Penn State coach James Franklin is among the favorites to become the next coach at Texas A&M, according to sportsbetting.ag.
Franklin (12/1) is seventh on the list of candidates to replace the recently fired Jimbo Fisher.
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin (5/1) is the favorite, followed by Oregon coach Dan Lanning (6-1), Duke coach Mike Elko (7/1), Florida State coach Mike Norvell (7/1), UTSA coach Jeff Traylor (10/1) and Washington coach Kalen DeBoer (10/1).
Below Franklin, notable names include Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell (14/1), USC offensive analyst and QB coach Kliff Kingsbury, who was once A&M’s offensive coordinator and helped Johnny Manziel win the Heisman Trophy (14/1), TCU coach Sonny Dykes (14/1), Colorado coach Deion Sanders (20/1), Kansas coach Lance Leipold (20/1), Michigan offensive coordinator/interim coach Sherrone Moore, who led Michigan to victory over Franklin and Penn State this past Saturday (20/1), former Florida and Ohio State boss Urban Meyer (20/1) and then, finally, Bill Belichick and Jim Harbaugh (50/1).
This is hardly a new phenomena. Franklin was heavily rumored to be a candidate for both the LSU and USC coaching jobs two autumns ago but ended up sending a decade-long extension with Penn State, which he’s only in the second year of. Franklin signed his extension Nov. 22, 2021, which is almost two years ago to the date. This is the time of year when coaches start to get fired, and for others who aren’t fired, speculation begins that they will be. With that said, it’s hard to envision Franklin leaving Penn State.
Currently, Franklin makes $8.5 million a year in total compensation, which ranks No. 11 amongst NCAA coaches per USA Today. Although Texas A&M has a ton of money, which Fisher can attest to, it’s hard to see A&M as a job Franklin would leave Penn State for.
