The hottest coaching job right now is Penn State, after the shocking, but expected, firing of James Franklin. His departure has now changed the status quo of the arena. Not only is Happy Valley one of the most lucrative targets, but PSU has to select the very best to reach the level of success their fans crave. Franklin took the role when he was 42. Now a barely 40-year old coach has emerged as a fan favorite to be his successor. He also has National Championship experience.

Matt Rhule had been the frontrunner for the Penn State job. Another close favorite was Curt Cignetti. The 2 HCs bring some serious experience and potential to set things right with the struggling program. But fans are now vying for Bills OC Joe Brady, who edged past Rhule in odds for the position. Brady is 36 and has coached only briefly in college football. He doesn’t have experience, but he has results. Question is, will PSU take the risk in choosing young blood over established veterans?

Brady spent one season with Penn State as a graduate assistant, helping the Lions win the Big 10 title in 2016. The highlight of his college football career comes from Baton Rouge. He was part of the LSU staff behind the glorious 2019 squad, that lifted the National Championship. Brady was the passing game coordinator and receivers coach. He also earned the Broyles Award. That’s about it when it comes to his college football coaching experience. But that Natty helps his resume stand out in the mix.

Brady has surged up the ranks in the NFL, most notably in his ongoing stint with the Bills. The OC started out as the quarterbacks coach in 2022. He took over as interim OC in 2023, and transformed the franchise’s offense. That season saw Buffalo powering through the latter half of the schedule, and emerged as winners of the AFC East. Since then, Brady’s offenses have finished in the Top 10 in passing and scoring. The Penn State job is a risk for Brady, since the stakes are through the roof. But there’s still a chance of him translating his NFL success into the college game.

However, fans might not get their way so easily. Joe Brady has to want to come back to college football, since he has only just begun a good run in the NFL. It’ll be an absolute gamble for Penn State to hire him. But he’s already getting the green light from a former PSU star.

PSU legend supports Joe Brady for Franklin’s job

Rhule, a PSU grad himself, and Cignetti, the fiercest contender in the Big 10 now, have to beat out many others for the job. Alex Golesh pops up in this mix too, as does Eli Drinkwitz and Will Stein. One of Franklin’s best players, however, is all in for Joe Brady as the new Nittany Lions HC. DaeSean Hamilton, who holds the record for the most career receptions in PSU history wants the OC for the job. “Penn State go get Joe Brady,” he tweeted on X after Franklin’s firing.

Joe Brady’s experience becomes a tough area to ignore. If he gets the job next year, he’ll be in charge of a very young unit. An overwhelming amount of talent will be leaving the program after the season. Brady will be stepping into an elite program with the task of bringing some long overdue glory. He’ll have to do that with a practically new set of players.

Will Joe Brady take on such a huge challenge, when he’s already seeing success in the NFL? He will have to beat out the CFB veterans of course, but he’ll be a costly choice for Penn State’s future. A lot will have to factor in for the program’s top brass and Brady to arrive at an agreement of whether the job is really meant for him or not.