Matt Rhule out of the running for Penn State coaching vacancy with reported contract extension at Nebraska
Matt Rhule is out of the running for Penn State’s coaching job as he’s reportedly being given a multi-year contract extension at the University of Nebraska.
Rhule, a Penn State alum, was a popular name being thrown around as a possible replacement in Happy Valley after James Franklin was fired.
Despite all the speculation of a possible return to Pennsylvania, a reunion between Rhule and the Nittany Lions seems to be unlikely as Sports Illustrated reported that Rhule’s new contract extension with Nebraska will keep him with the Cornhuskers beyond 2030.
Under his current contract, Rhule is slated to make $7.5 million this season with his salary increasing annually to a maximum of $12.5 million per year in 2030.
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Sports Illustrated said an announcement about Rhule’s extension will take place Thursday.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti’s name was heavily mentioned as a possibility for the coaching job as well, as he has several Pennsylvania ties including being a former head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
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Cignetti was then given a massive contract extension with Indiana, making him the third-highest paid coach in all of college football.
The Penn State coaching vacancy is one of several high-profile jobs open right now in college football along with LSU and Florida both in need of new coaches following the firing of Brian Kelly and Billy Napier earlier this month.
After James Franklin was fired, Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said the university’s next coach will need to be able to maximize elite-level resources, attack the transfer portal, and develop at the highest level.
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