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Penn State

Where does James Franklin rank among The Athletic's top coaches of the 2000s?

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•05/23/25•

GregPickel

James Franklin, Penn State
James Franklin, Penn State - © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Penn State coach James Franklin is one of the top 25 college football coaches of the 2000s, according to The Athletic. That headlines today’s newsstand. The now 12th-year leader of the Nittany Lions enters 2025 with a top-five team that some think is the preseason No. 1. He is 101-42 in State College and 125-57 over 182 games as the leader of a program when you factor in his three-year turnaround of the Vanderbilt program. His accomplishments at both schools led Chris Vannini to put him at No. 16 on his list of the 21st century’s best coaches.

“Franklin has been a consistent winner, reaching a bowl game in all 14 non-COVID-19-altered seasons he’s spent as a head coach, with six double-digit-win seasons at Penn State,” Vannini writes. “Given more opportunity in a 12-team CFP, Penn State won two games and nearly won a semifinal. He also took Vanderbilt to its only Top 25 finishes since 1949. The only real criticism of Franklin’s run is that he hasn’t won big enough, unable to get over the final hump. It’s a similar resume to Richt at Georgia, but the Vanderbilt success puts Franklin higher.”

You can see the full list here.

In other news, Penn State picked up its second cornerback commitment in the Class of 2026 on Thursday when On3 four-star and Roanoke, Va., native Jaziel Hart ended his recruitment by becoming a Nittany Lion. Franklin’s program now has 17 verbal commitments in the current recruiting cycle.

Headlines of the day

What’s next for Penn State recruiting after Jaziel Hart’s commitment?: Fitz, BWI

Where did each Penn State Class of 2025 summer enrollee weigh in upon getting to campus? Here’s the updated list: Pickel, BWI

Penn State stuns again, upsetting USC to advance to B1G semifinals: Bauer, BWI

Sizing up Penn State football’s 2025 schedule through SP+ lens: Bauer, BWI

Penn State stays hot on the recruiting trail, adds 2026 four-star CB Jaziel Hart: Snyder, BWI

Quote of the day

“Coach Franklin wants to win, and he coaches hard, but his players come first. The team comes first to him and he mixes in winning very well. My connection with the coaching staff came from their loyalty to me. I have been there 8-10 times and I love the vibe. I know I have found the place for me.”

Four-star corner Jaziel Hart to On3 on why he picked Penn State.

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