Penn State’s Gamble: Why Firing James Franklin May Go Down as One of the Program’s Biggest Mistakes

14/10/2025 13 min
Penn State’s Gamble: Why Firing James Franklin May Go Down as One of the Program’s Biggest Mistakes

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Episode Synopsis

You can look at the firing of James Franklin one of two ways. Either it’s a calculated risk — Penn State’s bold declaration that “we want to win, and we want to win now.” Or it’s straight-up buffoonery — a tone-deaf move that ignores where the program was when Franklin took over and how far he brought it. Given the foundation he built, the stability he created, and the consistent relevance he maintained in an ever-changing college football landscape, this decision could prove to be one of the most short-sighted in the university’s history.

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