As we begin the month of November, we are no closer to filling any openings in college football at some big-name schools. The rumor mill continues to turn and will turn until the carousel comes to an end.
Some of the big-name schools without a head coach are big jobs. Florida, LSU, Arkansas, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, UCLA, and Auburn remain without coaches for the future. Some of the positions will be filled by coaches who are in the thick of the College Football Playoff, which means openings won’t be filled until after the New Year.
One name that continues to surface around an opening, one of many, is Texas A&M’s Mike Elko. He has his team plowing through the SEC and toward the College Football Playoff. While that is going on, he continues to be linked to one of the biggest openings that is not in the SEC.
Mike Elko Continues to Be Linked to Penn State Opening
Mike Elko, who took over in College Station when Jimbo Fisher was fired two years ago, came from Duke. The quick success he’s having with the Aggies is putting his name out there for potential openings, including Penn State.
“Among the names On3 continues to hear from sources are Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, and Louisville’s Jeff Brohm,” wrote Pete Nakos of On3.
“Elko is in the midst of an 8-0 start to his second season in College Station, and his team will likely make the College Football Playoff. It would be an impressive move if Penn State were able to convince Elko to leave Texas A&M, where he has some of the top NIL resources in the country. He’s a New Jersey native and has posted a 32–14 record as an FBS head coach,” Nakos added.
Elko built Duke into a contender in the ACC before leaving for Texas A&M. Between the transfer portal and NIL funding, he has the Aggies knocking on the door of the CFP. It is easy to see why he’s a hit candidate right now.
Penn State Taking Its Time in Search
Penn State AD Pat Kraft is not going to rush the search. It is more than likely that he’s going to target a coach who will be in the College Football Playoff.
Other names included with Elko’s by Nakos are interesting. Clark Lea at Vanderbilt has all of a sudden become a name to watch. Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz also has been a hot name thrown around. A new name that is coming into the mix is Louisville’s Jeff Brohm.
The problem Penn State is going to face, as is every other school with an opening, is that this cycle is going to be wild. This coaching carousel will be one of the most intense ones. It won’t get going until the first domino falls. That may not be for a while. Candidates are still playing out the final month of their seasons and potential bowl games and College Football Playoff games.
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