The Penn State Nittany Lions are set to interview a surprising candidate with strong support for their permanent head coach.

Virginia Tech coach James Franklin will make around $8.2 million annually on the five-year deal he signed with the Hokies, the university announced Friday. Though that is around $300,000 less than he was making at Penn State, it does keep him among the top 20 highest-paid coaches in college football.

Kaytron Allen ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns to become Penn State’s all-time rushing leader as the Nittany Lions cruised past Nebraska 37-10 on Saturday night. The victory also keep their bowl hopes alive weeks after the school fired James Franklin.

Drew Allar came to Penn State as somewhat of a prophesied savior. James Franklin and the Nittany Lions coaching staff identified and recruited him long before he turned into the nation’s top-ranked quarterback and a five-star recruit.

When James Franklin was fired from Penn State, Virginia Tech entered his life as a fresh opportunity. In interviews, Franklin sounded confident, and it seemed like he was ready to turn that opportunity into something golden. But today’s game turned out to be a disappointing one — not just for Franklin, but for the entire Virginia Tech program.

The first part of Pate's comment might be more intriguing.

Jon Sauber of The Centre Daily Times, reported DeBoer is a leading candidate for the Nittany Lions, who fired longtime head coach James Franklin in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Franklin has since landed the Virginia Tech job and significantly reduced his buyout, paving the way for Penn State to take a big swing.