It is now obvious that Pat Kraft fired James Franklin with no plan in mind.

We may never know what personal reasons led to Kraft’s decision. Fifty-plus days passed with no replacement. The recruiting class that we desperately needed for the 2026 season is gone. The prospect for hiring a replacement that will bring transfers with him is remote. It is vital that PSU rights the ship.

1) Hire Terry Smith and get on with it.

2) The contract can be as few as two years or as long as five years.

3) Pay him $5 million a year with incentive clauses.

4) Get busy with money you have available from Smith’s contract to acquire players through the transfer portal.

We are already the laughingstock of the Big Ten, if not all of college football, as a result of Kraft’s actions.

If we don’t take action immediately how many years will it be before Penn State reclaims its national prominece in college football?

Russell Fry

Mifflintown

PSU track record pointed to Smith

In regard to the coaching situation at Penn State, Neil Rudel’s comments have been spot on.

To me, Terry Smith has been the obvious and best choice to fill the position.

Smith is Penn State football. He represents Penn State traditions, he loves the institution, the program, and it’s obvious the players respect and love him.

In 1966, the Nittany Lions promoted another assistant coach to the head coaching position and it worked out pretty well. Smith seems to share many of Joe Paterno’s characteristics although he doesn’t roll up the cuffs on his khakis.

The decision to fire James Franklin was the right decision. However, it was done very poorly, and the way it was done was an embarrassment to the university, the alumni and players, past and present.

In addition, it was very detrimental to the future of the program. It appeared to be a spur of the moment decision, one that was completely unplanned.

Regardless of the three consecutive losses, it should not have occurred until the end of the season or until prospective replacements were identified.

As embarrassing as the season was at that point, Pat Kraft made it infinitely worse.

The expectations for this season were so high and all things considered, those expectations were justified.

Penn State was on the verge of becoming a truly elite program and now.

It will be a long time before we are at that point again. If anyone can return us to glory, I believe it’s Terry Smith.

Steve Wolfberg

Boynton Beach, Florida

(Note: The writer is an Altoona native.)