Josh Pate Expresses Clear Discontent On $1.12Bn Worth Program’s Head Coaching Search Despite Big-Name Candidates

Penn State’s coaching search has hit a dead end, and college football analyst Josh Pate isn’t mincing words about the situation the $1.12 billion program is facing.

On Josh Pate’s Football Show, Pate claimed that Penn State had been trying to get coaches like Kalen DeBoer and Mike Elko to fill in the coaching vacancy left after James Franklin’s dismissal.

Pate then confirmed via On3 sports’ Pete Nakos that Elko is not an available name anymore considering he reupped with Texas A&M while he also claimed that Kalen DeBoer isn’t a serious option.

The analyst delivered an assessment of where Penn State stands after missing out on their top-tier candidates and how they lack a Plan B.

“So, what are we left with? And remember, we’re looking to upgrade from James Franklin. As far as I can tell, there’s no real contingency past the Grand Slam phase of the Penn State coaching search. So, they missed on the grand slam,” Pate stated on his college football show (1:55).

Pate then suggested how Penn State need to hit a homerun after missing a couple of strikes, whilst naming a list of potential coaches.

“Do we think Clark Lee going up there would be a home run? Eli Drinkwitz from Missouri would be a home run. Jeff Brohm, Matt Campbell, Manny Diaz, Brian Hartline, Will Stein, Joe Brady. There could be a future Hall of Famer on that list for all I know,” Pate further explained (2:14).

He concluded by saying that despite all this noise around the coaching replacement at Penn State, the Nittany Lions don’t yet see a definitive upgrade over James Franklin.

James Franklin Linked To Virginia Tech’s Head Coaching Vacancy

Franklin’s tenure at Penn State ended abruptly on October 12 following a disappointing 3-3 start, supposedly failing to meet expectations for a program like Penn State. His firing has left the university scrambling to identify a capable successor.

Brian Daboll, who was recently dismissed after an abysmal performance with the New York Giants this season, is also rumored to be a potential option at Penn State. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Franklin has entered discussions with Virginia Tech, who are pursuing Franklin as their head coach.

Sources: James Franklin and Virginia Tech are in early stages of talks, with some resolution on his candidacy in expected in the upcoming days. Tech is still running a full search, but it’s clear there’s mutual interest between the parties. As reported on @CollegeGameDay. pic.twitter.com/m1dlYZNm5U

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 15, 2025

Penn State now owe Franklin a $49 million buyout after his abrupt firing in October this year but an offset clause could be activated once Franklin starts coaching a new side, significantly reducing the amount they owe to the former Penn State head coach.

Also Read:

• ‘He Didn’t Work at the Degree’: Josh Pate Slams Brian Kelly Over Unimpressive Work at LSU Amid $53,000,000 Buyout Lawsuit
• “What In The World Has Penn State Done?”: Josh Pate Calls For Carson Beck’s Miami to Take Over No. 2 Spot In AP Poll Top 25 Following Massive USF Win
• Josh Pate Rips Into ‘Broken’ College Football Officiating After Wake Forest-Georgia Tech Controversy: “CFB Has Become A Laughing Stock”

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