Penn State’s whiffs are piling up, but these coaching candidates can flip the script

The Penn State Nittany Lions are going through one of the most embarrassing coaching carousel searches as every time they seemingly identify a candidate they end up sticking with their current school. The way they've continued to miss out on candidates has gotten to be so jarring that On3 did the math, and Penn State has helped assistants earn $370 million in contracts.

Athletic Director Pat Kraft is starting to take a ton of heat for the way this search has unfolded after they missed out on BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. The Nittany Lions need to find a coach as soon as possible as they're already feeling the effects on the recruiting trail, and there are a few candidates who could stop the bleeding.

Penn State could end its search by hiring one of these head coaches

Terry Smith

As Penn State continues to strike out with some of their top targets, boosters and players have tried to push for interim head coach Terry Smith. The Penn State alum may be the most likely candidate for the job at this point, as Penn State continues to whiff on outside candidates. The only issue with Terry Smith being the next head coach is the fact that if Penn State was truly interested in hiring him he would've been the choice already.

Brian Daboll

After missing out on Kalani Sitake, Brian Daboll has once again become a candidate for the Penn State job. Hiring Brian Daboll has it's upsides as he's an offensive mind who's done a solid job developing quarterbacks which has been a struggle at Penn State. The only issue may be the fact tha Daboll may look to become an NFL offensive coordinator or hope he can get another head coaching gig.

Manny Diaz

Penn State could bring back a coach who has experience in the program, as well as leading a program, by making a run at Duke head coach Manny Diaz. During his time as Penn State's defensive coordinator, Manny Diaz was beloved, and the fanbase would embrace the hire. The issue may be that Duke could make the College Football Playoff with a win in the ACC Championship, which may be a timeline issue.

Matt Campbell

When Penn State fired James Franklin, one of the first calls the Nittany Lions should've made was to Matt Campbell. Iowa State has become a constant threat to win the Big 12, which is impressive, as Campbell has built a winner in a tough place to play. If Penn State could lure Campbell to Happy Valley, it would be a home run hire, softening the blow of this crazy search.