Penn State head coach James Franklin has been criticized during his tenure at Happy Valley for being unable to win big games. Although the Nittany Lions reached the semifinal of the College Football Playoff this past season, doubts about Franklin’s coaching ability still loom.
Josh Pate Deems James Franklin Top 10 Head Coach
When Penn State football is mentioned, the first talking point is the team’s ability to win big games. The conversation then defers right to Franklin. The head coach has faced much scrutiny over the years due to his lack of results when facing top-tier opponents, and rightfully so. At Penn State, Franklin is 1-15 against AP top-5 opponents.
His lone win came in 2016 against Ohio State when the Nittany Lions won 24-21, scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Since that game, Franklin and Penn State have lost 13 straight against teams ranked five or higher. They are only putting up 19.5 ppg and losing by an average margin of 13 points.
Even though Penn State was one game away from playing for a national title, many were bullish on the path that led them to that spot. Facing SMU in the first round and Boise State in the second, it was widely regarded as the easiest path to the semifinal.
Franklin could have silenced the doubters by beating Notre Dame and giving his team a chance to play for a national championship. Unfortunately, the game didn’t go their way, and now the head coach enters the 2025 season with more doubts than ever.
Someone who combats the doubters is Josh Pate, host of Josh Pate’s College Football Show. Pate said, “And my truth about James Frankin, as I’ve said many times, is that he is the most properly rated head coach in America.”
Take it as you will, but Pate does have a point: Franklin has been perceived as a coach who isn’t fit for the job. However, many fail to look deeper into his resume. Franklin is 125-57 as an FBS head coach, led the Penn State program to its first-ever 13-win season, and finished in the top 12 in the final CFP rankings six of the last eight seasons.
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Although Penn State has had success with wins in the regular season, the program’s postseason performance has lacked up until this season. Next Season will be a big point in Franklin’s coaching tenure as the team has high expectations, especially with the return of quarterback Drew Allar.
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