The Truth About James Franklin

People seem to keep a keen eye on those because they are singular events that have heightened importance.

If you peel the onion to the next layer, Franklin is 21-30 against teams that win nine or more games. In comparison, Joe Paterno was 13-29 in his last 25 seasons. Why that figure is important is Franklin not only inherited the erosion Paterno presided over and the Jerry Sandusky scandal did not exactly help matters. 

Conversely, Penn State is 22-1 since 2022 in Big Ten play and have played in the conference championship game against teams not named Ohio State and Michigan. Penn State set a program record with wins (13) last season, and has participated in New Year’s Six bowls in six of the past nine seasons, something Penn State hasn’t done since the golden era of Penn State between 1977-1986.

Administrative Alignment

There is something to be said of this. You think Nebraska or Miami would exchange the last decade for the issues Penn State’s has? Absolutely they would.

The issue Pate outlined is what Franklin has expressed for many years and one that is finally solved for him—he now has administrative alignment.

Currently, Penn State has an athletic director in Patrick Kraft that is motivated to have national championship teams across the board. In the past, Penn State losing their defensive coordinator and running backs coach might have haunted the program, but the investments made this year attracted arguably the top defensive coordinator in the game with Jim Knowles and running back coach Stan Drayton, whose resume includes Brian Westbrook, Carlos Hyde, Ezekiel Elliott, Bijan Robinson and Matt Forte at the college and pro level.

Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi helped orchestrate the $700 million upgrades to Beaver Stadium. Bendapudi has given Kraft and Franklin the resources necessary to challenge for a national championship, a position Penn State hasn’t been in since the 80s and 90s.

Pro-Caliber QB Talent

Lastly, Franklin might finally have an elite quarterback that will be a difference maker in one way shape or form. This isn’t an indictment against Sean Clifford or Trace McSorley, as each have guided Penn State to multiple New Year’s Six games and were excellent collegiate quarterbacks but neither had the pro makeup that Allar has. Allar was selected by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg as the No. 2 quarterback in the country.

"He's an NFL talent," an opposing coach said for Rittenberg’s piece. "You walk up to him, he's all of 6-5, can make every throw."

When you couple Allar’s talent with the nation’s best backfield in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and the talent on the offensive line with continuity in year two of Andy Kotelnicki’s offense should be one of Penn State’s most explosive offenses in history.

The national championship only eludes Franklin. He has a College Football Playoff appearance, Big Ten Championship appearances and numerous 10-plus win seasons and New Year’s Six bowl appearances. Franklin is indeed a top-10 coach, flirting with top five aspirations if he achieves a national championship. But anything less than top 10 would have him underrated.