Some nitpicking as the Nittany Lions attempt to win for the first time in two months (Sept. 13 vs. Villanova):

• Reports/speculation by the outlets covering Penn State’s search the closest (Lions 247 and Centre Daily Times) indicate Mike Elko of Texas A&M is Pat Kraft’s top target to replace James Franklin. Elko would be the home-run hire Kraft covets. Whether he can be reeled in is another matter. The Aggies are 9-0, ranked No. 3 and should be in the College Football Playoff.

They’re capable of a deep run, which would delay a transition. But Elko is a proven winner, a New Jersey native and Penn graduate who checks the most boxes. Alabama’s Kalen DeBour is another big name who has not been ruled out.

• In the past few weeks, seemingly as soon as names surface as gaining ground as a potential Franklin successor, they’ve lost. It started with Matt Rhule (Nebraska) losing to Minnesota. Then Brent Key (Georgia Tech) lost to North Carolina State on Nov. 1, and Jeff Brohm (Louisville) fell to Cal last week. Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri) started 5-0 but has lost three of his last four and Manny Diaz (Duke) two of his last three.

• There’s no such demerits on highly-valued coordinators such as Oregon’s Will Stein and Ohio State’s Brian Hartline, but they don’t have head coaching experience, either.

• I wonder how much Kraft has slept since escorting Franklin off the plank on Oct. 12.

• Terry Smith hasn’t minced words when it comes to his frustrations with the Nittany Lions’ offense. Smith admitted this week, “It took me three weeks to accomplish getting the ball thrown down the field.” Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki finally started calling more pass plays down the field against Indiana and, lo and behold, the strategy opened up more running lanes, particularly for Nick Singleton, who had his best game against the Hoosiers.

• Penn State’s explosive offensive play percentage (10.8) ranks 115th nationally of 136.

• Kotelnicki came to Penn State from Kansas in 2024 with high expectations (and a high salary of $1.8 million), but he clearly has not worked out. He has no chance of being retained by the next head coach, his stock having careened with the Lions’ lost season. How quickly narratives can change. During the past offseason, Kotelnicki was being mentioned as a candidate for the head-coaching job at West Virginia.

• James Franklin to Virginia Tech could still happen, but Franklin may be trying to leverage other open jobs such as Florida and Auburn as well as waiting to weigh further vacancies.

• No matter where Franklin winds up, it will be curious who becomes his offensive coordinator. He’s developed a deserved reputation for killing OCs. In addition to Kotelnicki’s failures, Franklin fired Mike Yurcich, Kirk Ciarrocca and John Donovan, and no one was entirely pleased with Ricky Rahne, who left to become Old Dominion’s head coach. The only OC who did impressive work under Franklin was Joe Moorhead – and maybe PSU’s next head coach can bring him back.

• Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein didn’t lack for quotes in a media availability Thursday. He said, “I feel like I failed Coach Franklin because he got let go.” Understandable. Trautwein went on to predict guard Vega Ioane will be a first-round draft pick and that backup Cooper Cousins, an underclassman, “is going to be an All-American here,” in addition to a high-round pick. If so, the Lions’ up-front performance has fallen way short of those projections.

• Another player thought to have a first-round pedigree was Dani Dennis-Sutton, who was a monster while opposite Abdul Carter last year. This season, though, not so much. Dennis-Sutton has just two tackles for loss in six Big Ten games, though he has forced three fumbles this year.

• Record watch: Kaytron Allen now ranks third among PSU’s career rushing leaders with 3,613 yards, trailing Saquon Barkley (3,943) and all-time leader Evan Royster (3,932). Nick Singleton’s 51 career touchdowns trail only Barkley (53).

Neil Rudel covers Penn State football and can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.