Penn State's Firing of James Franklin Opens Recruiting Doors For Miami

The Miami Hurricanes have a few new players they can go after now that the news of Penn State head coach James Franklin has been let go.

Sep 20, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal reacts against the Florida Gators during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Week 8 of the 2025 college football season would have never thought it would have gotten this far downhill for Penn State, that they would have their head coach fired and their star quarterback out for the season.

However, the game of football is a week-by-week sport, and the impossible has happened. The Nittany Lions have fired James Franklin, opening the recruiting floodgates that Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes look to capitalize on.

The Hurricanes have already made their first move as they have their eyes on the No. 1 running back from the 2027 class, Kemon Spell.

Spell had been a hard commitment for the Lions since August of 2024. Now he has decommitted, and everyone, including the Canes, is after him.

Alongside UM, Spell has also been in talks with Notre Dame, USC, Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Five-Star RB Kemon Spell tells @Rivals that these 8 Schools stand out to him after decommitting from Penn State

He immediately becomes one of the Top Available Recruits in the country, regardless of classhttps://t.co/bSeLYeRfyb https://t.co/e6CrXqmIaa pic.twitter.com/OZQNIkebrC

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 12, 2025

Moreover, he is not the only one who is leaving the Nittany Lions. Two other players in the top 32 of the class have also decommitted.

Offensive tackle Layton von Brandt and Wide receiver Khalil Taylor have also reopened their recruting. This is the perfect time for the Hurricanes to come and take some of the top recruits of the class.

Penn State had one of the Top 2027 Classes before Friday

The Nittany Lions had 3 Top 32 Recruits Committed (per Rivals)

• RB Kemon Spell (No. 8)
• OT Layton von Brandt (No. 28)
• WR Khalil Taylor (No. 31)

All 3 have decommitted & 0 recruits remainhttps://t.co/4kaiXZLGwj pic.twitter.com/QnxAcRXZKp

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 12, 2025

This is just the 2027 class. Some from the 2026 class could make the jump as well. Franklin built a consistent winner and consistently had high draft picks that allowed him to recruit at a high level. Now, it is anyone's powerhouse out of the way for Cristobal to take over as one of the top recruiters in the country.

Class of 2026 Commitments

1. CB Camdin Portis, 6-foot, 165 lbs. - Charlotte, North Carolina (Committed 10/27/2024)
2. LB Jordan Campbell, 6-foot-2, 200 lbs. - Opa Locka, Florida (Committed 11/21/2023)
3. QB Dereon Coleman, 5-foot-11, 165 lbs. - Orlando, Florida (Committed 07/03/2024)
4. OT Ben Congdon, 6-foot-7, 270 lbs. - Mineral City, Ohio (Committed 3/3/2025)
5. CB, Jaelen Waters, 6-foot-2, 185 lbs. - Seffner, Florida (Committed 3/7/2025)
6. RB, Javian Mallory, 5-foot-11, 205 lbs. - Boca Raton, Florida (Committed 3/22/2025)
7. OL, Joel Ervin, 6-foot-6, 280 lbs. - Fort Myers, Florida (Committed 3/29/2025)
8. OT, JJ Sparks, 6-foot-4, 295 lbs. - Jacksonville, Florida (Committed 4/2/2025)
9. CB, Jontavius Wyman, 5-foot-11, 170 lbs. - Jonesboro, Georgia (Committed 4/6/2025)
10. OL, Jackson Cantwell, 6-foot-7.5, 315 lbs. - Nixa, Missouri (Committed 5/13/2025)
11. OL, Rhys Woodrow, 6-foot-4, 310 lbs. - Orlando, Florida (Committed 5/24/2025)
12. OL, Canon Pickett, 6-foot-4, 320 lbs. - Tampa, Florida (Committed 6/10/2025)
13. DL, Tyson Bacon, 6-foot-3, 263 lbs. - Hoover, Alabama (Committed 6/10/25)
14. DE, Asharri Charles, 6-foot-2 and 230 lbs. - Venice, Florida (Committed 6/22/25)
15. WR, Vance Spafford, 5-foot-11, Mission Viejo, California (Committed 6/23/25)
16. TE, Israel Briggs, 6-foot-5, 210 lbs. - Visalia, California (Committed 6/24/25)
17. WR, Tyran Evans, 6-foot-3, 185 lbs - Cornelius, North Carolina (Committed 6/25/25)
18. DL, Anthony Kennedy Jr., 6-foot-5, 330 lbs. - Little Rock, Arkansas (Committed 6/27/25)
19. CB, Brody Jennings, 6-foot-1, 175 lbs. - Jacksonville, Florida (Committed 7/5/25)
20. WR, Somourian Wingo, 6-foot-2, 185 lbs. - St. Augustine, Florida (Committed 7/17/25)

Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.

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