Heather Dinich on James Franklin, Penn State: 'It feels like it's now or never'

Penn State enters this season with the pressure on, considering what is at stake this year in University Park. ESPN’s Heather Dinich only further doubled down on that fact when it comes to James Franklin and the Nittany Lions.

Dinich discussed Penn State in an appearance on ‘Get Up’ on Thursday morning, looking ahead to the college football season. She was the latest to think it’s an all-or-nothing type of year for the Nittany Lions, especially when looking back at the known history surrounding Franklin.

“It feels like it’s now or never for (James Franklin). Hembo told me he’s lost thirteen straight games against AP Top-5 teams since 2018 and each of the last five have been by single digits. How painful is that?” Dinich said. “But, James Franklin said this summer, he believes this is the best personnel that he has had in both staff and on the field. And, when you look at the staff? Remember, he hired Jim Knowles, the defensive coordinator from Ohio State. That’s their toughest game on the road.”

Harry Douglas then agreed with Dinich. If this isn’t the season for Penn State to really accomplish something at that next level, he thinks it may just not ever happen in this tenure for the Nittany Lions.

“Well, if not now, then when? Especially when you look at the cupcake schedule. The only two big games that they have on their schedule is Oregon and Ohio State,” Douglas said. “Can you get it done, James Franklin? He has not been able to get it done in the past, but can 2025 be different for the Penn State Nittany Lions?”

Penn State has put a lot on this fall. This is what this roster has been building towards for four seasons now, with names like QB Drew Allar, RBs Nick Singleton and Kayton Allen, and DE Dani Dennis-Sutton all back for senior seasons. The Nittany Lions have then further invested with their recent hires, namely Knowles this offseason, after bringing in OC Andy Kotelnicki last offseason, and their addressing of their issues in the wide receiver corps with three of their eight additions being receivers in the Top 50 at the position per On3’s 2025 Top Transfer Portal Players.

Penn State took a step last season by going 13-3, playing for the Big Ten Championship and making it into the College Football Playoff, reaching the semifinals. It will need to take another step, though, if it is going to meet this upcoming season’s lofty expectations.

Paul Finebaum pushes back on idea that Penn State should’ve been No. 1 in Coaches Poll, blames Franklin

The debut of the Coaches Poll came this week on Monday. Because of that, ESPN made sure to have Heather Dinich and Paul Finebaum primed to react during Tuesday’s edition of ‘Get Up’.

In her reaction, Dinich believes Penn State got a raw deal being ranked No. 3 behind Texas at No. 1 and Ohio State at No. 2. She believes the Nittany Lions should’ve been at the top of the list.

“Penn State should be the No. 1 team in the country,” Dinich stated. “Look, on paper, they have far fewer questions than Texas. Drew Allar is going to be a better quarterback. He’s going to improve his NFL Draft stock. He’s also got two of the best running backs in the country in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. At defensive coordinator, they hired Jim Knowles from Ohio State. I think that’s going to be their secret weapon. When Ohio State hired him, their defense was 44th in the country and then, afterwards, they were fourth.”

While Dinich believed in the Nittany Lions, Finebaum isn’t quite there yet. The ghosts of James Franklin’s past still haunt his expectations for them, as he’s not sold on Penn State until their coach proves the world wrong.

“I hate to be the guy telling the young lady to get off my lawn, but, Heather, get off my lawn already with Penn State,” Finebaum recently said. “You’re forgetting the most obvious thing. They still have James Franklin as the head coach, and he’s yet to prove that he can handle this moment.”

“I’m not going to waste your time because you were at the games he blew last year, but that’s why I can’t wrap my arms around them. On paper, yes, but he’s had good teams on paper before and managed to choke them away.”