STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) 鈥� Since he became Penn State鈥檚 interim coach, Terry Smith has put things bluntly.
Smith admits, after this weekend鈥檚 regular-season finale at Rutgers he鈥檚 not sure what comes next for a program still seeking a permanent head coach.
鈥淲e鈥檙e encouraging our guys to keep an open mind,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 next, so the most important thing is that we go play hard Saturday, put on film what you want anybody to know about you on Saturday. We鈥檒l cross that bridge when it comes.鈥�
A win against the Scarlet Knights (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) on Saturday will make Penn State (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) bowl eligible. It鈥檒l be a consolation prize of sorts in a season that quickly devolved from a preseason No. 2 ranking to longtime coach James Franklin鈥檚 firing on Oct. 12 after Penn State lost its first three Big Ten games, including back-to-back games in which the Nittany Lions were favored by 20-plus points.
Before then, the Nittany Lions had their sights set on a return to the college football playoffs. Now, dozens of them will have to decide if they鈥檒l even return to Happy Valley where they once committed to play for Franklin.
Since Franklin was fired on Oct. 12, 19 recruits have decommitted from Penn State鈥檚 2026 class. Franklin and Smith 鈥� who鈥檚 been one of the program鈥檚 best recruiters since 2014 鈥� brought in 28 scholarship freshman a year ago along with eight transfer-portal additions, six of whom will be eligible next season.
Among those freshmen, cornerback Daryus Dixson and receiver Koby Howard are waiting to see how the next few weeks play out. The NCAA transfer portal opens on Jan. 2 and closes two weeks later.
Penn State does not usually allow true freshmen to speak to reporters.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 really been like too stressed on it because as everybody knows, we are all still in season,鈥� Dixson said. 鈥淪o I feel like if clutters of things like that are coming into minds of people and of our team, I just feel like everybody should focus on the main goal.鈥�
Howard, from Pensacola, Fla., did not play in Penn State鈥檚 first three conference losses, and said Franklin鈥檚 firing proceeded a 鈥渢ough鈥� few weeks.
In that span, the Nittany Lions coughed up a fourth-quarter lead to Iowa on the road, kept pace with No. 1 Ohio State for just a half, then lost on a late touchdown catch to No. 2 Indiana.
鈥淚 wanted to come to a school that put people in the (NFL),鈥� Howard said after practice on Wednesday evening. 鈥淭hat played a big part. A head coach that was going to be here for a while, but you know, things didn鈥檛 pan out that way and I just felt like I could come in and have a huge impact here at Penn State.鈥�
Over the last two games, both Penn State wins, the offense has picked up the pace. Howard has five catches for 99 yards over the last five.
Howard said he committed to a coach, but also acknowledged the perks of a program that Franklin helped build up over his 12 years. As he took questions from reporters, he stood on a re-turfed indoor practice facility that鈥檚 seen multiple waves of improvements since 2014.
鈥淚 love Penn State,鈥� Howard said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have come here if I didn鈥檛. Things didn鈥檛 go as planned for me. A lot of people think I should鈥檝e played earlier, but at the end of the day I just have to trust my coaches and that鈥檚 what happened. Now that I have my opportunity, I just have to capitalize on it.鈥�
Smith, a Penn State alum who played for Joe Paterno, said he has not determined whether or not to stick with Franklin鈥檚 policy of removing players from the roster before the bowl game should they choose to transfer.
If he could provide certainty for his players to stop the potential looming defections, he would. Athletic director Pat Kraft has said Smith is a candidate for the job.
鈥淣o one knows Penn State better than me of all the candidates out there,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 know the history of Penn State. I know the culture, the DNA. I know the locker room. I know administration. I think I鈥檓 a good leader. I think I鈥檓 a leader of men. You know, that will take care of itself when the time comes.鈥�
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