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Penn State coach James Franklin spotted inside Vanderbilt dugout for 2025 SEC Championship game vs. Ole Miss

by: Alex Byington05/25/25_AlexByington
Penn State head coach James Franklin offered new insights into the progress of his program as it wraps up its spring practices this week.
James Franklin. (Pickel/BWI)

Penn State head football coach James Franklin has arguably the best seat in the house for Sunday’s SEC Baseball Tournament championship game between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. Franklin, who coached the Commodores between 2011-13 before leaving for State College, was a surprise guest inside Vanderbilt’s dugout during Sunday’s title game at the Hoover Met.

Meanwhile, as one eagle-eyed fan pointed out, fifth-year ‘Dores football coach Clark Lea was relegated to the stands.

Check out Franklin’s seat from the home dugout as he celebrated a first-inning home run from Vandy’s Brodie Johnston:

Franklin has maintained a strong friendship with longtime ‘Dores head baseball coach Tim Corbin that dates back to Franklin’s own coaching days in Nashville. Franklin went 24-15 over three seasons at Vanderbilt, including back-to-back 9-4 seasons in 2012 and 2013. He’s compiled a 101-42 record across 11 seasons at Penn State (2014-24), including guiding the Nittany Lions to a 13-3 season and an appearance in the College Football Playoff national semifinals in 2024.

Clearly Franklin’s love for Vanderbilt hasn’t faded in the decade since he left State College, so much so that he cut a family vacation in Destin, Fla. short to catch Sunday’s game in Hoover, Ala.

“I was in Destin with my family, we checked the schedule, saw they were playing today, so got up early this morning and drove down. Me and Tim have been very close since my first year at Vanderbilt,” Franklin told SEC Network reporter Kris Budden in the second inning Sunday. “He was critical in Year 1, nobody knows Vanderbilt better than Tim Corbin. … He was a huge part of our success in our time there and we’ve remained close. He comes to a game typically every year up at Penn State too.”

Which is why Sunday’s appearance at the Hoover Met was so important for the Nittany Lions football coach.

“I love it, but I also just want to stay out of the way because I don’t want to be a distraction,” Franklin concluded. “But it’s awesome. What Tim’s built here is special and I’m happy to have a chance to get a peek of it.”

Since Franklin’s departure, current Vanderbilt football coach Clark Lea has come the closest to matching his success on the gridiron, leading the ‘Dores to a 7-6 campaign last season behind star transfer quarterback Diego Pavia. Lea is 16-33 in four seasons (2021-24) in Nashville.