The Penn State Nittany Lions head football coach job is available after the school fired James Franklin in a stunning move on Monday. There has already been talk about who will replace him as head coach, and at least one sportsbook has put out odds on the next coach.
BetOnline.ag has listed odds on the next Penn State coach, and there are some very big names. The one at the top is Matt Rhule. Behind him are Bill O’Brien and Curt Cignetti.
Here are the coaches with odds of 14/1 or lower:
Matt Rhule 3/1
Bill O’Brien 4/1
Curt Cignetti 6/1
Lane Kiffin 8/1
Manny Diaz 10/1
Urban Meyer 12/1
Joe Brady 14/1
Rhule played linebacker at Penn State from 1994-1997 and lived in State College, Pa., during high school. He also coached at Temple in Philadelphia and is currently the head coach at Nebraska, so he has plenty of familiarity with the area and conference. Rhule was asked about the job on Monday and offered very little. O’Brien coached at Penn State in 2012 and 2013, so he would be a retread. He’s also not exactly dominating at Boston College.
Curt Cignetti is a great target considering what he has done at Indiana. But given the success he has enjoyed with the Hoosiers in so little time, one has to wonder whether he would have any reasons to leave.
Penn State fired Franklin despite the massive buyout he is owed. Athletic director Pat Kraft said he decided to fire Franklin after the loss to Northwestern on Saturday.
