Paul Finebaum claims James Franklin has 'pretty hot' seat at Penn State

At 101-42 (.706) overall, including coming off appearances in the Big Ten Championship and his first in the College Football Playoff, James Franklin obviously isn’t on an actual hot seat. However, if his 12th season doesn’t meet expectations, Paul Finebaum thinks, at least in perception, Franklin could be done for.

Finebaum looked ahead at this season for No. 2 Penn State while on ‘First Take’ on Thursday. That segment included hot-seat talk involving Franklin, with Finebaum expecting Penn State to fall short again. With that, Finebaum said it could get “pretty hot” for him if this fall isn’t what the Nittany Lions anticipate it to be.

“Well, it’s hard to put a guy on the hot seat when he’s starting the season, in many people’s eyes, as the number one or two team in the country. But I think, in perception, it is pretty hot,” Finebaum stated.

“I’m sure there’ll be some local publication in Penn State saying ‘Finebaum says James Franklin on the hot seat!’ That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying, when you’re supposed to win, and you finally have what is the best roster you’ve ever had, you better win – and I don’t think he will.”

Everything is riding on this being the season for Penn State. That’s with the program having reached this point after a dozen years under Franklin, with the Nittany Lions being 34-8 (.810) overall the past three seasons and 13-3 last season. Penn State played for the Big Ten title and reached the semis of the CFP.

Now, PSU is to be a title contender, in its conference and nationally, with a roster that features several returners and key additions. Two of the better coordinators in the sport will lead the units, generating plenty of buzz.

That said, Finebaum thinks we won’t even know what Penn State is for another month despite it kicking off the season next weekend with an opener on August 30th. That’s with three games and a bye week before league play starts, which Finebaum criticized due to the strength, or lack thereof.

“One thing that really bugs me about this Penn State season is their non-conference games. You mentioned the ranked opponents. That’s fantastic. But they literally play three high school teams in the preseason, and that doesn’t get you ready,” Finebaum said. “At least Ryan Day is playing a big-time opponent. Other schools are doing that. James Franklin is playing nobody. Take a look at that non-conference schedule, and it is beyond embarrassing.

“But, again, remember one more thing. They’re in the Big Ten, and the Big Ten loves, other than Ohio State and maybe Oregon occasionally, these pathetic schedules. I mean, Indiana’s coach is mouthing off the other day, and they just added, I think, Slippery Rock and Kennesaw State and a couple of schools like that down the road, as opposed to playing meaningful games where this committee at the end of the year, should you slip up once or twice? They can legitimately measure who you are and what you’re all about.”

Unless this season goes completely wrong at Penn State, Franklin, with a buyout still of over $50 million after this year, will still be the head coach moving forward. He is entering the second half of his 10-year deal next fall. Even so, if this season doesn’t go as hoped for the Nittany Lions, this perception of him underperforming may stick with Franklin for good.