Penn State running backs coach: 3 candidates to take over the position ft. DeMarco Murray

The Penn State Nittany Lions are in need of a new running backs coach and have been linked to a former NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Penn State running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider accepted the Notre Dame running backs job, which has created a vacancy. With the Nittany Lions in need of a new coach, James Franklin has been searching and has appeared to zero in on one candidate, but here are three potential candidates.

Penn State running backs coach: 3 potential candidates

#1. DeMarco Murray

DeMarco Murray is the running backs coach at Oklahoma and has been linked to taking the job at Penn State.

Murray is one of the highest-paid running back coaches in college footbal. On3's Pete Nakos reported Murray is the top candidate for the Penn State Nittany Lions running back coaching job.

According to Nakos, there is mutual interest but no contract offer has been submitted. Murray has been the Sooners running back coach since 2020 after one year in the same role at Arizona.

Murray played his college football at Oklahoma leading the program to three Big 12 titles. He would take over a Penn State running back room that saw Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton both return.

#2. Stan Drayton

Penn State is in a win-or-bust mode so bringing in as much experience on the coaching staff makes sense.

Stan Drayton is the former Tempe head coach who was fired after going 9-25. However, he has a plethora of experience as a running backs coach.

Drayton has been a running backs coach at Texas, Mississippi State, Florida, Ohio State, Syracuse and the Chicago Bears among others. If he wants to return to the sidelines, he would give Penn State a great running backs coach to work with their dynamic duo.

#3. Jonathan Wallace

The final candidate is Kansas Jayhawks running back coach Jonathan Wallace.

Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is familiar with him as they coached together for three years at Kansas. The familiarity is there and if Kotelnicki puts in a good word, Wallace should be a serious candidate for Penn State's running back coaching job.