Former Penn State starter names a potential option to replace James Franklin as the head coach of the Nittany Lions
The Penn State Nittany Lions are in the market for a new head coach after firing James Franklin on Sunday.
The Penn State Nittany Lions need a new head coach after firing James Franklin on Sunday.
Franklin, who was hired at Penn State ahead of the 2014 season, was fired after suffering three straight losses to Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern.
The Oregon loss was forgivable (though it added to the “Franklin can’t win the big game” narrative). Losses to UCLA and Northwestern, however, weren’t forgivable.
Despite leading Penn State to within one game of a national championship appearance in 2024, James Franklin is out of a job.
Former Penn State offensive lineman endorses a head coach option to replace James Franklin
Former Penn State offensive lineman Landon Tengwall, who medically retired from football in 2023, took to Twitter on Monday to point out former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Manny Diaz as a potential option to replace Franklin.
“A lot of names are being thrown around for the next [head coach] of Penn State Football,” tweeted Tengwall. “Manny Diaz was the greatest coach and leader I’ve ever been around. Every single person in the football building had immense respect for him. The speeches he would give…it was, ‘find me a brick wall.’”
Diaz served as Penn State’s defensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023. He’s in his second season as the head coach at Duke, where he has the Blue Devils off to a 4-2 start this season after going 9-4 in 2024.
The Florida native spent three seasons as the head coach at Miami, where he went 21-15 before getting replaced by Mario Cristobal.
Penn State Nittany Lions News
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum makes strong statement on whether firing James Franklin was the right move by Penn State
The Penn State Nittany Lions made a big move on Sunday by firing head coach James Franklin. Penn State made the move with the program in the midst of a three game losing streak.
