Penn State football coach James Franklin the past two weeks: “It’s tough. We’re running in a thousand different directions.” (Rich Scarcella – Reading Eagle)
James Franklin always walks into a room with high energy and positivity, just like he asks Penn State football players to do.
But Friday was different. The 51-year-old Franklin looked exhausted and exhausted as he sat in Beaver Stadium at Peach Bowl media day.
He and his assistant coaches have been on the road the past two weeks recruiting and making in-house visits to high school seniors who have already committed to the Nittany Lions.
Several questions took place at the press conference, and Franklin was asked to describe his recent agenda.
“Are you saying it’s because I look like an (expletive) now?” Asked.
Yes he did, as a matter of fact. His energy was as low as anyone in the room had seen.
Since Penn State’s 42-0 win over Michigan State on Nov. 24 in Detroit, Franklin has had a full plate like all major college football coaches.
He has been dealing with the draft ahead of early signing day on Wednesday.
He’s been trying to manage the Lions’ roster, both potential additions and subtractions through the transfer portal and how much there’s no money players want to stay or come to Penn State.
He has been identifying draft-eligible players who opt out of the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss and declare for the NFL Draft.
But he also had to look for a new offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki, and a new defensive coordinator after Manny Diaz left to become Duke’s head coach.
All while preparing for a New Year’s Six game against the No. 11 team in the country.
It’s enough to exhaust a high-energy person like Franklin.
“It’s difficult,” he said. “We run in a thousand different directions, and then it magnifies when you have a search for an offensive coordinator.
“Then once that’s done, you think you can take a deep breath and go back to focusing on players and recruiting, and one of your guys gets a chance to be a head coach in the ACC, which is great for us. Him and his future and his family. And then you start over. It’s been Fast race.
It’s the current model of college football that exhausts Franklin, with the transfer portal, NIL money and little enforcement of rules by the NCAA these days.
If coaches aren’t on top of things 24 hours a day, their programs can quickly collapse.
“The absurdity is rampant,” he said. “I think if you talk to any college football coach in the country, it’s a problem. Agents and coaches calling up parents, high school coaches calling up (players) on your current team, it’s rampant.”
“All the reasons we put all these rules in place that aren’t being implemented now. All these rules were put in place for a reason.
Allowing college athletes to transfer once and play immediately at their new school has created something close to free agency. If an athlete chooses to transfer more than once, they must obtain a waiver to gain immediate eligibility. Without a waiver, the athlete would have to sit out a year.
Seven states are seeking a federal court restraining order that would allow athletes to qualify immediately if they transfer more than once. The NCAA argues that if the states win, the result will be a “permanent, unsupervised free agency system.”
“It’s chaotic,” Franklin said. “You’re recruiting your roster. There are mixed messages everywhere. There are agendas in every direction. It’s more challenging than ever.”
“In terms of scheduling, you used to be able to just focus on your current team and new recruits. Now obviously the transfer portal takes that into account as well.
Nearly 3,000 college football players have entered their names into the NCAA transfer portal since the end of the regular season. About 62% committed to new schools or decided to stay in their old schools.
Some put their names in the portal just because they want to go to the highest bidder in terms of no dollar. If you think the system is broken, you’re not alone.
A tired Franklin painted a pessimistic view of the future of his sport.
“I don’t know how to pull it back,” he said. “I think that’s the challenge for the NCAA and for the (conference) commissioners and ADs and college football coaches. I think the only people who can really solve this problem are the commissioners. They’re the ones who have the power to do it.”
“Get all the commissioners in a room for about a week. Close the door and let’s figure out a new model for college football because I don’t think this is sustainable for the players and more importantly, but also for the coaches. You’re going to see more and more coaches leaving college football.”
Penn State’s head football coach, James Franklin, has been vocal about his frustrations with the current college football model. He believes that the system is outdated and in need of significant reform. Franklin’s outspoken opinions have sparked a larger conversation about the state of college football and the changes that are necessary to ensure a fair and equitable experience for all student-athletes. As a respected figure in the college football community, Franklin’s stance on this issue has garnered attention and is pushing for much-needed change within the sport.