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.

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

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.

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.