Could former Penn State coach James Franklin be returning to the SEC?
It’s too early to say who Auburn might hire to replace Hugh Freese, who the school dismissed Sunday.
But one of America’s top college football insiders listed Franklin on his first Auburn hotboard.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, Franklin has a resume— five top-ten finishes, four New Year’s Six bowl wins and a Big Ten championship over 11.5 seasons at Penn State— that would make him an attractive candidate for major openings. Franklin has also spent his entire 15-year head-coaching career at either an SEC (Vanderbilt) or Big Ten program. So it’s reasonable to think he’d want to continue in one of those two conferences.
WHAT NAKOS WROTE
Here’s everything Nakos wrote about Franklin’s potential candidacy.
“Sources have connected former Penn State head coach James Franklin to the Virginia Tech job; however, he is likely to be one of the top names in coaching searches this cycle. Franklin’s 4-21 record against AP top-10 opponents at Penn State and repeated failure to beat the best teams on his schedule were what ultimately got him. But he consistently won at a high level, posting six seasons with more than 10 wins. Franklin proved he can win in the SEC at Vanderbilt, too, posting two nine-win seasons during his time in Nashville.”
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As Nakos mentioned, Franklin has been linked to the Virginia Tech job, which is open as a result of former Penn State defensive coordinator and long-time friend of Franklin’s Brent Pry being fired in mid-September. Although this would be a job outside of the Big Ten and SEC, there’d be plenty of positives to Franklin going to VT.
The ACC objectively isn’t as challenging as the Big Ten or SEC, which makes a quick turnaround easier in theory. Franklin was also known for his recruiting success in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas, so it’s reasonable to think he’d do well with in-state recruiting.
Auburn hasn’t had a winning coach since Gus Malzahn, who was fired after the 2022 season.
