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James Franklin reportedly out of race to become historic college program's next HC

Joe Cox|
While the James Franklin coaching derby still remains in progress, recent reports named one school that can be counted out in seeking the former Penn State head coach.
While the James Franklin coaching derby still remains in progress, recent reports named one school that can be counted out in seeking the former Penn State head coach. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

Since the firing of James Franklin at Penn State last month, there's been a developing area of fascination regarding the next stop of the former Nittany Lion boss. Franklin, after all, came highly regarded to State College after turning around Vanderbilt and his record at PSU will impress many, even if it didn't ultimately impress Penn State's administration. But one SEC insider says you can drop Arkansas from Franklin's list of potential suitors.

Arkansas insider Trey Biddy says that while there was some initial interest in Franklin from the Hogs, who cut loose coach Sam Pittman earlier in their 2-8 season, Franklin won't be headed to Fayetteville for the 2026 season.

Later in the same thread, Biddy commented that Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek has a list of eight candidates and is "leaning to a defensive-minded HC."

Potential Arkansas candidates?

Interestingly, most of the top known candidates for the Arkansas job don't really fit in that profile. Current Kalshi future prediction market favorites Ryan Silverfield and Alex Golesh are both offensive-oriented coaches. Likewise for interim Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino and Eric Morris. Of the handful of top candidates from Kalshi, the only coach who immediate fits that profile is Tulane coach Jon Sumrall.

Arkansas's Recent Struggles

Arkansas cut Pittman loose in his sixth season with a cumulative 32-34 record. Pittman's best season was 2021, when Arkansas went 9-4, won the Outback Bowl and finished ranked No. 21 in the final AP poll. But in the ensuing years, Pittman failed to top seven wins and had a career 14-29 mark in SEC play.

The Razorbacks haven't posted a 10-win season since 2011, when Bobby Petrino's team went 11-2 and finished No. 5 nationally. But after that season, Petrino's off-field problems lead to his dismissal and four consecutive Arkansas coaches have left with losing records.

Franklin's Resume

James Franklin rose to prominence by winning in the SEC despite talent and infrastructure limitations at Vanderbilt. He went 24-15 in three seasons, and at a school that has never posted a 10-win season, Franklin's back-to-back 9-4 records with top 25 AP poll finishes were basically untrodden ground.

He followed that success to Penn State, where Franklin's 104-45 mark certainly looks impressive. But he won just one league title and never went farther than the CFP semifinals in 2024. After a shocking trio of losses early in 2025, Penn State let Franklin go. While the rumor mill for his next stop has been churning consistently, it apparently won't be Arkansas where Franklin next lands.

Yurachek
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek has a massive search on for Arkansas's next head coach. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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