Getty James Franklin's replacement at Penn State could come from the SEC. The search for the next head coach of Penn State is on after the firing of James Franklin . Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft now has a tall task on his hands replacing a head coach who had spent over a decade at the program, garnering multiple double-digit win seasons. Kraft’s search is said to be far and wide, with no one off the table. “This is a fantastic job with tremendous resources and the ability to win,”