Could Willie Fritz be the next rising option for Penn State?

After a crazy past couple of days, Penn State's search for a new head coach seems to continue. They had thought to have secured the signature of BYU head coach Kalan Sitake, but things fell through in the final hour. Now, a new (and potentially) stranger name has emerged in the search for Penn State.

Whether it has been Kalen Deboer, Kalani Sitake, Lincoln Riley, or anyone else, Penn State has seemed to swing and miss on many big names who preferred to extend their contracts. That's why the emergence of Willie Fritz's name has been so intriguing. It follows along with several other schools' mindsets that coaches who have started out at mid-major programs can have success at blue blood programs. While Willie Fritz's latest achievement has been leading the Houston Cougars to a 9-3 record in just two seasons, trying to turn the program around, he has built up an impressive resume working in the lower ranks of the college football hierarchy.

Throughout his illustrious career that included stops at Georgia Southern and Tulane, Fritz has amassed an 84-65 record at the FBS level, which increases to 221-127 when you include what he has done in the FCS as well. There is no question that Fritz is one of college football's most under-appreciated coaches.

There are several caveats. One is that Fritz has no ties to the Northeast, specifically Penn State. Most of his allegiances lie in the South, with Georgia, Missouri, Texas, and Louisiana his main areas of connections. While those specific areas are rich with recruiting talent, they are not where Penn State usually does its best business. For a school that prides itself on local talent, that could be a potential roadblock. Secondly, there is his age. At 65, Fritz is one of the older head coaches in college football. While that hasn't stopped him at Houston, Penn State is a whole different animal. Some fans may fear he lacks the dynamic spark required to take on such a job.

Still, Fritz is an interesting name who has proven he can work on a short leash and under pressure. However, the question remains of whether or not he could be the right guy for the Nittany Lions in the long term.

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Will Penn State pursue Willie Fritz to be its next head coach?