Penn State wants to dominate now; having a 3-3 record just isn’t cutting it anymore. James Franklin’s firing makes that crystal clear. After three straight losses, including disappointing defeats to UCLA and Northwestern, the Nittany Lions decided it was time to cut their losses and reset. The move immediately sparked speculation about who might take over the program. And right on cue, a Penn State private jet landed near The Shoe, setting off rumors around one name in particular: Brian Hartline.

On October 13th, Penn State beat reporter Collin Ward took to X and spilled the tea on this rendezvous. He also attached receipts and questioned whether it was for Hartline: “Don’t look now, but the Penn State private jet just landed at Ohio State’s airport. Brian Hartline? Would they land there for Al Golden? I feel like no.” Not going to lie, Al Golden seems like a stretch, anyway. The coach recently landed a defensive coordinator gig with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The firing came just a day after AD Pat Kraft made it clear that mediocrity wouldn’t fly anymore. Kraft called the decision “extremely difficult” but necessary, noting that Penn State had invested heavily and expected results to match. “Football is our backbone,” he said. “We’ve invested at the highest level, and with that comes high expectations.” He added that the next coach must know how to “maximize elite-level resources and develop at the highest level,” signaling a hard reset for a program that began the year ranked No. 2 but quickly unraveled– even if it cost them $49 million. Perhaps that’s why the Hartline theory makes the most sense.

Ever since Franklin’s exit, he’s emerged as the most intriguing non-HC candidate for Penn State. Joel Klatt even called him an “under the radar” option on his podcast, saying: “The guy that’s maybe under the radar, that’s not a head coach right now, that has seen it like a Dan Lanning or a Kirby Smart, he’s been around it. He knows what it takes. He just hasn’t been a head coach yet, is Brian Hartline at Ohio State. And I know Buckeye fans are screaming right now for me bringing up that name.”

Klatt elaborated further, calling Penn State “the apple of the cycle,” and describing the job as the best available in college football. “The support is there. The athletic director is fantastic. They’re putting nine figures-plus into that stadium, which is already one of the best environments in college football. You have a history of success, a legacy, a tradition. You can win a national championship up there,” he said.

After being promoted to OC this season, Hartline has taken 100% of the play-calls. So far, the Buckeyes’ offense is ranked 23rd nationally in points per game, averaging 36.8 points. They average 421.5 total yards per game, placing them 46th nationally. They are converting 77.9% of their third downs and allowing only 0.5 sacks per game. But don’t let these rankings fool you. The numbers are by design, as Ryan Day ensures the right balance between his offense and defense.

Hartline’s credentials go beyond the box score. Since becoming Ohio State’s wide receivers coach in 2018, he’s helped recruit and develop a long list of first-round picks, like Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr., among others. Klatt called him “the best recruiter at his position group over the last 10 years, and it’s not close,” adding that “he’s also the best developer of talent that we’ve seen.” Klatt believes Hartline’s exposure to high-pressure success at Ohio State mirrors the trajectories of assistants like Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart before they became championship head coaches. “Brian Hartline is going to be an incredible head coach, and he will be a head coach at some point in his career,” Klatt said. “I don’t know if it’s right now, but he’s seen it and he knows what it takes.”

Klatt made it clear this is just his personal take, not insider intel. He believes Hartline could achieve the same level of success as Dan Lanning, Kirby Smart, or Steve Sarkisian. Also, he’s an elite-level play-caller who has recruited and developed multiple first-round picks at wideout. Hartline could be the perfect fit if Penn State is aiming for a non-HC candidate instead of chasing a big-name hire.

Exploring Penn State’s next head coach: Klatt’s Take

Joel Klatt laid out three main categories for Penn State’s next head coach. The first is the “certified big-timer” coaches. As the name suggests, a coach who comes in to carry the team with his personality or reputation. He placed Indiana’s Curt Cignetti at the top of this list, calling him “the hottest name in college football.” Cignetti has turned Indiana into a playoff contender, recently beating No. 3 Oregon 30–20, and currently sits at 6–0. He even signed an eight-year, $72 million extension last season after lifting the Hoosiers from the Big Ten’s basement. So far, he’s 17-2 in Indiana, proving he knows how to get results and handle pressure at a high level.

The second category is the “bring-him-home” coach, someone with ties to Penn State who already knows the program and the culture. Popular choices here include Duke Football’s head coach Manny Diaz and Nebraska’s Matt Rhule. Klatt noted that Diaz, who served as Penn State’s defensive coordinator from 2022 to 2023, is “doing a really good job at Duke” and is likely to get a call. Rhule, meanwhile, has rejuvenated Nebraska with a 5-1 start in his third year, after previously turning around both Temple and Baylor. Manny Diaz already spent time at Penn State as the defensive coordinator from 2022 to 2023, so he’s familiar with the program, the staff, and the recruiting landscape. But he lacks the success required to be considered a real contender.

Matt Rhule is another obvious “bring-him-home” option. He was born and raised a Penn State fan, grew up in State College, and even played linebacker for the Nittany Lions from 1994 to 1997. But Rhule is currently thriving at Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are 5-1, and luring him out of Lincoln feels like an impossible task.

Then come the last category, the Hartline kind. A powerful coordinator hungry for the big stage. Whoever gets this position will have the expectations of immediate success thrust upon them. Klatt summed it up best: “There’s been a ceiling on Penn State under Franklin, like Georgia under Mark Richt. Now’s the time to bring in someone who can take them to the next level — not rebuild it, but elevate it.” A conference championship is only the bare minimum as Happy Valley’s trophy drought has dragged on long enough.