By Jordan SiglerShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe hits continue to come for Penn State's national coaching search before the early signing period begins on Wednesday.
More News: Texas’ Steve Sarkisian Calls Out Notre Dame
On Monday, PSU target Bob Chesney took the open job at UCLA. Chesney's decision to leave James Madison for the Bruins came after Nittany Lions target Eli Drinkwitz signed a contract extension with Missouri last week.
Kalen DeBoer doesn't appear ready to leave Alabama before the SEC Championship Game against Georgia on Saturday.
...More News: Florida AD Receives Major Backlash Amid Jon Sumrall News
On Sunday, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake and Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel appear to be in the mix to potentially replace James Franklin at Penn State.
After finishing the season 8-4 with a disappointing 45-24 loss to Vanderbilt at home on Saturday, it seemed like Heupel might want a fresh start with a new program after underperforming one season after making the CFP.
However, Heupel sent a scathing rejection to Penn State on Monday, suggesting the Big Ten program had "low expectations" in comparison to Tennessee.
“I wouldn’t want low expectations," Heupel said of PSU, via On3. "That’s part of why I want to be here. We’ll win big.”
Loading twitter content...
While Heupel is off the board for the Nittany Lions, Sitake didn't appear to cross PSU off before the Big 12 Championship Game against No. 5 Texas Tech. Sitake told reporters that he's focused on winning the Big 12 championship but didn't downplay rumors of his connection to Penn State.
“This is a great distraction to have, let’s be honest,” Sitake said, via Kevin Reynolds of the Salt Lake Tribune. “I’ll address it with the team. ... But they are used to me saying, ‘Hey, this is a good sign that things are going well for us.’ But I will say that this isn’t about me...
"I’m all about the Big 12 championship and keeping our team focused on that. We’re going to avoid all of the distractions.”
BYU has a chance to make the CFP with a win over the Red Raiders. He could be the best option for PSU remaining if athletic director Patrick Kraft wants to hire a Power 4 head coach.
For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
NCAABill Belichick, North Carolina Hit With Brutal News After NC State Defeat3 min read
NCAA$37 Million SEC Coach Fired After 41-0 Loss: Report2 min read
NCAAJimbo Fisher Could Replace Auburn’s New Coach at USF3 min read
NCAAUrban Meyer Reacts to Jon Sumrall Being Named Florida’s New Head Coach3 min read
NCAALane Kiffin’s First Game as LSU Head Coach Revealed3 min read
NCAA4-Star LSU WR Enters Transfer Portal Immediately After Lane Kiffin Hire2 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
NewsWhite House Reveals New Details on Donald Trump’s MRI5 min read
NewsUncommon Knowledge: Trump Closes Venezuelan Airspace, but Not NATO Airspace5 min read
NewsWest Virginia Governor Gives Update on Guardsman Injured in DC Shooting3 min read
PoliticsDonald Trump Gets New Warning Over US Attacking Venezuela5 min read
U.S.Justice Sonia Sotomayor Warns of ‘Two Extremes’ in Supreme Court Case4 min read
WorldRepublicans Demand Probe into Pete Hegseth’s Boat Strikes5 min readTrending
FloridaAmazon Driver Sees Food Left for Stray Cats—Ring Cam Captures What He Does3 min read
NWSWinter Storm Warning as 8 Inches of Snow to Hit North and Midwest3 min read
ImmigrationGreen Card Update: New Changes for Holders in December6 min read
WeatherWinter Storm Warning As 13 Inches of Snow To Strike: ‘Extreme Caution’3 min read
Black FridayBlack Friday Spending Raises Eyebrows Over US Economy8 min readOpinion
OpinionForeign Energy Companies Have No Home in Our Forests | Opinion4 min read
OpinionThe Hemp Ban Shows America Still Works | Opinion4 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: The Somali Minnesota Welfare Fraud Edition4 min read
OpinionRedefining Professional Degrees Will Hurt Everyday Americans | Opinion5 min read
OpinionAI Is Coming for Our Most Intimate Communications. Congress Must Act | Opinion5 min read