PRESS PICKS (Week 8): Franklin's demise and firing not much of a surprise
STAFF REPORT
James Franklin was bound to be fired.
It’s not up for debate. He was gone before the debacle in Los Angeles (or Pasadena, to be exact). What happened last week was a bonus - made the decision painless, unequivocal, a no brainer..
So, why is everybody surprised?
Tout the numbers all you want but the only one that matters is - zero.
Zero as in no national titles. Zero as in no conference championships. The number of wins against Top 10 teams is not too far off that count.
That would be four. Out of 25 tries.
Franklin’s success was beating the teams Penn State was supposed to beat. That is until the last two weeks when winless UCLA dominated them followed by a lackluster performance that led to a loss to Northwestern.
That’s two losses to teams that are at the bottom of the Big 10… teams that Franklin faced but weren’t able to stimulate his team to play up to the standards of a once-proud program.
Then again, maybe he was the one who needed encouragement. Watching his demeanor after the loss last week provided a glum look. He acted defeated, confused while having that glazed look in his eyes.
Franklin knew he was done. But maybe he wanted it that way.
At some point, a man knows when he is defeated, can’t get it done. These two weeks nailed the coffin shut and he was out of air.
Penn State officials didn’t need too much of an excuse to part ways. It was as though they were waiting for the opportunity to make it happen.
Franklin was not disliked personally. But his ability to have his teams competitive against the top echelon was deficient. Yes, the playoff run last year seemed to have given him more rope. But not enough to compensate for losses to the Bruins and Wildcats.
Where the Nittany Lions go from here is anybody’s guess. And there is plenty of guessing going around.
Til then, the idea of holding on to a coach through the season has become archaic.
So expect one or two firings every week from this point.
2025 Standings (Last week)
1. Michael Butler 90-30 (11-4).752
2. Graham Dunn 86-34 (13-2) .695
3. Tim Gayle 84-36 (12-3) .686
4. Barry McKnight 82-38 (9-6) .695
5. Doug Amos 81-39 (12-3) .657
6. Mike Peacock 80-40 (11-4) .657
7. Wesley Lyle 79-41 (11-4) .648
Rick Hendrick 79-41 (9-6) .667
9. Rosie Langello 74-46 (11-4) .600
10. Lindsey Bonner 73-47 (11-4) .590
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
90-30 (11-4).752
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Auburn
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Prattville
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - Tallassee
Wicksburg at Trinity - Trinity
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Auburn
Ole Miss at Georgia - Georgia
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - Oklahoma
Florida at Miss St - Florida
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Penn St
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
86-34 (13-2) .695
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Auburn
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Hillcrest
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - Tallassee
Wicksburg at Trinity - Trinity
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Auburn
Ole Miss at Georgia - Ole Miss
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - Oklahoma
Florida at Miss St - Florida
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Iowa
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
84-36 (12-3) .686
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Auburn
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Hillcrest
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - St. James
Wicksburg at Trinity - Trinity
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Auburn
Ole Miss at Georgia - Ole Miss
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - Oklahoma
Florida at Miss St - Florida
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Iowa
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
73-32 (12-3) .695
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Auburn
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Hillcrest
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - Tallassee
Wicksburg at Trinity - Wicksburg
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Auburn
Ole Miss at Georgia - Ole Miss
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - Oklahoma
Florida at Miss St - Florida
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Washington
Penn St at Iowa - Iowa
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
81-39 (12-3) .657
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Auburn
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Hillcrest
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - St. James
Wicksburg at Trinity - Trinity
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Auburn
Ole Miss at Georgia - Georgia
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - South Carolina
Florida at Miss St - Florida
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Iowa
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio analyst )
80-40 (11-4) .657
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Carver
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Prattville
PIke Road at Russell County - Russell County
Tallassee at St. James - Tallassee
Wicksburg at Trinity - Wicksburg
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Auburn
Ole Miss at Georgia - Georgia
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - Oklahoma
Florida at Miss St - Florida
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Penn St
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports)
79-41 (11-4) .648
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Auburn
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Prattville
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - Tallassee
Wicksburg at Trinity - Trinity
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Missouri
Ole Miss at Georgia - Georgia
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - South Carolina
Florida at Miss St - Miss st
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Iowa
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
79-41 (9-6) .667
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Auburn
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Hillcrest
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - St. James
Wicksburg at Trinity - Trinity
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Auburn
Ole Miss at Georgia - Georgia
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - Oklahoma
Florida at Miss St - Miss St
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Iowa
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
74-46 (11-4) .600
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Auburn
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Prattville
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - Tallassee
Wicksburg at Trinity - Trinity
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Missouri
Ole Miss at Georgia - Ole Miss
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - Oklahoma
Florida at Miss St - Florida
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Iowa
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
73-47 (11-4) .590
G.W. Carver at Auburn - Carver
Prattville at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa - Hillcrest
PIke Road at Russell County - Pike Road
Tallassee at St. James - St. James
Wicksburg at Trinity - Trinity
Tennessee at Alabama - Alabama
Missouri at Auburn - Missouri
Ole Miss at Georgia - Georgia
LSU at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at South Carolina - Oklahoma
Florida at Miss St - Florida
Texas A&M at Arkansas - Texas A&M
USC at Notre Dame - USC
Washington at Michigan - Michigan
Penn St at Iowa - Iowa