Nick Saban Defends James Franklin … and Sparks Penn State Speculation After GameDay Appearance

And the other two, Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit have been host and analyst for many many years together covering college football for ESPN – they’re just very grateful for Franklin for being kind and classy enough to join them live on the set just a few days after Franklin was advised by Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft, that a change was being made.

Franklin’s live appearance is called production value and lots of it.

So, no one on the set is going to submarine the already wounded former coach, with a damning question about his disastrous three game losing streak in just a two week period, that led to his coaching demise.

The most compelling comment though, came from Nick Saban, owner of seven national championship rings at two different schools.

Nick Saban Offers Strong James Franklin Defense

The question was asked of Franklin, did he think the firing was fair?

Franklin bobbed and weaved and basically said it wasn’t up to him to decide what was fair or not.   A few moments later, Saban spoke up and took aim at Penn State for firing James Franklin:

“It’s unfair as hell for you to go to the Rose Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, get in the Final Four,” Saban said. “Come out, being ranked number one this year, an expectation that you created by what you accomplished at Penn State – and for those people not to show enough appreciation for that and gratitude for all the hard work that you did, I’m saying it’s unfair.”

You can take that quote however you want it.

It’s easy for perhaps the greatest head coach of all time to say something so supportive and encouraging in a live-setting still oozing with sensitivity because of a 12-year tenure beheading just a few days prior. (At least Herbstreit had the journalistic integrity to bring up the 21 elephants in the room and ask Franklin about the dark cloud that has been lingering over his head in big games, um, like his 4-21 record against top-ten opponents).

Be that as it may, what’s done is done, and it’s time for Penn State to heal as they move on.

The coaching search has begun and many names from unknown-up-and-comers to big-name retirees who could conceivably be lured out of their comfy and cozy analytical twilight careers.

So what about the guy who threw shade at Franklin’s former employer?

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Would Nick Saban be a good fit at Penn State?

In many ways, yes:

Saban is arguably the most successful head coach in modern college-football history: seven national championships (one at LSU, six at Alabama).

He brings an elite culture, standardized discipline, recruiting machine, player development, excellent winning DNA, all the things Penn State would like to have or sustain.

Penn State has resources, tradition, fan base, facilities, traits that Saban typically sought in his jobs.

Not so fast:

The college landscape has changed significantly since Saban’s peak, NIL, transfer portal, player empowerment, social media, conference realignment. Saban himself has admitted the environment has altered what he believed in.

Penn State is in the Big Ten, in a different recruiting/competitive environment than Saban’s past SEC dominance. Could the standard he demands be delivered there? That’s a question.

Saban has already retired. Asking someone back after he walked away raises questions of motivation, freshness, and energy for the grind.

Penn State Football Swing-o-meter: What Taking a Big Swing Actually Means for Coaching Search

Would Nick Saban be interested in the Penn State job … or any job?

Does Saban even want to come back into an NIL/transfer-portal world?

This is the critical wrinkle. Saban has explicitly commented on how the nature of the job has shifted:

• He said: “Maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to … all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have I’m going to play … and how much are you going to pay me?”
• He’s also indicated that much of the platform and value system he built feels changed: “All the things I believed in for all these years… no longer exist in college athletics.”
• Given that, one can conclude that re-entering coaching in this era — with the year-round recruiting, constant agent/endorsement interaction and transfer portal churn would not appeal as much to him.

Short answer to the big question in Happy Valley: Probably not, or at least not likely.

Saban cited reasons for his retirement that include the changing nature of college football: the transfer portal, NIL complications, player motivations shifting. He said the job was “getting more and more difficult” and the two sides (coach/program) would have to assess things year to year.

He has publicly denied that NIL alone was the reason, but also acknowledged it played a role.

But, Saturday on College GameDay, Saban’s wife didn’t completely dismiss the idea of a return to coaching.

Make the Call

So while Penn State could and should call him (not making at least a call would be coaching search malfeasance), the odds that he’d accept and commit appear low.

Still, from a strategic perspective, they cannot let the Saban stone go unturned, and here’s why:

Even if Saban says no, making the call shows ambition and signals to other coaches, and to the Nittany Lions’ biggest donors, that Penn State is serious.

Reaching out to Saban also reinforces the narrative and sets the tone that this is a program that isn’t just talking about taking a big swing, but stepping up to the plate and swinging for the fences.

Besides, if by slim chance Saban is open to a second act you want your university to be on his short list.

If Saban refuses, it still publicly signals a going all-in attempt to restore the program to greatness and not settling for just “good” anymore.

While landing Nick Saban would be the coup of coups, Penn State must evaluate – is the hire about the name or about the fit?  Will the legendary Saban bring energy, alignment, and analytical logistics to Happy Valley and function highly with the current college football ecosystem? Is he even interested?

Stay tuned.