Penn State Dismisses Coach Franklin Amidst Reports from Sources

Penn State University has officially parted ways with head coach James Franklin after a 12-season tenure. The announcement was made on Sunday, revealing that Franklin’s contract contains a buyout clause exceeding $49 million, ranking as the second-largest in college football history, only behind Jimbo Fisher’s $76 million buyout from Texas A&M.

Penn State Football Transition

Following Franklin’s dismissal, associate head coach Terry Smith has been appointed as the interim head coach for the remaining season. The decision comes in light of a dismal performance by the Nittany Lions, including a recent loss to UCLA, a team that had not won a game all season and had not held a lead until that matchup. This defeat was followed by a surprising loss to Northwestern, with a final score of 22-21, raising calls for Franklin’s dismissal among fans during the game.

Performance Under Franklin

During his tenure, Franklin faced significant challenges, particularly in high-stakes games. His record against Associated Press (AP)-ranked teams has been notably poor. The statistics are concerning:

• Losses vs. AP-ranked teams: 29
• Losses as an AP top-10 team: 19
• Losses vs. AP top-10 teams: 21
• AP top-10 matchup losses: 12

These numbers illustrate that Franklin’s struggles were particularly pronounced in critical games. As a result of two consecutive losses, Penn State became the first team since the FBS and FCS split in 1978 to lose back-to-back games while favored by more than 20 points each time, according to ESPN Research.

Challenges Faced

In their recent game against Northwestern, the Nittany Lions committed six penalties totaling 71 yards in the first half, hampering their chances for success. The situation worsened with a season-ending injury to quarterback Drew Allar during the fourth quarter. Earlier in the season, Franklin’s team had also struggled against Oregon, which marked the beginning of their losing streak.

With his performance, Franklin leaves Penn State with a 4-21 record against AP top-10 opponents and a dismal .160 winning percentage in such matchups, which is among the worst since the poll era began in 1936. His tenure ties him with Rip Engle for the second-most wins in the history of Penn State football.

Looking Ahead

In light of Franklin’s departure, Penn State Athletic Director Patrick Kraft emphasized the need for new leadership. He stated that the university is committed to maintaining high standards in its athletics programs. Kraft expressed hope that a change at the helm could steer the Nittany Lions towards success in both Big Ten and national championship competitions.