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Penn State Nittany Lions Athletic Director Pat Kraft made the decision to hire head football coach James Franklin, and he told journalists on Monday that it was not just the three-match’s losing series that led to the decision.
Franklin’s departure is a shock to college football as the leader in the dressing room since 2014 shares ways with Nittany Lions that want a huge 50 million buyout to pay him.
Power said he “looked at everything” after Penn State’s loss to Northwestern, 22-21, Saturday.
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Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft gives main football coach James Franklin a big hug after a 33-24 victory over Indiana at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in State College, Pa. (IMagn)
“I felt after sitting on Saturday and looking at everything where we were in terms of the best interest of the athletes and where the program was going, we had to make the hard decision,” Kraft told journalists via Sports Illustrated. “Looking at where the program was where it is and where we want to be, I felt there was no other course. I felt it was time.”
This is a Penn State program that was ranked No. 2 in the country before the season started. They went 3-0 to begin, but have been in a free fall since. It was at the forefront of a non -ranked northwest team when the fans’ song to shoot Franklin roared even higher than they were when Oregon entered Beaver Stadium and handed them their first loss.
Penn State fires James Franklin after fantastic loss to Northwestern: Report
Power and Franklin have had a long -term friendship as well as a professional relationship, which made his firing hard on many levels.
“James Franklin is a good friend who has always carried himself with dignity and represented Penn State with absolute class,” explained power. “We are all lucky to have had James Franklin leading this program for more than a decade, and we wish nothing but the best for him and his family.”
Penn State Nittany Lion’s main coach James Franklin is on the field after the game against the northwestern wildcats at Beaver Stadium on October 11, 2025 in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Matthew O’Haren/IMAGN -PICTURES)
Nittany Lions will be led by Terry Smith, Franklin’s assistant coach who has been appointed to the temporary head coach.
Franklin took over as Penn State’s main coach before the 2014 season after led Vanderbilt for three seasons in the same role. He was in his 12th season in Penn State, after bringing the team to College Football Playoff Semi -final last season.
As the team’s main coach, Franklin was 104-45.
Looking ahead, Penn State will be without Quarterback Drew Allar for the rest of the season due to a leg injury that is a bit in the loss to Northwestern. They go into a matchup with Iowa next week, but the schedule will be much harder from there.
Athletic director Patrick Kraft from Penn State Nittany Lions is seen during the game against Illinois, who is fighting for Illini at Memorial Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Champaign, Illinois. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Penn State will see No. 1 Ohio State on November 1st, No. 7 Indiana on November 8, and four or more losses would keep them out of college -football -ending game for this season.
