Penn State’s coaching search found a new candidate this week, and in a matter of days, they are being forced to look for other faces. Yesterday, ON3’s Pete Nakos reported that James Madison head coach Bob Chesney is “a name to watch” for the Lions. The list also included Brent Key and Clark Lea. However, Chesney’s Pennsylvanian roots were cited as giving him an edge. Today, a Penn State alum burst the bubble of hype surrounding Chesney.

“Feels like Bob Chesney’s name is starting to heat up in the Penn State Head Coach search. But once again, with these searches, things can change within the hour. That’s why I keep saying nobody really knows anything,” wrote former Penn State player Landon Tengwall on X on November 21. But today, Tengwall replied to the same post, declaring Bob Chesney’s name to be out from the prospective candidates’ list at Penn State. “And like I said, things change quickly,” wrote the former Penn State OL.

One of the users even misinterpreted Tengwall’s post and expected Chesney to finally arrive at Penn State. But Tengwall took no time to dispel that misconception. “Lol, I think people are misinterpreting my tweet,” Tengwall replied to the comment. That essentially puts Chesney rumors to bed at Penn State, and the program seems to be looking at other faces.

The 48-year-old’s in-state connection made him an exciting prospect, but his coaching resume is also quite illustrious. After spending his formative years at Division 3 schools like Norwich and Delaware Valley, Chesney’s big break came when he was appointed head coach of Salve Regina in 2010. That propelled his career, and after stints with Assumption and Holy Cross, he came to James Madison in 2024. The former Dickinson defensive back has compiled an impressive 19-5 record with the Sun Belt program. The momentum around his name didn’t just come from X.

“Here is what I will say. I think they have zeroed in on their guy for the past several days. I think that guy might be Bob Chesney. That’s who I think that guy may be,” said Josh Pate about his candidature.

The head coach’s name links to Penn State, also owing to his meager $1.25 million buyout. But now that Chesney’s name is no longer in the mix, other names, such as Brent Key and Clark Lea, become more important. Not to mention, names from the Nittany Lions’ own camp.

Is Penn State about to hire Terry Smith?

When you have a solution in the house, why are you even looking outside? That’s what Terry Smith advocates must be telling AD Pat Kraft. The interim head coach had led the Lions to back-to-back wins against Michigan State and Nebraska. Now, there’s real momentum around him getting the permanent gig.

Just recently, we saw Penn State players holding placards of “Hire Smith,” and Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas even posted it on his social media accounts after the Nebraska game. It’s a no-brainer, then, for the Penn State hierarchy to interview Smith, right? That’s exactly what they did. “Athletic director Pat Kraft interviewed interim coach Terry Smith this week. Kraft has kept the search under wraps,” reported ON3’s Pete Nakos yesterday.

Just like Chesney, Smith knows the area and has recruited for the program. The only downside is the lack of a serious resume for the top post. However, when you consider how the current roster has responded to him, leadership is a significant plus. Moreover, there’s a sense of continuity, which can help retain the current crop and stop future players from flipping to other programs.