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James Franklin to join 'College Gameday' Saturday for a live interview after being fired by Penn State

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel4 hours agoGregPickel
James Franklin Penn State Football On3
Penn State head coach James Franklin (Matthew O'Haren | Imagn Images)

Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12. On Oct. 16, ESPN announced that the the former leader of the Lions, who spent 11.5 season at the helm of the program, will join its ‘College Gameday’ program this Saturday for what it is billing as “an exclusive interview, his first since being relieved of his head coaching duties on October 12.”

The network did not say when Franklin’s interview would air. But, it will take place on set in Athens, Ga. The ‘College GameDay’ crew will broadcast their show live from Myers Quad before No. 5 Ole Miss takes on the No. 9 Bulldogs.

Franklin finishes his time at Penn State with a record of 104-45. Whatever he has to say Saturday is obviously of high interest to Lions fans. Blue-White Illustrated will have complete coverage of it on Saturday before the Lions take on Iowa (7 p.m. ET, Peacock).

What did Penn State AD Pat Kraft say about Franklin?

Speaking Monday, Oct. 13, Kraft said it was difficult to make the decision to fire Franklin. But, he believes it was the right decision at the right time.

Here is what Kraft said:

“Let me begin first by saying James Franklin is a tremendous man, husband, father, mentor to countless student-athletes, and a good friend who has always carried himself with dignity and represented Penn State with absolute class.

“Beyond the wins and the accolades, James has been a trusted ambassador for this University and a friend to the Penn State community. We are all incredibly fortunate to have had James Franklin lead our football program for over a decade, and we will be forever grateful to him and his family. We wish them nothing — and I mean this — I wish them nothing but success in the text chapter of their lives.

“That said, at Penn State we hold all our programs to the highest standards in our shared pursuit of the excellence. My job is to evaluate everything and make hard decisions for what’s in the best interest of our athletes, our program, and our department.

“Football is our backbone. We have invested at the highest level. With that comes high expectations. Ultimately, I believe a new leader can help us win a national championship, and now is the right time for this change.”