James Franklin fired his agent and is now repped by super agent Jimmy Sexton
Mentioned under the 3rd bullet point in this article.
There's also a very long thread about it on PSU's 247 site with the following post:
"In 2017 [Sexton] represented all but 3 SEC head coaches. In the '17 cycle there were 6 HC openings in the SEC and he filled 5 of them."
Franklin is clearly looking to get paid. Maybe he twists PSU's arm into a major raise, but this also seems like a clear precursor to Franklin seriously shopping himself around this offseason with the goal of jumping ship.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:43 PM ^
I imagine the wives of the Asst Coaches are hot at USC
October 25th, 2021 at 11:35 PM ^
And the GFs are even hotter!
October 25th, 2021 at 6:43 PM ^
I mean hot
October 25th, 2021 at 6:43 PM ^
Really hot!
October 25th, 2021 at 6:43 PM ^
Wow. Never had a 4-peat before. I'm gonna have a smoke...
October 25th, 2021 at 6:58 PM ^
I’m glad I could be a part of it broski.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:06 PM ^
Dude may well finish the regular season with five losses. If he gets a chance at a better gig, he should take it.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:09 PM ^
OP nailed it: Frames’ whole MO is to get paid. I am sure they will leverage openings at USC and LSU for more $$$. The question remains, if you’re PSU do you pay up after one of the worst losses in the program’s last 5 years against a shit Illinois team?
October 25th, 2021 at 9:03 PM ^
Franklin is one of the biggest negative recruiters in all of CFB and I'm not sure why other coaches don't give him a taste of his won medicine. Dude is in it for the money and looks to gouge Penn State at every opportunity for a raise. How a recruit can want to play for him is beyond me
October 25th, 2021 at 6:11 PM ^
Great news! Franklin and Tucker both leaving sets up a hilarious scenario where MSU empties the tank to go after Narduzzi and he rejects them to take the Penn St job.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:17 PM ^
and then msu goes after Bo Pelini, who will likely be out of a job as LSU's DC once the season ends.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:26 PM ^
Pelini decided to get the drop on you, he was out of that job at the end of the 2020 season.
October 26th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
In his defense it’s hard to tell a difference between the 2020 and 2021 LSU defense.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:26 PM ^
CFB is pretty nuts. A Ham'n'Egger like Franklin gets national interest because he recruits well, as evidenced by a truffle pig like Sexton smelling money and taking him on as a client. Never mind his extremely mediocre record at PSU (despite said recruiting chops). As P.T. Barnum said, there's one born every minute, as Athletic Directors and fanbases prove every year.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:30 PM ^
There’s only one problem with Frames as a football coach. He can’t actually coach.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:42 PM ^
Why do I suddenly want a giant plate of ham and eggs with a side of crispy corned beef hash from Benny's?
October 25th, 2021 at 6:44 PM ^
his clock management is downright Harbaughian!
October 25th, 2021 at 7:42 PM ^
But damn the dude can recruit. However that’s a part of being at PSU to some degree. I think I would rather see Tucker gone just to fuck with Sparty insecurities.
October 25th, 2021 at 8:22 PM ^
+1 for "ham'n'egger"
October 25th, 2021 at 6:32 PM ^
Clicked link, read "By Clay Travis OutKick," closed tab. Any breaking news from Barstool? Sorry for being mean, but Clay Travis sucks. Not surprised to see Fox News running OutKick stories on their platform.
October 25th, 2021 at 7:25 PM ^
You prefer the bastion of truth CNN, no doubt.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:07 PM ^
At least CNN doesn't have to be legally classified as "entertainment"
October 25th, 2021 at 10:08 PM ^
Well that’s bc CNN lies about that too..
October 26th, 2021 at 1:59 AM ^
Trust me when I say I wasn't happy about posting it, but I looked around and it was literally the only source I could find at the time. Unfortunately seems like Travis got the scoop on that one and was the first to report it.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:35 PM ^
He Gone!!!!
October 25th, 2021 at 6:46 PM ^
I'm not sure if I want him gone from PSU. Mel on the other hand, I want gone from MSU.
Maybe USC will take one and LSU will take the other.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:52 PM ^
Why are we fearful of Mel Tucker all of a sudden???
October 25th, 2021 at 6:57 PM ^
Serious coach with a coherent plan. Not their usual clown show.
Who needs that?
October 25th, 2021 at 7:40 PM ^
Tucker did a good job working the transfer portal last offseason, but let's not forget that his career record was 7-12 coming into this year.
October 25th, 2021 at 7:59 PM ^
Was just noticing that the last coach Arizona beat was Mel Tucker, over two years ago.
That said, he seems to be at the very least competent, and if he's good enough to be considered for a top tier job, I won't mind if he gets it
October 25th, 2021 at 10:58 PM ^
I’m not so sure Tucker is a good coach but he has their fan base believing and that can be dangerous.
How they don’t have two losses right now is beyond me.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:53 PM ^
Franklin is probably getting lots of hate in Happy Valley after that disaster on Saturday.
If he does go maybe we convince some of those recuits to Go Blue!
October 25th, 2021 at 6:56 PM ^
This is a call out to Nittany Fan: How much do you want Franklin to stay? Or go?
I know lots of PSU fans and it seems like they can take him or leave him.
He had that one great span w/ Moorhead and Barkley. Nothing special since then without them.
He is not at coach Orgeron levels of futility, but he definitely profited off of some key players and asst. coaches that are long gone.
October 25th, 2021 at 7:02 PM ^
I've never been a big fan of Franklin. Not since day one. My biggest problem with the guy is he has NO idea how to deal with adversity.
I've called out this stat before - PSU is now 3-19-2 ATS in regular season games when they are coming off a loss. 3-19-2!!! That's absurd, the team universally under-achieves when they are coming off a loss.
2 of the ATS wins were (1) Wisconsin 2018, in a game they looked flat but Wisky was kind of worse, and (2) Michigan 2020, which, well U-M wasn't particularly excited to play football at that point of the season themselves.
On a more philosophical level, I've always thought that any leader --- be it a President, a CEO, a Coach, et cetera --- should think about moving on after 8-10 years. That's long enough to have an impact, but short enough that you don't risk getting too stale. This is Franklin's 8th year. He's getting to that point. I support a change, and a lot of that is simply for the sake of change itself 8 seasons in. Change would probably do both PSU AND Franklin good.
October 25th, 2021 at 7:28 PM ^
Honestly, I find Franklin and Harbaugh to be completely interchangeable.
Both turned traditional weak/disadvantaged programs around.
They have had very similar success in the B1G. . . Good to midling. Though with 3 11 win seasons and a win over OSU & bowl wins i'd give the nod to Franklin. (though his losses are MUCH worse)
They're even 3-3 against each other.
Both have abysmal clock management and have struggled on the road overall.
They also seem to be able to focus and call a damn good game one week, then get caught in a wet paper bag the next. (this being more of a Franklin feature, but Harbaugh isn't immune)
This year is obviously a much more 'up year for Harbaugh & Michigan for which i'm grateful.
Also Harbaugh is "quirky" which can rub people the wrong way, though I'll take that over Franklin's "douchebag" factor any day.
October 25th, 2021 at 11:59 PM ^
Seriously??? Harbaugh is nothing like Franklin. Harbaugh played and coached at the highest level. He was in a Superbowl for crying out loud.
Harbaugh knows more about Xs than Franklin and many other coaches.
You conveniently picked on things that fits your narrative. Why the HATE on Harbaugh? After all, he is one of ours.
Michigan fans, like you, deserve Hoke and RichRod.
October 26th, 2021 at 11:47 AM ^
How the fuck does harbaughs college career, NFL playing career, NFL coaching career have fuck-all to do with them coaching at the SAME TIME, against the SAME TEAMS, and even against EACH OTHER right now. Yeah, that's my narrative, glad you could figure it out.
I hate on harbaugh (thin skin much?) because he has underperformed at michigan. Thats obvious to virtually everyone although most don't think it reaches a level of firing, and certainly not this year.
How pathetic of a homer do you have to be to not be able to objectively look at wins, losses, etc. to judge effectiveness. PSU fans may think Franklin is a tool (I know I do) but they probably don't want to give back his 3 11 win seasons.
I'm sure harbaugh is thinking about his X's during one of his famous 3 minute 2-minute drills.
October 25th, 2021 at 7:45 PM ^
Yeah, I immediately thought of that 3-20 ATS stat after their loss to Iowa. Even with a bye week, he's not immune. Now the problem gets compounded with another loss. Since Penn St cannot run the ball this year, the game in Columbus might get out of hand quickly.
Who do you like to (realistically) replace Franklin if he bolts? Off the top of my head I'm thinking of course of Fickell and Campbell as a sort of top tier, perhaps Hafley next, and with Narduzzi, Moorhead, Mark Stoops also considered. Maybe Dan Mullen if the situation is souring in Gainesville.
October 25th, 2021 at 8:12 PM ^
I have no idea who PSU would get. Your list seems good, but I 100% don't think Narduzzi would get a call, as I think some influential PSU folk have some sore points w/ him from both the MSU & Pitt days.
October 25th, 2021 at 6:59 PM ^
Of all the coaches we've battled for that top spot in the Big Ten East over the last decade or so, I have to say James Franklin is the one that has been least likely to put fear in me. OSU's been a juggernaut. MSU has been hit or miss but Dantonio always brought his A++ game against us (too soon to tell for Mel Tucker). Franklin... he's just kinda there. He's a mid tier coach with more talented players than most.
October 25th, 2021 at 7:33 PM ^
Perfect take
October 25th, 2021 at 7:57 PM ^
I didn't get going into the slow down in the last 2 minutes of the game Saturday, and not trying to drive for a FG. He went into play for overtime mode with more than 2 minutes left. If I'm USC WHY would I hire him? I'd be going after Luke Fickell. What could he do with USC level talent.....?
October 25th, 2021 at 8:16 PM ^
Now that he's gone, I'll admit, Dantonio was the one I always hated to face. He just always seemed to get the most out of his MSU teams.
Franklin ? The guy definitely recruits some talent. He has a really talented class coming in 2022. And he does have a B1G title back in 2016. Just think that he should get more out of some of those very talented teams though
October 25th, 2021 at 11:33 PM ^
Whatever his faults, when I see Jim Harbaugh, I think, "football coach."
Whenever I see James Franklin, I think, "guy sitting behind a desktop, wearing a polo shirt with a Ford insignia, trying to sell me a new vehicle."
October 25th, 2021 at 7:00 PM ^
Just talked with a PSU Grad. I asked if Franklin is going to take the USC job. The reply was "I'll Drive him if he needs a ride."
Pretty nice guy and I couldn't even pile on about That Thing that happened Saturday.
I think the ice is thin in unHappy Valley
October 25th, 2021 at 9:28 PM ^
To me that's surprising, that fans want him gone. He brought the program back to prominence... Recruits like a bandit.
October 26th, 2021 at 8:35 AM ^
And his losses are something to behold.
October 25th, 2021 at 7:06 PM ^
I could see USC but I'm not sure I can see LSU. Saban is turning 70 in a few days and I think Bowden winning it a few months after his 70th birthday is the only coach who's ever won a national title at 70 or older.
Any SEC West team now is likely trying to set themselves up strategically for the decline and post-Saban time at Bama (which should be a window of opportunity for the teams there). Is Franklin the guy you want to be at your school when that window opens?
October 25th, 2021 at 7:17 PM ^
Lose to Illinois, fire agent, get new agent likely for the purpose of getting paid....
I mean, when you've tried everything else...