Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith, the entire Nittany Lions roster, and the fans attending the game made one thing clear in a 37-10 shucking of Nebraska: they want Smith to be the next permanent head coach in Happy Valley.

After the game, players, including starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, ran around the field with papers that read “Hire Terry Smith.” The signs, according to Grunkemeyer, came from the stands and were passed out to some players.

“Hire this man immediately,” offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh said into NBC’s cameras after the win. “Immediately hire this man.”

Once again, all five starting offensive linemen came out in unison for the media after the game. Nick Dawkins said that whenever the exterior and interior of a program are in unison, discussing the players and fans, decisions become simple.

“I mean, it just makes things a no-brainer, who people want as the head coach,” Offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh said after the game. “The players are saying it, the community around it are saying it. You have the guy, you have the option. You don’t have to look anywhere else.”

Grunkemeyer said after the game that Smith’s honesty and work ethic make is what makes him so special. The Penn State alum knows what it means to wear the blue and white, and it shows.

“My case for Coach Smith to be the next head coach is just how the guys rally around him,” Grunkemeyer said. “You see it on the field, you’ll see it from videos in the locker room. You know, we rally around him. He bleeds Penn State, we respect that, that’s our guy.”

The starting quarterback for the Nittany Lions also talked about the importance of players knowing the kind of man Smith is. With roster intention a worry heading into 2026, Grunkemeyer said his teammates are more likely to stay if Smith is announced as the next head coach. Zane Durant echoed this statement.

In terms of his own future, Grunkemeyer said if Smith were the next head coach, it would definitely be a part of the consideration for his future in Happy Valley.

“This group seems to be having fun, and they all said they want Terry Smith to be their head coach,” Former Penn State player Michael Robinson said during NBC’s halftime show. “Every single player I talked to, every guy I talked to that said they’re thinking about leaving, they said, ‘I’m staying if Terry Smith gets this job.’”

It wasn’t just the players calling for Smith to be the next head coach, though. The interim head coach himself all but called for his own hiring after his second win with the Nittany Lions, telling NBC, “It’s my locker room.”

Smith continued to pitch himself during the post-game press conference. He said he’s always been ready to be a head coach, and while this is his first time doing so in college, he previously worked in the role in high school. Smith also said for those wondering about his resume, to watch his team play on Saturdays, it’s on display every weekend.

At the end of James Franklin’s tenure, a constant negative thrown his way was his inability to get the best out of his star player. No. 1 recruit Drew Allar was always great, but never turned into the elite quarterback he should have been. Four-star receivers were consistently committing to Penn State, but the Nittany Lions always seemed to struggle.

After beating Nebraska by 27, Smith said the team’s around is because they are getting more out of their best players. Just look at Kaytron Allen. The running back had just one game over 100 yards under Franklin. He’s averaged 122 since Smith took over.

“I make a point to call out our best players, because they have to be accountable,” Smith said. “They have to give this team more. And that’s what you’re witnessing these last few weeks. Our best players are giving us more.”

Smith also believes the Nittany Lions have found their identity in the past few weeks, something they can hang their hat on when things don’t go as planned.

“Blue collar, we’ll roll up our sleeves and fight every day, and come to work with a lunch pail every day,” Smith said. “Show up. We play football. We’re going to lose games. You’re going to win games. We want to win more than we lose, but we’re going to show up every single day. That’s what Penn State football is.”

Smith has also seemed to have found a balance between listening to the outside noise, while not letting it affect him. For weeks, Nittany Lions faithful were asking for more shots down the field. Penn State had brought in three talented transfer portal receivers, but was barely using them outside of screen balls.

Trebor Pena, who ranked No. 38 in the country last season with 941 receiving yards, didn’t hit 20 yards through the air in his first five Big Ten games. Since Smith took over, the Syracuse transfer has five 20-yard or more receptions alone.

Outside of the players, the fans, and himself, Smith also has the support of the alumni. In the era of NIL and lackadaisical recruiting rules, your former players’ support is vital.

“I talked to hundreds of alumni since we’ve been here, and every single one of them thinks Terry Smith should be the head coach, and I think Terry Smith should be the head coach,” Robinson added during the halftime show.

In general, hiring an alumnus as head coach has become a trend in college football. Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State, Brent Key at Georgia Tech, Kirby Smart at Georgia, and Jeff Brohm at Louisville have all been impressive at their alma mater recently.

Kraft said it himself after firing James Franklin, the next head coach in Happy Valley, “will be someone who embodies everything Penn State stands for: integrity, accountability, toughness, humility, and an elite motivator.”