Penn State AD Pat Kraft delivers impassioned vision for next head coach

James Franklin fell short of the high expectations

Ironically, Franklin checked most of those boxes during his career at Penn State. The 2016 Big Ten Coach of the Year went 104-45 with the Nittany Lions and won a Big Ten Championship, a Rose Bowl, a Cotton Bowl and two College Football Playoff games. He rebuilt Penn State from a tarnished program hindered by sanctions to a national championship contender in just a few years. 

With that success, though, came higher expectations, and Franklin consistently fell short of them. He went 4-21 against AP top-10 teams and 4-17 against Ohio State and Michigan. This was supposed to be the year for Penn State to take the next step, but consecutive losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern signaled the end of Franklin's time in Happy Valley. 

Matt Rhule emerges as favorite for Penn State job

Based on Kraft's vision for Franklin's replacement, there's one name that perfectly fits the bill: Matt Rhule. Rhule, the current head coach at Nebraska, was a linebacker for Joe Paterno at Penn State and met his wife, Julie, on campus. He also has personal ties to Kraft, who hired him as the Temple head coach in 2012. 

Rhule loves Penn State, is good friends with the athletic director and embodies everything Kraft is looking for in a new leader. Whether it's Rhule or another candidate, Kraft's message for Penn State's next head coach is clear.

"What is the trajectory of this program? You all know—I'm not shy to admit it—I'm here to win a national championship," he said Monday. "I believe our fans deserve that, and I wake up every day trying to achieve that goal."