An interesting new report claims Penn State has a unique reason to root for fired head coach James Franklin’s next

James Franklin's buyout was a major part of the story when Penn State decided to fire him Sunday, but the Nittany Lions reportedly could avoid paying all of it.

Penn State has begun the most high-profile coaching search of the season so far, as it moves to replace James Franklin, who was let go after nearly 12 years with the program. Franklin lifted Penn State from the wake of NCAA sanctions to a top-10 team that won a Big Ten title, three New Year's 6 bowl games and two College Football Playoff games.

Terry Smith says he's willing to do whatever he can to help Penn State win in his role as the interim head football coach of the Nittany Lions. Smith, who was named interim head coach of the team on Sunday following the firing of James Franklin, addressed the media on Monday at a press conference alongside athletic director Pat Kraft.

Penn State was one win away from playing for a national title last year. How did it fall apart so fast? In the end, it was about one issue that plagued Penn State throughout James Franklin’s tenure. Unlock Digital Access for unlimited access to Inquirer.com and The Inquirer App, plus 5 articles per month to gift to friends and family.

College football coach buyouts are notoriously absurd, and James Franklin’s was no different. What should PSU do about his replacement?

Matt Rhule professed his love for living and working in Nebraska and trying to return the Cornhuskers to the upper echelon of college football. But he did nothing to shut down speculation that he could be up for the Penn State job.

After being connected to the Penn State job opening, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule gave some non-committal answers about the situation.