'We've Got the Best College Football Coach on the Planet'

Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour often has called James Franklin an "exceptional fit" for the university. She did so again this week during an appearance on Big Ten Network.

But this time, Barbour went a step further.

"First and foremost, we’ve got the best college football coach on the planet," Barbour said in the interview.

"First and foremost, we've got the best college football coach on the planet."

- @GoPSUSports AD Sandy Barbour (@SandyB_PSUAD) had high praise for @CoachJFranklin, and she explained why to @BTNMikeHall: pic.twitter.com/IKHjvfncU0
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) July 15, 2020

Franklin, in his seventh season at Penn State, is the longest-tenured coach in the Big Ten's East division. Earlier this year he signed a new six-year contract, his third at Penn State, that will guarantee him $35.4 million. So Barbour clearly finds Franklin's worth important to Penn State.

But during the Big Ten Network interview, Barbour framed Franklin's impact beyond the three 11-win seasons his teams have recorded during the past four years. As to why she praised Franklin so highly, Barbour said this:

"And it's not just because he's an exceptional football coach and obviously his expertise there, but because of his care for our students," she said. "I've been around a lot of great football coaches and those that care very deeply for their students. I don't think you get into this without that care and without that inclination. But he's at the top of the list in terms of those that care and how he exhibits it."

To cap the interview, Barbour repeated her statement that Franklin and Penn State complement each other.

"I think he's an exceptional fit for Penn State," she said. 'His values align really perfectly with who we are and who we've been historically. So I wouldn't want to be going to war with anybody other than James Franklin."

The praise certainly isn't new. At the Cotton Bowl in December, Barbour said that other programs' reported interest in Franklin was "awesome" because it meant the coach is in demand.

That gave Penn State's athletic director another way to frame Franklin as "the best college football coach on the planet."

"I love the fact that Penn State has a head coach that a lot of other people want," Barbour said in Dallas. "This contract, any contract, is not going to stop that. And, and I don't really want it to, I want us to continue to have the kind of success that's going to draw other people to James. But he's a Penn Stater. He's our coach, and he's going to remain that way."

Get the latest Penn State news by joining the community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our AllPennState page. Mobile users click the notification bell. And please follow AllPennState on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.