James Franklin Comments on Penn State Departure
James Franklin has spoken publicly for the first time since Penn State parted ways with him earlier this week, during an appearance on “College GameDay” on Saturday. His remarks sparked backlash from Nick Saban.
Former Alabama coach Saban criticized the decision to let Franklin go, saying that Franklin had built upon his previous accomplishments at Penn State despite some disappointing results, including three consecutive losses and a finish just behind in the preseason rankings before advancing to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
“It’s totally unfair,” Saban asserted, positioning himself next to Franklin. “I’m talking about, it’s unfair to those who don’t show enough gratitude for everything you’ve done and the hard work you’ve put in.”
The show’s host, Reese Davis, prodded Franklin on whether he felt treated fairly by Penn State. Franklin replied, “It’s not for me to decide whether it’s fair or not.”
Saban, with a storied career winning 206 games in 17 seasons at Alabama, stepped in to answer the fairness question himself.
Franklin’s tenure saw him achieve a 104-45 record over 12 seasons, but his success faced challenges as the Nittany Lions struggled at the start of the 2025 season.
After a loss to Northwestern, Franklin was taken aback when Penn State’s athletic director, Patrick Kraft, informed him that he was being replaced. “I was shocked,” Franklin admitted.
“It took me about 15 minutes to inform the kids so that the news wouldn’t spread online,” he recounted. “Then I had an emotional meeting with my team to tell them I was leaving. That was it. It just happened so fast.”
In the wake of Franklin’s departure, associate head coach Terry Smith has been appointed as the interim head coach for the rest of the season.
However, Franklin remains determined, expressing a clear desire to secure another coaching position and achieve the championship that slipped away during his time at Penn State. “I believed we could win a national championship there,” he stated. “We were close. That goal hasn’t changed. We just need to go win a national championship somewhere.”
