Amid a three-game losing streak to start Big Ten play, Penn State announced its plans to move on from James Franklin after 12 seasons. Now at Virginia Tech, Franklin recalled a “blindsided” feeling when he learned of the decision.

Franklin’s went 104-45 during his time in Happy Valley and took the Nittany Lions to the national semifinal in 2024. That was part of a run of three straight 10-win seasons, including a Rose Bowl win in 2022. But after entering the year as the No. 2-ranked team in the preseason AP poll, Penn State fell to 0-3 to start Big Ten play and officials told Franklin of their decision to make a change.

Speaking with Adam Breneman this week, Franklin recalled the moments leading up to his departure and said there weren’t any discussions before he learned of the news. Given his long run with the program, he said he expected “a little bit of grace” with the way things unfolded.

“I think, again, when you give yourself to a place for 12 years and you turn down a bunch of jobs and you build it back to pretty much a consistent Top-10 program competing for championships, that’s where you felt blindsided,” Franklin said on Next Up. “You felt like you had earned at least that, a conversation. But again, I’m appreciative of my time. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t going to turn into this bitter, old ball coach.

“Again, very, very appreciative. Loved those families, loved those kids, loved the staff that I got to work with. But yeah, I felt like I had earned a little bit of grace in how it was handled at the end.”

James Franklin: There was ‘no hinting’ at Penn State firing

James Franklin’s departure came after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern, which came a week after Penn State fell to UCLA 42-37 – the Bruins’ first win of the season. In the aftermath of the Northwestern game, he said he didn’t have any discussions with Penn State brass about his future as the focus shifted to the upcoming game against Iowa before the bye.

About 20 minutes before a scheduled team meeting, Franklin recalled learning of the school’s decision to move on from him as head coach. After making calls to his family, he then addressed the team while also thinking through the fallout of the move.

“The toughest conversation is when there’s no conversation at all,” Franklin said. “We lose a tough game and then, obviously, follow it up with another tough loss and there’s no conversation at all. There’s no hinting, there’s no nothing 20 minutes before a team meeting. People walk into your office and say, ‘Hey, I’m sorry. It’s over.’ And in 20 minutes, I’ve got to call my wife, I’ve got to call my two daughters so they don’t hear it on social media, because they will. Then, I’ve got to walk up in front of the team – kids and young men that I love, that I was totally committed to – and say goodbye. Super emotional. The staff, the players.

“And I just think about, for me, how many people it affects. … It affected hundreds of people. You’re trying to kind of get all of that and make sense of it. How do I deliver this message the last time you’re going to talk to them? Because it’s not like they allow you to come back and visit with guys. You’re walking out of that building. That was probably the hardest conversation: my wife, my kids and then my extended family, getting up in front of the team and saying goodbye to them.”