Former Ohio State QB says James Franklin 'maybe lost the team' — and calls Penn State job both premium and perilous

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Nick Wright | Last updated Oct 28, 2025 11:33 PM ET

Entering the 2025 season ranked No. 2 and expected to contend for a national title, the Penn State Nittany Lions instead slipped to a 3–4 overall record, 0-4 in Big Ten play, and watched their playoff hopes evaporate in real time. That decline — marked by losses to Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern— triggered the mid-season departure of 12-year head coach James Franklin.

But to ESPN analyst and former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit, what sunk the season was even simpler: “The only thing I can think of. . . is maybe he lost the team,” Herbstreit said. “Maybe the ship was sinking as far as the buy-in behind the scenes, and maybe the decision-makers thought, ‘Let’s get out of this now. Let’s try to salvage this year, and let’s try to find our next guy.’”

Nittany Lions went from a preseason contender to a midseason let down

Herbstreit pointed to the two-game stretch that unraveled the Nittany Lions’ season. “They lost to Oregon when they were still ranked. . . and everybody thought they were a great team,” he said. “Then they showed up [against UCLA], looked at the film, thought, ‘This UCLA team sucks. . . we’ll kill them—boom, got embarrassed.’”

For Herbstreit, that transition from playoff contender to midseason collapse likely signaled an internal problem that made a midseason firing unavoidable. Even with quarterback Drew Allar battling injury, he still sees enough talent “to win a lot of games.” In his view, the move suggests leadership felt the roster had tuned out.

Despite the abrupt ending, Herbstreit still considers Penn State one of the most attractive jobs in the sport. “They spend money. . . they’re spending money,” he said. “Isn’t that sad? That’s how you have to look at it, not tradition and history. . . are they spending money? And they are.”

He also warned that money and outside influence can complicate a coach’s job. “You got all these money people now that are helping influence and make decisions—that’s a slippery slope,” Herbstreit said. “I need you to be in the corner with me. I don’t need you to throw me out there and let me be by myself.”

Herbstreit described Penn State as “a great campus, great university, great tradition, great stadium,” and said “anybody would go to Penn State if they got the opportunity.” But he emphasized that whoever takes over must have real backing when adversity hits.

A top-tier job with high pressure

In Herbstreit’s view, the Penn State opening remains both a high-end opportunity and a high-pressure position. The program has the facilities, fan base, and national reach to compete for championships. What it needs next, he said, is unity between the administration, donors, and players.

Penn State still sells itself as one of the nation’s premier programs. Herbstreit’s comments, however, suggest the next head coach will need more than notoriety to succeed. He will need complete support when the pressure and noise begin to rise.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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