James Franklin Possible Landing Spots: 5 Programs That Could Tempt Penn State’s Polarizing Coach
It’s starting to feel like the beginning of the end in Happy Valley.
Penn State’s once-stable relationship with James Franklin, now in his 12th season, looks shakier by the week.
The offense has regressed, the fanbase is restless, and he can buy his way out of his current contract for $2 million.
So, the whispers are growing louder; after a humiliating loss to winless UCLA following a demoralizing loss to Oregon in the Nittany Lions‘ white out game, might a mutual parting of the ways be best for everyone involved?
That number matters.
If Penn State moves on from Franklin, the firing would trigger a buyout estimated to be $56 million.
But, Franklin walking away and paying the school $2 million is essentially pocket change for both the athletic department and the head coach with 104 wins on the Nittany Lions’ sideline.
If Penn State continues to drift toward irrelevance, several schools could see Franklin as a proven recruiter, culture-builder, and potential 10-win-per-season coach who is capable of rebooting a brand in need of structure.
So where would he actually fit?
Here are five programs that make the most sense, and one dark horse that could come as a surprise to most.
James Franklin’s Best Fits if He Walks Away from Penn State Football
1. Florida Gators
Despite a signature win over the Texas Longhorns last Saturday, the Billy Napier era feels like it’s been stuck in neutral, and the pressure in Gainesville is suffocating.
Like Franklin, Napier heard the chants from the Swamp-faithful recently of “fire Billy”.
The Gators have the resources, facilities, and recruiting base that Franklin could instantly tap into. He’s an East Coast recruiter with SEC roots from his time at Vanderbilt, and he’s proven he can handle media glare and high expectations.
The question is whether Franklin’s structured, developmental approach would translate in a league where patience is a myth.
Florida wants splash, swagger, and immediate wins, and that’s never been Franklin’s trademark. But if the Gators want a grown-up running the show again, his name will come up.
2. Wisconsin Badgers
This might be the most logical landing spot if Luke Fickell ever walks away or continues to falter.
Despite coming from Ohio State pedigree Fickell is just 15-16 as the head man in Madison.
Wisconsin and Franklin are philosophically aligned, culture-driven, tough, academic-minded, and built around player development.
Franklin’s biggest strength is consistency, and it fits perfectly in Madison. He could upgrade recruiting and restore the program’s physical identity in a Big Ten that’s now even more brutal with Oregon, Washington, and USC joining Ohio State and Michigan as proven powerhouses.
The question is whether Franklin wants to stay in the Big Ten after being overshadowed by the Buckeyes, Wolverines, and now Oregon recently.
3. UCLA Bruins
The Bruins need a national brand name that can bring stability, charisma, and East Coast recruiting pipelines. Franklin checks every box.
He’d also bring a fresh energy to a fan base that’s been lukewarm for years.
The problem? Franklin’s personality and recruiting intensity might not mesh with UCLA’s famously tepid football culture.
But, that’s a good thing because aside from their ironic signature win over Franklin’s Penn State squad last Saturday, the Bruins football program could use a serious infusion of serious infusion.
Does interim head coach Tim Skipper provide that? Did he make a statement by leading his 0-4 Bruins to a win over a top-10-ranked Penn State football team last weekend? Skipper is under contract until the end of December and is making under $900,000 for this season. UCLA would have to pay Franklin considerably more to lure him to Westwood.
Still, the idea of Franklin leading a Big Ten West Coast contender with NIL opportunities in Los Angeles makes too much sense not to discuss.
4. USC Trojans
If Lincoln Riley bolts for the NFL, or Trojans boosters merely get impatient, don’t rule this out.
Franklin is a name that would resonate immediately in Los Angeles. He’s media-savvy, polished, and known for recruiting and brand management, all areas USC prizes as much as actual football. USC has been linked to Franklin several times in the past, and this could be the moment this marriage finally comes to fruition.
The Trojans would offer Franklin what Penn State never could, a blue-blood brand in a talent-rich city.
But, he’d need to modernize quickly.
Franklin’s conservative game management and schematic rigidity would get shredded under the LA microscope if he doesn’t win immediately. That’s the whole reason we are having this discussion.
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5. Kentucky Wildcats
Mark Stoops has brought stability to Lexington, but Kentucky may eventually want more than seven-win seasons.
Franklin could elevate the program’s recruiting ceiling and bring national attention.
For Franklin, it’s a chance to return to the SEC without the win-or-die pressure of Florida or Alabama.
Kentucky could be a quieter, more controllable environment for a reboot. The downside – limited NIL power and a brutal SEC schedule that could frustrate him fast and further tear down his reputation that he can’t win big games.
Dark Horse: Michigan State
Michigan State feels like the most Penn State–adjacent program in the Big Ten – proud, tough, and frustrated by recent mediocrity.
If Franklin ever wanted to stay in familiar territory while escaping the weight of his current tenure, East Lansing could provide him a clean slate.
Sparty’s current head coach, Jonathon Smith, is just 8-9 at MSU since taking over for Mel Tucker, who was fired in 2023 following an investigation for sexual misconduct. Franklin would provide stability to a program that has been teetering the last few years.
He’d recruit the region seamlessly and bring instant credibility. The only question is whether Spartan fans would welcome another coach with an “almost, but not quite elite” reputation.
Wisconsin and Florida: Leaders in the Clubhouse
If Franklin does move on, Wisconsin makes the most cultural sense.
Madison has structure, identity, discipline, and Big Ten familiarity.
Florida, however, is the most volatile but potentially rewarding option, where his brand and recruiting could flourish if he adapts quickly.
The others, UCLA, USC, Kentucky are situational fits depending on turnover and timing.
At $2 million, though, Franklin’s name will hover over every major opening this offseason. Because for all his flaws, the conservative play-calling, the maddening big-game losses, his ultra-conservative offense, he’s still one of the few head coaches who can walk into a room, stabilize a program, and make it nationally relevant within two years.
If those things are on the priority list over winning national championships, at least right away, then Franklin should garner some serious attention from some big-name schools when the time comes.
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It was at PRISM where Staszak produced live games and began his career as an on-air reporter.
After a couple of brief stints with CBS-3, WB-17 and WGAL-8 in Lancaster, PA, Staszak began a 12 year stretch at FOX 29 where he became the lead sportscaster in 2007. It was there that Staszak found himself in the middle of Philadelphia Phillies World Series Championship coverage that earned him an Emmy nomination for best sports reporter in 2008.It was one of five Emmy nominations that Staszak earned over the course of his career.
All told Staszak covered three World Series, two Stanley Cup Finals, an NBA Finals and one Super Bowl during his television run.
Staszak left the TV business for 97.5 The Fanatic in 2013, where he enjoyed eight years bloviating his beliefs on how a professional football team should be run.In 2018 when he fortunate enough to be the first sports talk host in the city, along with cohort Zach Gelb, to provide post-game coverage of the first Super Bowl Championship for the city’s beloved Philadelphia Eagles.
Staszak was also a writer for 97.5 The Fanatic along with 4 Philly Sports and now covers Penn State athletics for NittanyCentral.com.
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