Who Is Penn State's New Interim Head Coach Terry Smith? Everything to Know
Plus, find out how to watch his first game at the helm, exclusively on Peacock.
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Changes are happening quickly in Happy Valley. Just one day after the Penn State Nittany Lions dropped their third straight game — a disappointing 22-21 home defeat at the hands of the Northwestern Wildcats on October 11 — the school signaled a change in its football program by firing longtime head coach James Franklin in hopes of getting the team back on track.
It was a tough weekend for the preseason No. 2-ranked team in the country, as they also lost starting quarterback Drew Allar to a season-ending injury suffered after the senior took a hard hit in the fourth quarter.
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Penn State will move forward with not only a new quarterback (redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer) but also an interim head coach who intends to steer the team back in the right direction: Terry Smith.
Here's everything college football fans should know about Penn State's new interim head coach.
New Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith played football there
The 56-year-old has ties to the Penn State football program — he played wide receiver for the Nittany Lions from 1988 to 1991, starting his final three years. In 1991, Smith broke school records with 55 catches for 846 yards to go along with eight touchdowns as he led PSU to an impressive 11-2 regular-season record and a Fiesta Bowl win over Tennessee.
In the middle of his 1991 campaign, head coach Joe Paterno raved about the talented receiver's play.
"Terry Smith doesn't get the credit he deserves. He's a great football player," Coach Paterno said in an interview with The Daily Collegian. "I don't know whether there's a better wideout in the country as far as what he does. He catches the ball, he blocks, he runs with the ball, he's in the football game -- he's just a great player."
Terry Smith has extensive Penn State coaching experience already
Smith wasn't plucked out of obscurity — he's been a big part of Penn State's coaching system for years. He's been the program's defensive recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach since 2014.
During the Nittany Lions' press conference on October 13, Smith spoke about his promotion and what kind of lift to the team fans can anticipate because of it.
"I'm thankful that Pat and the administration chose me," he explained. "They could have chosen anyone in the building. I'm just thankful, and I love Penn State. All I want to do is help Penn State be successful and win. I'm sitting in this press conference because we didn't win enough, and whatever I can do to help this place win is what I'm willing to do. I would be remiss to say that if the opportunity did put itself out for me to be the head coach permanently, absolutely, I would love that opportunity."
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As far as what he'll be focusing on with his players, Smith revealed that he wants the Penn State football program to regain some of the "swag" they've lost over the past month.
"We've got to get our grittiness back, our toughness, our swag, and most importantly, we gotta go have fun and enjoy the game of football," Smith said.
Here's how college football fans can watch Terry Smith's head coach debut
Fans won't have to wait much longer to see how Smith fares in his first game as Penn State's interim head coach — it's happening October 18 on a national stage, exclusively on Peacock!
Tune in to Peacock on Saturday, October 18 at 7 p.m. ET to watch the new-look Penn State Nittany Lions battle the Iowa Hawkeyes in a Big Ten road matchup. With a new interim head coach — and a new, unproven quarterback to boot — it could be the start of something special for Penn State football moving forward.
