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Penn State

Greg McElroy believes James Franklin has the most pressure among college football coaches in 2025

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs07/10/25grant_grubbs_
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Penn State head football coach James Franklin reacts to something on the sideline during the Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in State College. The White team defeated the Blue team, 10-8.

A college football coach doesn’t have to be on the hot seat to be under immense pressure. During an appearance on Get Up on Thursday, ESPN’s Greg McElroy explained why he believes Penn State head coach James Franklin is under more pressure this fall than any other coach in college football.

“I’m going into Big Ten, I’m going James Franklin,” McElroy said. “This is the first year where you can go into the season and say Penn State has, arguably, a superior roster to that of Michigan and Ohio State. We’ve always kind of looked at James Franklin and knocked him because he can’t win the big one, but he’s never had the same tools that the teams he was trying to beat had, so this is the first time that he actually has the advantage.

“If he were to lose those games to his rivals there in the Big Ten, that would be a reflection on him. So, I think this is the year he has to get over the hump. This is the year he has to beat the Michigans, the Ohio States, the Oregons, and capture that elusive Big Ten title for the first time in nearly a decade.”

There’s no way around it. Penn State is loaded heading into the 2025 campaign. The team is returning 14 total starters from last season, including nine on offense.

Most notably, Penn State is returning running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who formed arguably the best backfield in the country last season. Singleton and Allen each recorded over 1,000 rushing yards last season.

While Penn State isn’t returning nearly as much talent on defense, it made a statement this offseason by hiring defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Knowles was Ohio State’s DC last season and was instrumental in the Buckeyes’ run to a national title.

For reference, Ohio State’s defense only allowed 254.6 yards per game last season, the least in the country. Now, Knowles will look to help Penn State have similar success. McElroy isn’t the only analyst who believes James Franklin must succeed this year.

“I so desperately want to think, ‘Greg, what are you talking about? How can you put heat on James Franklin?’ But I was the one who put all the heat on James Franklin after he blew the Orange Bowl, which Greg’s pretty familiar with, having done that game,” ESPN’s Paul Finebaum said.

“So I am struggling here because James Franklin has so underperformed, but now I have a legitimate person to hug as I criticize James Franklin, and that is Greg McElroy. Greg, thank you for making my summer.”