It’s been eighteen days since Penn State fired James Franklin, but its head coach search is getting trickier with each passing day. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for AD Pat Kraft to secure a potential candidate with more than 10 head coaching gigs available. Two potential faces are out of the equation. Indiana secured Curt Cignetti with a $93 million deal. Alum Matt Rhule was another name on the slate, but a two-year extension by Nebraska has drowned those hopes as well.

Meanwhile, a $47.8 million head coach is gaining popularity on Kraft’s radar. Louisville Cardinals’ HC Jeff Brohm is the new favorite. Brett McMurphy shared the latest intel on X. “With Nebraska extending Matt Rhule’s contract, Louisville’s Jeff Brohm is new favorite, at 40%, to be Penn State’s next coach via @Kalshi.” Brian Hartline, Eli Drinkwitz, and Matt Campbell are also on the radar.

In his third season with the Cardinals, he became the first coach to lead Louisville to 19 wins over his last two seasons since 2014, with its first ACC Title Game appearance. Last season, his offensive unit ranked eighth nationally in scoring offense (36.5 points). According to the USA Today’s 2025 compensation survey, the head coach is set to earn $5,981,057, excluding bonus. But Penn State is not the only one interested in the Cardinals’ head coach.

Even the Gators seem interested in onboarding him. David Pollack went so far as to say that, if it were up to him, Jeff Brohm would be his No. 1 guy at the Swamp. But will these programs be able to sway him away from the Cardinals? That appears unlikely with the current momentum of this squad. With a 6-1 record, they are gunning for the ACC title. Jeff Brohm wouldn’t want to throw away that chance by switching to another program. Moreover, he is a Cardinals alum. Born into a Louisville family, inducted into the Louisville Catholic Sports Hall of Fame, his love for his alma mater seems evident.

“Now, I’m not saying he’s gonna leave his alma mater, and I don’t think he will. That’s his hometown. Everything about that. Probably not gonna leave,” Pollack adds. So, the replacement for Penn State is not straightforward. Meanwhile, Matt Rhule is off the table, after his new contract with the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska secures Matt Rhule

Matt Rhule had publicly expressed his love of Penn State. “I love Penn State. Met my wife there. It’s my alma mater…I have been a fan since I was born.” Added to the fact that Penn State’s search for a head coach and with Rhule appearing at the top of Pat Kraft’s list, Nebraska moved swiftly to lock in its coach for two more years, with his contract running till the 2032 season.

As reported by Pete Nakos, “Matt Rhule has signed a 2-year extension with Nebraska,” he shared on X. “The University of Nebraska, the city of Lincoln, and the state of Nebraska are special. It is a place our family is proud to call home,” he stated. According to the recent contract, there is a $15 million buyout if he departs before the contract expires.

Addressing the Penn State rumors earlier this month, Matt Rhule had said, “I came here for two reasons: I love the community, and I wanted to live here, and I love it here.” With a 6-2 record into the season, he is committed to developing his roster into a “beast.” Meanwhile, Happy Valley will be stuck with interim head coach Terry Smith as he prepares for the dreaded task of facing the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes.