Terry Smith is on a roll at Happy Valley. After securing his first win against Michigan State as an interim HC, the 56-year-old anchored Penn State to a 37-10 win against Nebraska. The game bolstered Smith’s chances for the permanent gig, and his players are leading the campaign.

“Coach Terry’s been honest with us. He told us from the get-go he wasn’t expecting his job. This was never a position he asked for,” Penn State DE Dani Dennis-Sutton said after the game. “But throughout that week, we started to gain confidence, and he told us that he wanted to be the next head coach. So that helped motivate us to be like, ‘All right, let’s do it for Coach Terry.’ Like he’s always been a leader for me. Before he was the head coach, I always respected Coach Terry, but now that he’s the head coach, he has even made our connection even stronger.”

According to Sutton, the Nebraska win was all about putting a halt to Penn State’s coaching search and giving Terry Smith the title that he deserves. From the moment students started chanting “Terry!” to the “Hire Terry Smith” signs flooding the sidelines, one thing was clear. This locker room and fan base are all in on him.

Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer had his best game of the season with 11-for-12 passing completions for 181 yards and a touchdown. He looked extremely fired up, and offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh spoke plainly. “I feel like you have your guy,” Donkoh said. “You don’t have to look anywhere else for who the next head coach here should be. That’s really what it shows.”

Smith himself took control of the narrative. The quiet official search was already underway with names like Texas A&M’s Mike Elko and Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz floating around. But Smith made a bold and personal pitch of his own.

“I’ve always been a head coach,” Smith said. “I’m very confident in what I do. God has blessed me. My mom has anointed me. My wife keeps a covering over me. I have gifts that I don’t even realize I have.”

The final happy moment was PSU athletic director Patrick Kraft hinting at a probable confirmation of Smith’s permanency. He seemed all smiles as Smith walked across the field, soaking up the moment.

But then Penn State captain Nick Dawkins offered a reality check. “A couple of weeks ago, weren’t they just yelling, Fire a coach? Now they’re saying hire a coach,” Dawkins said. “… It’s cool and it’s awesome, but what if something else happens? Everything can be flipped so quickly, honestly.” For now, Smith’s taken the spotlight and is making his daily work his real-time interview.

The rival coach’s moment of pride 

All the endorsement for Terry Smith getting a permanent seat looks normal. But when the rival team’s playcaller also chimes in, that’s when things get serious. Matt Rhule’s postgame reaction after Nebraska’s 37-10 blowout loss to Penn State was pure, unfiltered respect for Terry Smith. Rhule was asked the most obvious question: What did he think of Terry Smith’s job as Penn State’s interim head coach?

“I think Terry’s an interim head coach; people tend to rally around him,” he said. “He’s a Penn Stater. He’s a lifer. You know, I’m proud of him. I gave him his first job. I think he’s done a really nice job out there. I’m sure Penn State’s a great place. You know, they have fantastic talent, and they played really well tonight.” This was more than the usual coachspeak.

Years ago, Rhule handed Smith his first coaching gig, and their time at Temple built a bond that has lasted. So, seeing Smith command Penn State and orchestrate such a convincing win was personal. Rhule was beaming even as the scoreboard stung. He praised Smith as someone who “has done a really nice job.” in.