James Franklin at 50
Perhaps fittingly, Penn State coach James Franklin spent part of his 50th birthday discussing change: how he simultaneously recoils from it and embraces it, and how much things have changed lately.
"It's unbelievable," Franklin said Feb. 2 at his first media appearance since the Outback Bowl. "I think when I was at Vanderbilt, I was like one of the youngest head coaches in major college football. And I don't know what happened, but that's not the case anymore. It's changed.
"But yeah, I'm at 50, and I don't know to feel about that yet."
Beginning his ninth season at Penn State, Franklin finds himself at another crossroad, yet with far more leverage at his disposal this time. Franklin met this moment last in 2016, when he took a revamped staff and a 2-2 record into halftime against Minnesota trailing 13-3. He has mentioned several times over the past six years that the sound of boos trailed him into the locker room.
But the Lions won that game in overtime, beginning a nine-game win streak that sent them to the Rose Bowl as the Big Ten champions "before anybody expected us," Franklin said Wednesday. Penn State went to three New Year's Six bowl games in four years, which Athletic Director Sandy Barbour mentioned in December after giving Franklin a new 10-year contract.
"I think his body of work really spoke to me and spoke to the leadership on campus, and we wanted to send a signal to him and we wanted to send a signal to everybody else that, you’ve heard it from me, he’s our guy," Barbour told reporters before the Outback Bowl.
On Wednesday, his 50th birthday, Franklin sounded eager but a bit apprehensive, certain of Penn State's path but unsure about that of college football. He had to make some significant staff changes this offseason, notably hiring new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz to replace longtime wingman Brent Pry.
Franklin also replaced strength coach Dwight Galt, who retired after the two had worked together for more than 20 years at three schools, and lost his senior director of football operations, Michael Hazel, who joined Pry's staff at Virginia Tech.
That's a lot of change, not unlike the 2016 season, when Franklin had two new coordinators and a new offensive line coach. Franklin embraced change then; he expects to do the same now, even though he lost a good deal of longtime support.
And that's on top of the NCAA Transfer Portal and Name, Image and Likeness legislation that have completely altered the way coaches build and maintain rosters. It's a lot to process.
"I'm a guy that likes the structure and I like the consistency that we've been able to have [at Penn State]," Franklin said. "I prefer not to have the changes that we've had, but you'd better embrace it. I think that's something that not only am I preaching to the administration and the fans and when I answer your questions, but I'm also talking to myself about that as well.
"You know, whether you totally agree with the transfer portal or whether you totally agree with NIL, the reality is you have to embrace it. I have to embrace it."
Franklin was asked an interesting question Wednesday. Penn State began the 2021 season better than anyone had expected. The Lions were 5-0 and ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 when they visited Iowa.
They took a 17-3 lead, appeared headed to a blowout victory, and then quarterback Sean Clifford was injured. Penn State lost 23-20 and never really recovered from that game, finishing the season 2-5 with a lackluster loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. The 7-6 record was Franklin's third at Penn State and no doubt the most disappointing.
So Franklin was asked whether the 2021 season affected his timeline for the future. Many fans viewed 2021 as a setback. Franklin didn't see it that way.
"I think most people would say obviously we were really close last year," Franklin said. "We're very, very close. You know, at one point, ranked No. 4 in the country and doing some really good things. But I think it's also a great example of where depth is so important, where development is so important, because injuries are going to play a factor in college football across the board."
With that, Franklin launched into his reflexive refrain of being able to compete year-round: for players, coaches, staff, facilities, for everything that college football programs need to be successful.
But Franklin also made an interesting statement that underscored his wisdom (perhaps it has something to do with turning 50) about time and place. He's seeing his vision being embraced more within the university's power structure.
"What's the next step? I think that's the biggest thing that I've talked to you guys about, that I think we're closer to achieving than ever is the alignment," Franklin said. "The alignment with the board and all the way down to the head football coach. And I think that's really the next step for us, so that we can consistently do what the fans and the alumni and the Lettermen want us to do."
Franklin at 50 still is much the same person who charged into Penn State eight years ago, promising to "dominate the state" in recruiting and to uphold the program's longtime proverb, "Success with honor." He's still energetic, relates to players and fans well personally, and disarms people with his wit and fire.
But Franklin also has had to get out of his comfort zone while leading a program that makes very specific demands of him. Penn State finished the 2021 season looking longingly, and distantly, at the College Football Playoff. The Lions don't appear ready to contend soon.
Franklin sees it differently, though. He wants you to know that he has a plan. And that plan includes embracing change.
"I'm very aware of what the expectations are. That's why we came here," Franklin said. "We embrace the extremely high expectations that we have here at Penn State. But I want to make sure that we're doing all the things necessary to compete with the teams that were compared to year-round."
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