The college football world has been buzzing over Penn State’s decision to part ways with longtime head coach James Franklin, who was in his 12th season with the program.
The move came after the Nittany Lions lost three straight games to the Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins (who were winless at the time), and Northwestern Wildcats — all games Penn State was expected to win.
Several prominent voices in the sport have weighed in on Franklin’s firing. Legendary coach and former Florida and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer called the decision an “overreaction” following Saturday’s loss.
“What I’ve heard from several sources is that this was one man’s call — the athletic director — and the board really wasn’t aware, from what I was told,” Meyer said on the episode of “The Triple Option” podcast. “When you start adding this up… you’re talking about, and this is what someone told me from the Penn State team, this could be a $75 million transaction. My comment to one of the persons was, ‘Where does that money come from?’ But obviously, Pat Kraft knows what he’s doing… I’ve always tended to side on the side of the coach. I think this was an overreaction.”
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It’s still early to predict exactly which direction Penn State will take, but Terry Smith is set to serve as the interim head coach.
Several names have already surfaced in speculation, including Nebraska’s Matt Rhule — who quickly shut down the rumors — Duke’s Manny Diaz, former Penn State defensive coordinator, Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea, possibly Curt Cignetti, which would be a surprise given the progress he’s made at Indiana, and Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, who would also be a huge get.
As for Franklin, his next move could go in a number of directions. He may take a year off, wait until the end of the season to begin interviews, or even consider a jump to the NFL. With his track record, he’s likely to attract significant interest across the college football landscape.
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