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Penn State Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft made the decision to hire head football coach James Franklin, telling reporters Monday that it wasn’t just the three-game losing streak that led to the decision.
Franklin’s departure is a shock to college football, as the leader in the locker room since 2014 parts ways with the Nittany Lions, who will have to pay him a whopping $50 million.
Kraft said he was “watching everything” after Penn State’s loss to Northwestern, 22-21, on Saturday.
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Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft gives a big hug to football coach James Franklin following the 33-24 win over Indiana at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in State College, Pennsylvania. (IMAGE)
“After sitting back Saturday and looking at everything, where we were in terms of the best interest of the athletes and where the program was going, I felt like we had to make a tough decision,” Kraft told reporters, via Sports Illustrated. “Looking at where the program was, where it is and where we want to be, I felt like there was no other way. I felt like 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 at first, but have been in free fall ever since. It came to a head against an unranked Northwestern team, when the fans’ chants to send off Franklin roared even louder than when Oregon entered Beaver Stadium and handed them their first loss.
PENN STATE FIRE JAMES FRANKLIN AFTER STUNNING LOSS IN NORTHWEST: REPORT
Kraft and Franklin have had a long-standing friendship, as well as a professional relationship, which makes their firing difficult on many levels.
“James Franklin is a good friend who has always carried himself with dignity and represented Penn State with absolute class,” Kraft explained. “We are all fortunate to have had James Franklin leading this program for more than a decade and we wish only the best for him and his family.”
Penn State Nittany Lions head 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 Images)
The Nittany Lions will be led by Franklin assistant coach Terry Smith, who has been named interim head coach.
Franklin took over as Penn State’s head coach prior to the 2014 season after leading Vanderbilt for three seasons in the same position. He was in his 12th season at Penn State, having led the team to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season.
As the team’s head coach, Franklin went 104-45.
Looking ahead, Penn State will be without quarterback Drew Allar for the remainder of the season due to a leg injury suffered in the loss to Northwestern. They’ll face Iowa next week, but the schedule gets much tougher from there.
Athletic Director Patrick Kraft of the Penn State Nittany Lions is seen during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Champaign, Illinois. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Penn State will face No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1, No. 7 Indiana on Nov. 8, and four or more losses would keep them out of this season’s College Football Playoff.
