Interim head coach Terry Smith‘s Penn State Nittany Lions closed out their regular-season schedule with a 40-36 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday. The win made Penn State bowl eligible with a 6-6 finish in the 2025 season.
Several Nittany Lion players have openly backed Smith in the last few weeks for the full-time job, even holding “Hire Terry Smith” signs after their wins.
In his postgame press conference after Saturday’s win, Smith was asked whether he has received any clarity about his future with the program.
“Last week I came in with like some, a lot of energy, so to speak,” Smith answered. “This week I’m not, I’m just thankful we won the game. I’m thankful we have an opportunity to go to a bowl game. And I just told our guys we’re gonna have an opportunity to go play in a bowl game. Get to be determined, and we’ll give these guys a week off.
“And I think next Sunday is selection Sunday, we’ll figure out who we’re gonna play. And then we’ll just start game planning from there and take care of our veteran guys and get our young guys a lot of work and get them ready to go.”
Interim head coach Terry Smith asked if he has received any clarification on his future with Penn State
His answer: pic.twitter.com/QmLPShWUtd
— Lexie Linderman (@lexielinderman) November 30, 2025
Penn State continues its search for a new head coach after firing James Franklin on Oct. 12 following a 3-3 start. Franklin served as the Nittany Lions’ head coach from 2014 to 2025, compiling a 104-45 overall record.
However, Franklin’s tenure was often criticized for a lack of wins against top-10 ranked opponents, and athletic director Pat Kraft is determined to seek new leadership to compete for a national championship. Franklin has since accepted the head coaching job at Virginia Tech.
As for Smith’s status, Kraft can make a permanent hire at any moment, but Smith noted that he’s been given “no timetable” regarding the search.
Terry Smith Reflects Emotionally on Interim Journey at Penn State
Saturday’s game was Smith’s sixth game leading Penn State. Following the win he was spotted embracing players and family members in the tunnel, wiping tears from his face.
During his postgame press conference, Smith grew emotional as he spoke about what this interim stretch has meant to him.
“It taught me a lot,” Smith said. “It taught me that I know I can truly do this job. It taught me patience. It taught me the role of one of the biggest jobs in college football. And it taught me that I have a special bond with people and my players.
“And that when I go forward in coaching, I have to take advantage of that and really build on that. It’s been a good run for me.”
Smith is now 3-3 as Penn State’s interim head coach.
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