Penn State’s 2025 season went from national title hopes to one of the most disappointing seasons in a month’s span of time, culminating in a historic collapse that saw the once No. 2-ranked Nittany Lions lose four straight games, fire their head coach and become the first FBS team ever to suffer back-to-back defeats as a 20-point favorite.
The defeat to Northwestern proved to be the final straw for Head Coach James Franklin, who was fired on the following Sunday morning with the team’s record at 3-3 (0-3 Big Ten) and their national title aspirations completely extinguished. Franklin, who had signed a 10-year, $8 million-per-year extension, leaves Penn State on the hook for a massive buyout of approximately $50 million — the second-highest in college football history.
The fallout now leads interim head coach Terry Smith — the only remaining assistant from Franklin’s original 2014 staff — into the fiercest challenge in the Big Ten: an away matchup against the undefeated, No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The Nittany Lions enter the game as a 20.5-point underdog, a position Smith has framed as pure motivation.
Here’s what to know about Penn State’s interim head coach.
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Who is Terry Smith?
Smith is Penn State’s interim head coach after the team fired James Franklin in mid-October.
He is the only remaining assistant from Franklin’s original staff back in 2014, and with the Nittany Lions deciding to go in a different direction, the burden falls on Smith to lead the program through what’s been a low point.
Prior to his interim role, he served as the associate head coach, defensive recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach (starting in 2021). He was the assistant head coach from 2016 to 2020.
Smith is highly regarded as a recruiter, having been ranked the No. 4 recruiter in the Big Ten in 2023 by 247Sports, and he has coached over a dozen defensive backs who went on to the NFL, including second-round pick Joey Porter Jr.
Smith also played at Penn State from 1987 to 1991; he was a three-year starter and ranks among the program’s top receivers, including 12th in career receiving touchdowns (15) and 16th in receiving yards (1,825).
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Terry Smith coaching career
2002-2012: Gateway High School
Smith’s most extensive head coaching experience came at the high school level, where he returned to his alma mater, Gateway High School in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Over an 11-year span from 2002–2012, Smith served as both the head football coach and the athletic director, compiling a record of 101–30. During this time, he built Gateway into a powerhouse, guiding the team to four Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League runner-up finishes and successfully sending over 40 players to NCAA Division I college programs.
2013: Temple
Smith’s transition back to the college ranks began with his one-year stint at Temple in 2013. He joined the Owls as the wide receivers coach under now Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, who is also a fellow Penn State alumnus. . During his time there, the Owls offense set a new school record for passing yards (2,996) and tied the school standard with 23 receiving touchdowns.
Smith’s year at Temple — his first experience coaching at the FBS level — provided him with valuable collegiate coaching experience before James Franklin brought him onto the Penn State staff the following season
2014-present: Penn State
After a brief stint coaching wide receivers at Temple in 2013, Smith was hired by James Franklin in 2014 to join the Penn State staff. He was originally hired as the Cornerbacks Coach and Defensive Recruiting Coordinator, quickly becoming known as an elite recruiter in the northeast region and a key developer of NFL talent.
He was the only Penn State letterman on Franklin’s initial staff, helping to bridge the gap between the program’s history and its new era. His roles steadily increased, eventually including Assistant Head Coach (2016-2020) and Associate Head Coach (2021-2025).
Following Franklin’s departure, Smith is tasked with leading a Penn State team whose season expectations have completely changed.
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Where did Terry Smith go to college?
Smith went to Penn State, where he is now the interim head coach for the rest of the 2025 season.
He played wide receiver for the Nittany Lions from 1987 to 1991, was a four-year letterman and graduated in 1991 with a degree in Business Management.
Where is Terry Smith from?
Smith is from the Western Pennsylvania area.
He was originally born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and later moved to Monroeville, Pennsylvania, which is where he was a star quarterback at Gateway High School.
Monroeville is located in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh.
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Penn State 2025 remaining schedule
The Nittany Lions — who have lost four straight — face the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country in the next two weeks.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| Nov. 1 | at No. 1 Ohio State | 12:00 PM |
| Nov. 8 | vs. No. 2 Indiana | TBD |
| Nov. 15 | at Michigan State | TBD |
| Nov. 22 | vs. Nebraska | TBD |
| Nov. 29 | at Rutgers | TBD |
