FOX Sports analyst RJ Young offered an early short list for Penn State: Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein, USF head coach Alex Golesh, Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield, Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, and LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Miami fans will notice a big name within that group: OC Shannon Dawson. Dawson has already been rumored for other HC positions that have opened up mid-season such as Oklahoma State.
Who should be Penn State's next Head Coach? 🤔@RJ_Young shares his top candidates ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0Dq598Kd47
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 13, 2025
Penn State fired HC James Franklin on Oct. 12 after a 3–3 start and named longtime assistant Terry Smith interim head coach while beginning a national search.
RJ Young's top candidates for Penn State HC
- Will Stein, Oregon OC/QBs — Dan Lanning's play-caller since 2023 after a successful turn at UTSA; widely credited for continuing the Ducks' explosive vertical passing game.
- Alex Golesh, South Florida HC — Orchestrated USF's program turnaround in 2023 (7–6 with a 45–0 bowl win); has the Bulls back in the AP rankings in 2025 and they could make the CFP.
- Ryan Silverfield, Memphis HC — Steady winner with 40+ victories since taking over in 2019; extended the Tigers' double-digit bowl streak and has sustained one of the AAC's most consistent programs.
- Shannon Dawson, Miami OC/QBs — In his third season coordinating the Hurricanes' offense; Miami's 2024 unit led the nation in scoring and total offense before Dawson transitioned to Carson Beck this fall.
- Blake Baker, LSU DC/LBs — Back at LSU running the defense after DC stints at Missouri and Miami; the Tigers have one of the best defensive units in the country.
Young emphasized that PSU needs a "forward thinker" who can operate as a CEO in the Power Four era — portal management, NIL, and a 12-team CFP — and is more than just a good ball coach. That's why his board consists mainly of rising coordinators (Stein, Dawson, Baker) and proven Group-of-5 program builders (Golesh, Silverfield).
The Penn State job will be attractive to a lof of coaches in college football, so the idea of the Nittany Lions hiring a coordinator might seem far-fetched at first glance. But, it shouldn't be out of the question, especially since Marcus Freeman, Lane Kiffin, Matt Rhule, etc. might be content with staying where they are at in the upcoming cycle.