The biggest criticism about Franklin remains that he just could not win any big games. After that OSU game there is very little to point to. He beat Michigan in '17 and '19, Wisky on the road in '21. Got by Iowa in Kinnick a couple times with a huge talent advantage I will add. Then his signature bowl wins versus UDub in the '17 Fiesta and Utah in the '23 Rose. All of that is just a weak record.
Curt Cignetti racked up more big wins in the last 6 weeks than Franklin got in 12 years. The guy was abysmal.
So in '25 for whatever reason he could not manage NIL while his weaknesses with developing a good offense and a elite QB were exposed even more. For some reason Allar never came close to what we thought he could be. Think about Mendoza vs Allar.
Mendoza made more plays in the clutch in that 4th quarter vs Miami than Allar made in his entire career. On one hand Allar throws a game losing pick vs ND and on the other hand Mendoza has a national championship winning run. One rises in winning time while the other wilts. That can be attributed to coaching. One player is mentally ready and tough and the other is not.
Throw in the obligatory big game choke/loss that was his signature and you have our dumpster fire in '25. What this article tells me that I never knew is he played favorites and did not want to give young guys playing time. Thankfully he gone and ain't never coming back.
8+ wins a year for Franklin vs 6.9 for campbell.
Franklin also didnt go 0-3 vs west Virginia.
