Penn State football fired James Franklin in his 12th season leading the program in Happy Valley. As the Nittany Lions attempt to find their next head coach for 2026 and beyond, former cornerbacks coach Terry Smith will take the helm in the interim role.

Smith started coaching at Penn State with Franklin in 2014 and is a Penn State letterman. The former wide receiver is known as an elite recruiter and for his coaching passion. He spoke to the media for the first time since the news of the promotion on Monday.

Here’s a rundown of Smith’s key points and a first look at his new role.

On James Franklin

Smith was visibly emotional on the podium as he spoke to the media for the first time. James Franklin hired the interim head coach, and the two had a very strong relationship. Smith opened his press conference with a thank you to the former Penn State head coach.

“I would like to thank Coach Franklin for an incredible 11-plus years of service, dedication to this program, and to our student athletes. I’ve known the coach a long time. He brought me here. You know we entered this year in year 12 together. I learned so much from him as a parent, a father, a coach, and how to run a world-class program,” he said.

Smith found out about the firing at a similar time to the rest of the world, and despite conversations with Franklin in the past about him bringing the interim head coach if something were to happen, he was just as surprised as everyone else.

“I was stunned, like most people in the building, most people around the country.”

Before Franklin left for good, he was able to get in a final team meeting. He also took the time to sit down with Smith to give some advice about leading a Big Ten football team.

“I was fortunate to speak with Coach Franklin last night,” Smith said. “It was a heartfelt conversation. I just wanted to express my gratitude and thankfulness for him and all that he’s done for me, my family, and this program.

“He took us out of a dark era and got us to be a relevant program again. We don’t take that for granted.”

On The Players’ Reactions

At first, Smith said the players and the staff were just surprised. While it felt like an obvious move to many outside of the building, those on the inside did not anticipate it would actually happen.

“Every person who’s in the Lasch football building, James Franklin brought them there. From the coaches to the staff to all the personnel in the building, he brought every one of us there. So, there is an attachment to him. There is a sense of loyalty to him,” he said.

One thing Franklin was never criticized for was how he is as a human being. Recruits, players, and coaches come to Penn State because of who he is. Emotions were high after the mid-season split.

“Those kids love him. He went into each and every one of their homes and brought them here, and their families entrusted him, so there was a lot of emotion in that meeting,” Smith said.

On Future Staff Changes

Smith made it clear there will be no more staff changes this week, other than filling in the cornerback coaching role that he had before taking the interim head coaching job. That will be Jordan Lucas, the assistant cornerbacks coach. He played for Penn State from 2012-2015.

“This first week, I want to get my feet underneath me and understand all the roles of being the head coach and the CEO of this program. I will take a deeper look each day as to where I see that I can help us improve,” he said.

On The Last Three Games

Smith consistently commented on the loss of the team’s swag and fun this season. The former Penn State player promised multiple times that the team would have fun playing football again the rest of the season. He also mentioned the team’s effort going forward.

“Success is the team pulling a rope in the same direction,” Smith said. “When you watch us play, you guys will come in here, and your questions won’t be about effort. Your questions won’t be, they look lethargic. If we lose, it’s going to be because that team beat us, and they were just better.”

Smith also noted that he did not think UCLA, Northwestern, and Oregon were better teams than Penn State. He said the ball did not bounce the right way for the Nittany Lions in 2025, the opposite of what happened in 2024.

“I promise we’re going to put a better product on the field that every Penn Stater will be super proud of,” he said.

On Drew Allar and Ethan Grunkemeyer

The new interim head coach could not give any new updates on Drew Allar’s injury status other than that he is out for the year. On Ethan Grunkemeyer, Smith says he will be ready to go.

“We have every bit of confidence in Ethan [Grunkemeyer],” Smith said. “He has a strong arm, he is an athletic, super smart kid. We’ve entrusted him. He’s been thrown in there just like I’ve been thrown in there, so we got something in common.”

On Players Choosing To Redshirt

Often, when a program deals with mid-season head coach firings, players can ask to redshirt, thinking the season is done. Penn State has 31 players who can still choose to redshirt, something Smith will have to deal with.

“I’ve talked to a few players personally today. My message to all of them is that you signed up to play football. We love the game of football. Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. You only earn opportunity through production on the field,” he said.