Penn State Nittany Lions fans have gotten their wish regarding head coach James Franklin.
Franklin was fired by the Nittany Lions on Sunday, one day after the team’s shocking home loss to Northwestern dropped them to 3-3. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the decision will cost Penn State more than $49 million.
Longtime Penn State assistant Terry Smith will serve as the team’s interim coach, according to athletic director Pat Kraft.
Franklin’s firing caps a shocking fall for a coach who led his team to the College Football Playoff last season. However, there was always a perception of underachievement around the program, largely centered around Franklin’s inability to win the biggest games. That was a big reason why Nittany Lions fans were disillusioned with him even before Saturday’s loss. After the defeat, fans had completely turned on him, and the situation was untenable.
Franklin was 104-45 during his tenure with the Nittany Lions. He guided Penn State to the College Football Playoff for the first time last season and actually reached the semifinals before falling 27-24 to Notre Dame in a game where he inadvertently motivated his opponents.
The Nittany Lions signed Franklin to an enormous contract extension in 2021. That is a decision they are going to be paying for both literally and figuratively for quite some time.
