Penn State football has an opening at head coach after firing James Franklin. Many people have suggested that Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule could be his successor. Rhule, for his part, has kept any thoughts he has about coaching his alma mater close to his chest, but many insiders speculate there could be interest on both sides.
But should Rhule even want to leave Nebraska? Or, if he does, should Penn State want to bring him in? Rhule was a great coach at Baylor but struggled in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and is slowly rebuilding Nebraska, too slowly for some peoples’ taste. A lot of people are skeptical about if he would be an upgrade over Franklin, especially in the short term.
So, would Penn State hiring Matt Rhule be a disaster? Our Trojans Wire and UCLA Wire writers weighed in.
Matt Zemek, Editor
Absolutely. Rhule did an amazing job at Baylor, but that was before the current portal and NIL era. The sport has changed, and coaches have to show they can get elite players. Rhule hasn’t done that. I don’t see any appreciable upgrade over James Franklin here, and that would be a bad outcome for Penn State.
Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire
I am not sure that it would be a disaster, but I do not think that it would live up to the expectations that Penn State has.
Micah Huff, Trojans Wire
It would not be a step in the right direction like Penn State would hope it would be. Penn State would only be hiring someone who will be working their dream job. Matt Rhule is no different than James Franklin. He will not make that team any more successful than James Franklin did.
Ethan Inman, Trojans Wire
No, it wouldn’t be a disaster. It would just be meh. Rhule is a good football coach and he is slowly but surely restoring pride to a Nebraska program that desperately needs it. With more resources at Penn State he would be good, but not immediately great. I don’t think he’d be an upgrade over James Franklin. That’s the disaster side of the equation: who can Penn State even get that will perform better than Franklin? I think they have to throw everything and the kitchen sink at Nick Saban or they’re facing a very likely bust.
Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire
Not a disaster, more so just sad. Matt Rhule isn’t a bad college coach, he just doesn’t inspire hope the way that the Nittany Lions should be seeking a candidate to. Penn State fans are dreaming of Nick Saban and getting Rhule after the James Franklin burnout wouldn’t help reinvigorate donors and the fanbase.
Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire
Definitely would be a disaster. Rhule has had some success as a head coach, but going from James Franklin would be an enormous step backwards for the Nittany Lions. Rhule wouldn’t be a needle mover and if he’s hired, then I’m sure the fanbase would have a riot.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Big Ten Football Roundtable: Should Penn State even consider Matt Rhule at this point?
Reporting by Matt Zemek, Adam Bradford, Micah Huff and Ethan Inman, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
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