James Franklin is certainly one of the most polarizing figures up in State College. You know what? Scratch that. Not merely State College, but across the entirety of College Football. He has his skeptics and his proponents alike. But one thing demands unanimous agreement. His time in charge of Penn State has been a net positive for the program. As much as his infamous failures when the lights are brightest blemish his perception as a coach, Franklin has built something sustainable. He’s laid foundational pieces for and set in motion PSU’s ascension towards the upper echelons of the sport. Sowed seeds that he proclaims- and rightly so- even the NFL are reaping the rewards of.
In an era of CFB where programs are leaning on modern appendages like the transfer portal and building their rosters through the transfer portal, James Franklin has embraced tradition. He persistently builds through high school recruitment rather than attempting to microwave success. This modus operandi has helped him create a culture. It’s even allowed him more time with his players as he develops malleable young projects into NFL-ready pros. All this is baked into why Penn State are a conveyor belt for the league. More than ever since Coach Franklin took over.
Penn State has supplied some of the best players in the league today. They’re particularly proficient, historically, at developing running backs. A reputation that’s only swelled under Franklin’s custodianship. Saquon Barkley, an alum, has resuscitated the fading position back into vogue. On the other side of the football, PSU has been a continual pipeline for a very special lineage. St1x C1ty is a real place. The mystical #11 Penn State jersey has supplied some of the best pass rushers in the sport’s history. Micah Parsons is a flagbearer for this, and Abdul Carter shall soon follow suit. This program has really done bits on the development front, and coach Franklin has reinforced just why. During Penn State’s Pro Day, he spoke about what allows their alumni to thrive in the pros.
“If [players] don’t have a really, really strong foundation going into [the NFL], then it doesn’t matter. For the most part, our guys’ numbers are very similar [in the pros] to what they are here,” remarked Franklin in conversation with State Media. He proceeded to delve into how he and the program make sure this translation to the league is both seamless and effective. “There’s that physical foundation. But then there’s also the foundation of teaching football. It’s in the offenses you run, it’s the defenses you run, it’s the special teams. It’s the emphasis on special teams, because most of these guys are going to have to play special teams in the NFL,” he said.
James Franklin added, “All those things are important. But it’s also teaching situational football. It’s being able to talk football, get up and be comfortable doing that. We try to put our guys in situations to do that. So that when the time comes to sit down with NFL coaches, GMs, whatever it may be, they’re comfortable doing that.” It’s no fluke the Nittany Lions keep churning high-calibre players across a variety of positions. Franklin hasn’t got too much dip on his chip when he positions his program as a factory. There’s a reason they can go from one blue-chipper in Parsons right into another in Carter. Speaking of blue-chip prospects, Franklin also spoke about and endorsed his star and TE1 in this draft class, Tyler Warren.
James Franklin sells his program’s “life-changing” impact on Tyler Warren
Tight ends are a position group that often doesn’t get reciprocal value on draft night in accordance with their talent. As great as they may be, they get bumped down the board in favor of more important, flashy players. However, Brock Bowers last year showed how there’s merit to chancing a high pick on a TE. This time around, it’s Tyler Warren who’s seeking to accentuate an offense that needs accentuation. Warren is expected to be a lottery pick. However, this wouldn’t have been the case had he declared for the draft last year when he was also eligible and considering it. He returned to Happy Valley and helped his stock within the environment conducive to growth that James Franklin has built.
“You look at Tyler Warren. Where his draft grades were last year, and obviously where he’s going to be this year. It’s life changing…We take care of these guys. We understand it’s got to be a separate plan for them as well and where they’re at in their careers. But hopefully, it’s a win win for everybody. It’s a win for Penn State, this community. But also it’s a win for these guys and their careers,” said James Franklin. Assuming Warren indeed gets drafted high, he stands to make much more money on his rookie-scale contract compared to if he was drafted in the later rounds.
In some ways, James Franklin has been a victim of his own success. Within 3 years of coming over from Vandy, he’d won Penn State the B1G conference championship. The team has consistently been among the AP Poll and CFP committee’s rankings throughout his tenure. Yet, that 3-20 record against Top-10 ranked opposition renders a dark cloud over his coaching prowess. But that’s limited to Saturdays. A program is built from Monday through Friday, which is when Coach Franklin has excelled. The signs point to him continuing to do so too. He does deserve credit, as much as that monkey on his back continues weighing on him.
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