Late within the night on Sept. 27, the Penn State Nittany Lions have been undefeated and ranked No. 3 within the nation and had a two-touchdown lead on then-No. 6 Oregon within the fourth quarter of a house sport.
Fifteen days after having misplaced that sport in extra time — after which shedding two extra video games during which they have been favored by a minimum of 20 factors — the Nittany Lions are 3-3, and so they have fired coach James Franklin regardless of owing him greater than $49 million.
“Penn State owes an infinite quantity of gratitude to Coach Franklin who rebuilt our soccer program right into a nationwide energy,” Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft stated in an announcement. “He gained a Huge Ten Championship, led us to seven New 12 months’s Six bowl video games and a Faculty Soccer Playoff look final 12 months. Nonetheless, we maintain our athletics applications to the very best of requirements, and we consider that is the appropriate second for brand spanking new management on the helm of our soccer program to advance us towards Huge Ten and nationwide championships.”
Franklin’s firing is sort of beautiful even within the chaotic world of faculty soccer, each due to the cash left on his contract and the crew’s latest success.
Franklin, 53, is the second winningest coach in Nittany Lions historical past, behind solely Joe Paterno. Final season, he led Penn State to the semifinal of the Faculty Soccer Playoff, and the crew completed the season ranked fifth within the remaining Related Press ballot — the Nittany Lions’ finest end since 2005.
Penn State entered August ranked No. 2 within the nation by the AP, it and really seemingly might have been ranked first had it held on to defeat Oregon as a substitute of shedding in extra time.
After the loss to the Geese, the Nittany Lions misplaced twice extra — on the highway in opposition to the UCLA Bruins as a 24.5-point favourite and at house to the Northwestern Wildcats as a 21.5-point favourite. The 2 losses got here by a complete of six factors however weren’t shut sufficient to save lots of Franklin’s job.
Penn State employed Franklin, who beforehand coached at Vanderbilt, forward of the 2014 season, initially signing him to a six-year contract.
In 2021, after Franklin had led the Nittany Lions to a few 10-win seasons (and their first since 2009), the varsity signed him to a 10-year extension by way of 2031. Penn State will now pay Franklin the $49.7 million remaining on that deal to step away from this system, in response to USA As we speak, solely 9 months after he was one sport away from a nationwide championship look.
The buyout is the second richest in faculty soccer historical past behind the greater than $76 million Texas A&M owed Jimbo Fisher after it fired him in 2023.
Whereas Franklin delivered six 10-win seasons, together with three straight from 2022 to 2024, he additionally struggled in marquee matchups.
After the loss to the Geese in late September, Franklin fell to 4-21 in video games in opposition to opponents ranked within the high 10 of the AP ballot, together with 1-18 in opposition to Huge Ten foes.
“I get that narrative, and it’s actually not a story — it’s factual. It’s the details,” Franklin stated after the Oregon defeat. “I attempt to take a look at the whole image and what we’ve been capable of do right here. However on the finish of the day, we obtained to discover a option to win these video games. I completely get it. And I take possession. I take accountability.”
Two individuals who could possibly be candidates for Nittany Lions job are two different Huge Ten coaches, in response to The Athletic: Indiana’s Curt Cignetti and Nebraska’s Matt Rhule.
Whomever the varsity finally hires might be making an attempt to guide Penn State to its first nationwide championship since 1986.
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