next head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions.
He broke down why Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule, Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti, Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz, and Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline could all fit the job. In Klatt’s opinion, Penn State’s head coach opening is not just another big-name vacancy. It’s the job.
Why Penn State stands alone in this year’s coaching carousel
“I think this is going to be the best job that comes open in this cycle,” Klatt said. “I don’t care if those other jobs open — Florida, Florida State, Wisconsin — Penn State is the apple of the cycle.”
Klatt’s reasoning extends beyond name recognition. He sees Penn State as the total package: elite facilities, a modernized athletic department, and a raucous fan base that still fills one of the most intimidating stadiums in college football.
“The support is there,” he said. “The athletic director is fantastic. They’re just putting in nine figures plus into that stadium, which is already one of the best environments in college football. You have a history of success, a legacy, a tradition. Everything is there to win a championship.”
In Klatt’s opinion, Penn State doesn’t need a full rebuild. It needs someone who can elevate the program from perennial contender to national champion.
“This is a pivotal moment for Penn State,” Klatt said. “They’ve been a premium product, but there has been a ceiling with James Franklin. Like Georgia with Mark Richt, you want to bring somebody in who can take you to the next level.”
Who Klatt thinks should replace James Franklin
Klatt broke potential candidates into three categories: the big swing, the fit, and the unproven rising star.
The “big swing,” he said, is Indiana’s Curt Cignetti — one of the hottest names in the sport after a statement wins over Oregon and UCLA.
“I don’t think there’s a hotter name in college football right now,” Klatt said. “He’s from Pennsylvania, he’s proven, and he fits that mold of a program-changer.”
Under the “fit” category, Klatt mentioned two familiar names: Diaz and Rhule. Both have deep ties to Penn State and reputations for excelling in challenging roles.
“Manny Diaz is going to get a call,” Klatt said. “And Matt Rhule — he knows Penn State, he is Penn State.”
The “unproven” but high-upside option is Ohio State assistant Brian Hartline.
“He’s the best recruiter at his position group over the last ten years, and it’s not close,” Klatt said. “He’s also the best developer of talent that we’ve seen. He’s been around it, just like Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart. He knows exactly what it takes.”
Klatt made it clear that his list isn’t based on insider leaks but on logic and precedent — the same framework that led him to correctly predict Kalen DeBoer as Alabama’s successor to Nick Saban.
If he’s right, Penn State’s next move won’t just reshape its own future. It could set the tone for an entire coaching carousel — one that starts, as Klatt put it, with the best job in America this cycle.
Penn State Nittany Lions News
Matt Rhule emerges as favorite to replace James Franklin, and his deep ties to Penn State make him the perfect fit
Here’s why Rhule’s Penn State roots and history of program turnarounds make him the clear frontrunner.
