The firing of James Franklin has turned the college football coaching world upside down. The decision wasn’t easy, emotionally or financially. But it had to be done. Going 3-3 at a historically respected program like Penn State just doesn’t cut it, no matter the buyout price. Word on the street is that clearing James Franklin from State College cost Penn State over $100 million.

On October 13th, college football and NFL insider Todd McShay hopped on his namesake podcast and discussed Penn State’s finances behind getting rid of James Franklin and his staff. “There’s been a lot of reports about what the number is. How much money is the buyout? $56 million for Franklin. Another $14 to $18 million to clean out the staff and what they’re owed. I believe it’s around $10 million just for the coordinators, $35 million for a new head coach and buyout and new staff and branding. Those are just the numbers I’m getting. Okay, so you’re talking about a $105 million decision that was made.”

Based on what he said, Penn State is looking at a total makeover. They’ve set aside a massive portion of money for a new coaching investment. $35 million for a new coach, assistants, and rebranding. It’s one of the most expensive coaching changes ever and shows just how serious Penn State is about starting fresh. McShay doubled down with insider info about two big-name Big Ten coaches on Penn State’s radar. First? The “Google man,” Curt Cignetti: “The names I’m hearing, and this isn’t breaking news, the Cignetti effect is real. I’m told that if he were to be lured somewhere, if there was some place that maybe he couldn’t say no to, this may be his weak spot. This is Penn State.” Curt Cignetti is arguably the coach all programs searching for a head coach, have as their top option right now.

The man’s literally brought football back to a basketball state. Before the Cignetti era, the Hoosiers were one of the worst teams in the country. The former James Madison head coach led the Hoosiers to their winningest season (10-2) in his first year and took them to their first playoff appearance. And to prove it wasn’t a fluke or one-season wonder, Curt Cignetti is planning to run it back again in 2025.

The Hoosiers are 6-0, ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll, and sit at No. 4 nationally in points scored per game. He even silenced his biggest critics by beating a top-five program. However, the only concern is his contract. Earlier this year, Curt Cignetti signed a new eight-year extension that runs through November 30, 2032. Penn State might have to put up even more green to snatch him away. Still, the chances of flipping Curt Cignetti is low.

The second name? State College’s very own Matt Rhule. Todd McShay spilled: “Matt Rhule is the other name. Those two, to me, are the top guys. Matt Rhule’s like family with the Penn State family. You’ve got two guys with roots there.” Matt Rhule and Penn State go way back to the 1990s. The Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach played linebacker there from 1994 to 1997 and even graduated from the school. He even met his wife at Penn State and still stays close with folks like the athletic director.

Right now, he’s thriving at Nebraska and says he loves it there, but he hasn’t totally closed the door on coming back to Penn State. So, a lot of people think he’d be a natural fit since he was born and bred in State College. The real question is, what does Matt Rhule think about the Penn State job?

Matt Rhule broke his silence on the Penn State job

At Monday’s presser, Matt Rhule finally addressed the Penn State drama. He didn’t give a direct answer. He said, “I’m not going to talk a lot about job openings when they come… I’m not going to talk about those things ever. I’m not going to talk about my contract here. I’m going to talk about the team. I absolutely love it here.” He made it clear he wants to focus on improving Nebraska first.

Even though Rhule stayed quiet about the job, he praised Penn State and Franklin. He said Franklin “took over the program during a tumultuous time and brought stability.” Rhule also spoke about his friendship with Penn State’s athletic director Pat Kraft, calling him “one of my best friends.” About Kraft, Rhule said, “He’s not afraid of anything. He’s going to fight for what he wants.”

Rhule joked about his connection to Penn State, saying, “I think I probably had a Penn State shirt when I was born.” But he also made it clear that a move back isn’t coming soon, stating the focus is still on Nebraska.