Penn State coach James Franklin is one of eight finalists for a national Coach of the Year Award.
The Maxwell Football club announced Christmas Eve that Franklin is up for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, named for George Munger, who coached at Penn from 1938-53.
George Munger Coach of Year finalists
Spencer Danielson, Boise State
Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State
Curt Cignetti, Indiana
James Franklin, Penn State
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame
Dan Lanning, Oregon
Steve Sarkisian, Texas
Kirby Smart, Georgia— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 24, 2024
The other finalists are: Kenny Dillingham (Arizona State), Spencer Danielson (Boise State, which Penn State plays in the Fiesta Bowl New Yearโs Eve), Kirby Smart (Georgia), Curt Cignetti (Indiana), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), Dan Lanning (Oregon), and Steve Sarkisian (Texas).
Franklin has been honored with national Coach of the Year before. He won the Sporting Newsโ award in 2016, when Penn State won the Big Ten.
FRANKLINโS SEASON
James Franklin and Tyler Warren embrace during Penn State’s senior day ceremony.
Franklin has led Penn State to a great campaign. The team has tied the program record with 12 wins in a season.
It made the Big Ten title game for the first time since 2016 and the College Football Playoff for the first time ever. With there being no clear dominant team this season, it seems that Penn State has as good a shot as anybody of winning a national title. In Penn Stateโs Fiesta Bowl against Boise State, itโs a 10.5-point favorite.
That means odds are good it will make it to the semifinal.
DOES HE HAVE A CASE?
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: James Franklin
As good as Penn State has been this season, Coach of the Year awards are generally won by coaches of overachieving programs. Penn State started the season in the top 10. It was supposed to make it to the College Football Playoff. On the contrary, Cignetti and Dillingham coached programs that were supposed to finish at or near the bottom of their respective conferences. Instead, they made the Playoff. So Franklin probably isnโt going to win. But thatโs a testament to how successful his program is expected to be year in and year out. That wasnโt the case when he arrived in 2014.
No. 6 Penn State plays No. 3 Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl/CFP quarterfinal New Yearโs Eve night in Arizona. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 on ESPN.
