Which Job Is Truly Better?

With the Penn State and Florida jobs now both open, it has inevitably led to comparison. On the surface, this discussion makes sense. There are many parallels between these jobs. Both have a committed donor class and both have the unrealistic expectation of becoming the top dog in their conference. So, which is the better job?

This debate has been poisoned by the typical SEC vs. Big Ten tribalism. Those in the south say Florida is the better job, many in Big Ten country beg to differ. Both make good points, so it primarily comes down to what criteria is used for evaluation.

Furthest to Climb?

The answer to this question is easily Florida. Penn State has perpetually struggled in big games, but those games are big for a reason. That reason being that Penn State always took care of business against weak competition. On the other hand, Florida is the opposite. Under Billy Napier, Florida lost to Vanderbilt in 2022, Arkansas in 2023 and South Florida in 2025, all of which were unranked opponents.

Penn State hasn’t had these issues in the past. Their issues stem from the fact that every big game seems to follow the same script—play well, but ultimately fall just short. While this is frustrating, it’s a sign that they can go a lot further down than they can go up, this season notwithstanding. They have the pieces necessary to win, they just don’t have a winning culture. But, culture can be changed, especially since all it requires is just a bit more composure in big moments. Florida has never been to the College Football Playoff and will require more work. Whoever they hire will likely overhaul the staff at Florida from coordinator positions to strength and conditioning, recruiting etc. None of these things are impossible at Florida, but it will require far more maintenance to make Florida a contender than it will for Penn State.

Job Characteristics

This is an easy win for Florida. If both programs needed an equal amount of work, there would be no debate about which of these jobs is better. Just by being in Florida, they are already ahead of 99.9 percent of jobs when it comes to recruiting. Florida is arguably the best state in America for high school football. Florida is also the best program historically in its state, meaning that recruits will flock there as their first choice if they can just see a vision for the future. However, Florida has failed to take advantage of this recently. If they can get back to dominating in recruiting their home state, they will have a top 10 roster in a few years at most. Because recruiting is a zero sum game, they will also weaken their opponents in the process.

Penn State often has to cherrypick what is left in the midwest, as they are not a desired destination for most recruits in their area—that award goes to Ohio State and Michigan. Another feature that makes Florida a more desirable job (for most) is its conference. Outside of the last two years, the SEC has dominated college football for the entire 21st century. During this stretch, Florida won two national championships to Penn State’s zero. There is recent proof that Florida can be a powerhouse, unlike Penn State, who won its last national championship in the 1980s. The opportunity to return Florida into what it recently was, a national champion and SEC champion, is much more desirable than trying to turn Penn State into something it hasn’t been since the 1980s. 

Type of Candidate Needed

Florida needs someone with new energy that can coalesce the entire state around the program. They need a strong recruiter, and someone who can motivate their team to play with more intensity. Nobody fits this bill better than Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman. Yes, it is extremely unlikely, but it’s a suggestion, not a prediction. 

Penn State needs someone with one characteristic above all—a winner. They need a coach with a proven track record of exceeding expectations and elevating a program to heights it’s never seen, which is exactly what they’re trying to do. The coach who’s done this as good as anyone is Matt Campbell. He has taken Iowa State, a perpetual loser, to the Big 12 Championship game. He seems to always find a way to do more with less, even beating a significantly more talented Miami team in the Pop-Tarts Bowl last year.