Former Penn State coach James Franklin still has the same objective: Win a national championship.
“I thought we were going to win a national championship there,” Franklin told College GameDay Saturday. “We were close. That goal hasn’t changed. We’re just gonna go win a national championship somewhere else now.”
Penn State was indeed close to winning it all.
Last season, Franklin led the program to the College Football Playoff semifinal, where it was one drive away from making it to the national title game. That season led to the expectations of 2025, where many felt Penn State would win the national championship.
Instead, Penn State lost three games in a row— the latter two being embarrassments at the hands of UCLA and Northwestern— led to Penn State firing Franklin this past Sunday.
That firing led to Franklin joining GameDay live from Athens, Georgia, where Penn State is not playing.
Many have wondered where Franklin will go from here.
Will he be back coaching in 2026?
Will he take some time away and go into media?
It sounds like Franklin wants to coach again as soon as possible.
“I don’t know anything else,” Franklin said. “I don’t have hobbies. I don’t golf or fish. It’s such a big part of my identity and my family.”
Franklin also talked about the players, and describes himself as a “players coach.”
“Most importantly, it’s about the players,” he said. “I’m a players coach. I always have been. So that’s the hardest part, is walking away from all those young men in that locker room, the recruits that were committed to us.”
