Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule quickly became a top candidate for the Penn State Nittany Lions’ head coaching job after James Franklin was fired on October 12. Rhule grew up in State College, Pennsylvania, and also met his wife there.
From playing as a linebacker for the Nittany Lions from 1994 to 1997 to starting his coaching journey as a volunteer assistant at Penn State in 1998, Rhule had long been linked to the position. However, his name dropped out of contention following Wednesday’s development.
Matt Rhule No Longer in the Penn State Head Coaching Discussion
Amid the buzz of Rhule’s addition as the next Penn State head coach, former Nittany Lions tight end Pat Freiermuth shared his own thoughts on who he would like to see lead the squad.
“The head coach at JMU (Bob Chesney), I saw some things online, I think he’s pretty cool,” Freiermuth said during an appearance in the “Up & Adams” show on Wednesday. “Him or the dude Eli Drinkwitz from Missouri. I think we need him. The man who gave us Luke McVernon. I think we need him on the team.”
Rhule’s name was soon taken off many lists, as Josh Peterson of Sports Illustrated reported on Wednesday that he has agreed to a multi-year contract extension with Nebraska. The new deal is expected to keep him in Lincoln through at least 2030.
Nebraska is currently 6-2 heading into November and has been finalizing Rhule’s extension under athletic director Troy Dannen. Rhule was set to earn $8.5 million this season, with an official announcement on the new deal anticipated Thursday.
As for Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, his strong recruiting and skillful use of the transfer portal have made him a notable candidate for Penn State. He has transformed the Tigers into an SEC contender, leading them to consecutive 10-win seasons.
However, Drinkwitz made it clear that he is focused on Missouri now.
“We have an opportunity in front of us right now that doesn’t come very often at the University of Missouri, and I’ll be damned if I let distractions or outside noise or people try to influence that through social media, which, by the way, isn’t real,” Drinkwitz said to Paul Finebaum last week.
“There is no candidacy list, I don’t care what’s on 247, there is no people calling. What really matters for us right now is having the best winning Wednesday practice that we can have to take advantage of the moment in time.”
Missouri is 6-2 this season and sits at No. 31 in the PFSN College Football Playoff Meter.
