James Franklin faces fire calls; but Penn State coach's contract and buyout a major concern

Penn State fans are frustrated with head coach James Franklin, and are urging the fire the 53-year-old.

Updated on: Oct 5, 2025, 04:53:32 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Penn State fans are frustrated with head coach James Franklin, and are urging the fire the 53-year-old. The Nittany Lions on Saturday faced a 42-37 loss against UCLA, the latest blow to their campaign. The criticism largely stems from Franklin's struggles in marquee matchups - Penn State holds just a 4-21 record against top-10 opponents during his tenure.

Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on before the game against the UCLA Bruins (Getty Images via AFP)

However, it does not seem like Penn State will get rid of James Franklin anytime soon.

The coach has not shied away from the criticism. After the loss vs Oregon, he said: “I get that narrative, and it’s really not a narrative — it’s factual. It’s the facts. … At the end of the day, we got to find a way to win those games. I totally get it. And I take ownership."

“james franklin so sick of us saying he can’t win the big games he decided to not win the small ones. checkers not chess,” one fan wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“You can’t let James Franklin on that plane,” another one added after Penn State's loss against UCLA.

“James Franklin was tired of yall saying he loses the big game so he decided to mess around in a non-big game and prove yall wrong,” a third fan tweeted.

James Franklin's contract and buyout details

Despite the disappointment, Franklin’s job security is not in question. In 2021, Penn State extended him with a 10-year, $85 million deal that runs through 2031. That contract carries one of the largest buyouts in college football, estimated at $56 million heading into this season, per 247Sports.

Financial realities, combined with no clear indication from the program that it wants to move on, mean Franklin is firmly in place for the foreseeable future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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