James Franklin (American football coach) facts for kids
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Franklin in 2021
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| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Team | Penn State |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Record | 101–42 |
| Annual salary | $10,000,000 |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | February 2, 1972 Langhorne, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1991–1994 | East Stroudsburg |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1995 | Kutztown (WR) |
| 1996 | East Stroudsburg (DB) |
| 1996 | Roskilde Kings (OC) |
| 1997 | James Madison (WR) |
| 1998 | Washington State (TE) |
| 1999 | Idaho State (WR) |
| 2000–2004 | Maryland (WR/RC) |
| 2005 | Green Bay Packers (WR) |
| 2006–2007 | Kansas State (OC/QB) |
| 2008–2010 | Maryland (AHC/OC/QB) |
| 2011–2013 | Vanderbilt |
| 2014–present | Penn State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 125–57 |
| Bowls | 8–7 |
| Tournaments | 2–1 (CFP) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 Big Ten (2016) 1 Big Ten East Division (2016) |
|
| Awards | |
| Hayes–Schembechler Coach of the Year (2016) Sporting News Coach of the Year (2016) Woody Hayes Trophy (2016) |
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James Geoffrey Franklin (born February 2, 1972) is a well-known American football coach. He has been the head football coach at Pennsylvania State University since 2014. Before that, he coached at Vanderbilt University from 2011 to 2013.
Early Life and College Days
James Franklin was born in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, on February 2, 1972. He went to Neshaminy High School in Langhorne.
After high school, he attended East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. There, he played as a quarterback for all four years. He set seven school records and was even nominated for a Division II player of the year award in 1994. Sports Illustrated also named him a "National Player of the Week" that season. In 1995, he earned a degree in psychology.
Coaching Journey
Franklin started his coaching career in 1995. He coached wide receivers at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. The next year, he coached the defensive secondary at his old school, East Stroudsburg. That same year, he was also the offensive coordinator for the Roskilde Kings in Denmark.
In 1997, he coached wide receivers at James Madison. The following year, he became the tight ends coach at Washington State. He also earned a master's degree in educational leadership from Washington State in 1999.
In 1999, he coached wide receivers at Idaho State. His team had a great season, scoring 29 touchdowns and gaining over 3,300 passing yards. Idaho State was ranked ninth nationally in total offense that year.
Franklin also had internships with several National Football League (NFL) teams. These included the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Minnesota Vikings.
Coaching at Maryland
Franklin first joined the University of Maryland as the wide receivers coach in 2000. When a new head coach, Ralph Friedgen, took over, Franklin was one of only two assistants kept on the team.
In 2003, Franklin also became the recruiting coordinator. He was known for being great at finding new talent. He focused on recruiting players from areas like Baltimore and Washington, D.C.. In 2005, Franklin left Maryland to coach wide receivers for the Green Bay Packers in the NFL.
He returned to Maryland in 2008 as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. He was also set to become the head coach later. However, he accepted the head coach position at Vanderbilt in December 2010.
Coaching at Kansas State
Franklin worked at Kansas State University as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007. He helped develop talented players like future NFL quarterback Josh Freeman and All-America wide receiver Jordy Nelson.
Leading the Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt hired James Franklin as their head coach on December 17, 2010. He was the first African American head coach for a major sport at Vanderbilt. He was also the third African American head football coach in the Southeastern Conference.
Franklin made history at Vanderbilt by leading the team to a bowl game in all three of his seasons. Before him, Vanderbilt had never played in bowl games in back-to-back seasons.
2011 Season at Vanderbilt
In 2011, Franklin's team finished the regular season with 6 wins and 6 losses. They were invited to the Liberty Bowl, where they lost to Cincinnati 31–24. Even with a losing record, the team scored more points than their opponents that year.
2012 Season at Vanderbilt
In his second season (2012), the Commodores had a fantastic year, finishing with 9 wins and 4 losses. They were ranked in the top 25 polls for the first time since 1948. This was only the third time in school history Vanderbilt won nine games in a season. They also won five SEC games for the first time since 1935.
The 2012 team achieved many milestones:
- Their longest road winning streak (4) since 1950.
- Their longest overall winning streak (7) since 1948.
- They scored 40 or more points five times, the most since 1915.
- Zac Stacy became the first Vanderbilt player to rush for over 3,000 yards in his career.
- They beat rival Ole Miss in consecutive years for the first time since 1949.
- Jordan Matthews set a single-season record with 1,262 receiving yards.
- Kicker Carey Spear scored a school record 81 points.
- They had their largest win margin over rival Tennessee (23 points) since 1954.
- They went to a bowl game in back-to-back years for the first time.
- They had their first winning record in the regular season since 1982.
- They won four straight SEC games for the first time since 1949.
- It was the first time a Vanderbilt player (Zac Stacy) rushed for over 1,000 yards in two years in a row.
- It was their first 9-win season since 1915.
2013 Season at Vanderbilt
For the third year in a row, Vanderbilt played in a bowl game. They defeated the Houston Cougars 41–24 in the BBVA Compass Bowl. Vanderbilt achieved 9 wins in two consecutive years for the first time ever. They were also ranked in the top 25 polls for two years in a row.
Franklin's teams won 25 games combined during his three years at Vanderbilt. This was the highest total in the school's history. He finished his time at Vanderbilt with a record of 24 wins and 15 losses.
Joining the Penn State Nittany Lions
On January 11, 2014, Penn State announced that James Franklin would be their new head football coach. Penn State paid $1.5 million that Franklin owed Vanderbilt for leaving his contract early. He signed a six-year contract, earning $4.3 million for the 2014 season. His pay increased by $100,000 each year, plus bonuses.
Franklin's move to Penn State caused some discussion among Vanderbilt fans. Penn State University leaders said they did a very thorough check on Franklin before hiring him. They were confident he would be a great leader for the team, especially after a difficult time for the university.
2014 Season at Penn State
In his first season with the Nittany Lions, Franklin led the team to a 6–6 regular season record. They ended the season with a 31–30 win over Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl.
2015 Season at Penn State
Franklin guided the Nittany Lions to a 7–5 regular season record. The season ended with a 24–17 loss to Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
2016 Season at Penn State
The 2016 season started with Penn State having a 2–2 record. However, Franklin rallied his team to win their next eight games. They won the Big Ten's East Division and then beat Wisconsin in the 2016 Big Ten Football Championship Game. For this amazing turnaround, Franklin was named the Dave McClain Coach of the Year in the Big Ten.
In August 2017, Penn State announced that Franklin signed a new six-year contract. This deal was worth $5.738 million a year and included bonuses. Franklin expressed his gratitude and commitment to the Penn State community.
2017 Season at Penn State
In 2017, Franklin led the Nittany Lions to another great season with 10 wins and 2 losses in the regular season. They finished by defeating the Washington Huskies 35–28 in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl. Penn State ended the season with 11 wins and 2 losses, ranked #8 in both major polls.
2018 Season at Penn State
Before the 2018 season, Penn State lost some key players. Despite this, the Nittany Lions finished their regular season with 9 wins and 3 losses. They played Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl, losing 27–24. Penn State finished the season with 9 wins and 4 losses, ranked #17.
2019 Season at Penn State
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The Nittany Lions had a strong 2019 season, finishing with 11 wins and 2 losses. They were invited to the 2019 Cotton Bowl Classic, where they beat the #17 Memphis Tigers 53–39. Penn State ended the season ranked #9 in both major polls.
At the end of the 2019 regular season, Penn State announced that Franklin's contract was extended. This happened after other teams showed interest in him.
2020 Season at Penn State
Penn State's 2020 season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They had a tough start, losing their first five games. However, they bounced back by winning their last four games, finishing with 4 wins and 5 losses. The season was affected by the sudden retirement of running back Journey Brown due to a heart condition.
2021 Season at Penn State
Penn State finished the 2021 regular season with 7 wins and 5 losses. They started strong with a 5–0 record, including wins over #12 Wisconsin and #22 Auburn. They were ranked as high as #4 in the country. However, after their quarterback Sean Clifford got injured, the team struggled. Before the last regular-season game, Franklin agreed to a 10-year, $75 million contract extension. The team was invited to the Outback Bowl and lost to Arkansas 24–10, finishing the season 7–6.
2022 Season at Penn State
Even after losing important players to the NFL Draft, the Nittany Lions had a great 2022 season, winning 10 games and losing only two. Their strong performance earned them a spot in the Rose Bowl. They beat Utah to win their first Rose Bowl since 1995, ending the season with 11 wins and 2 losses. This was Coach Franklin's third major bowl win with the Nittany Lions and his first Rose Bowl victory.
2023 Season at Penn State
Penn State began the 2023 season ranked 7th. Franklin and the Nittany Lions started with 6 wins and no losses before playing #3 Ohio State. Ohio State won 20–12, giving Penn State their first loss. Penn State won four of their next five games, with their only other loss coming to #2 Michigan. Penn State qualified for the Peach Bowl, where they lost 38–25 to Ole Miss, finishing the season with 10 wins and 3 losses.
2024 Season at Penn State
During the 2024 season, Penn State had a regular season record of 11 wins and 2 losses. Their only losses were to the Ohio State Buckeyes (20–13) and to the Oregon Ducks (45–37) in the 2024 Big Ten Football Championship Game. In the 2024–25 College Football Playoff, Penn State won two games. They beat the SMU Mustangs 38–10 in the first round and then defeated the Boise State Broncos 31–14 in the Fiesta Bowl (a quarterfinal game). In the semifinal round, the Nittany Lions lost to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 27–24 in the Orange Bowl.
Personal Life
James Franklin met his wife, Fumi, in 1998 while he was coaching at Washington State. They reconnected years later when Franklin was coaching at Maryland. They started a long-distance relationship and got engaged in Green Bay in 2005. The Franklins have two daughters, Addy and Shola.
Giving Back to the Community
James Franklin was honored by Penn State's Renaissance Fund in 2019. A dinner was held that raised over $287,600 for scholarships at Penn State.
Since coming to Penn State, his teams have spent many hours helping the community. This includes an annual trip to the Penn State Children's Hospital to visit young children with cancer. Franklin has spoken at every THON (a student-run philanthropy) since 2014. The Franklin family has also given generous gifts to THON.
Franklin also strongly supports "Be the Match," which encourages people to join the national bone marrow registry.
Before Penn State's 2019 game in the Cotton Bowl, James Franklin matched a $10,000 donation from Goodyear to the Children's Medical Center Dallas.
Head Coaching Record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt Commodores (Southeastern Conference) (2011–2013) | |||||||||
| 2011 | Vanderbilt | 6–7 | 2–6 | T–4th (Eastern) | L Liberty | ||||
| 2012 | Vanderbilt | 9–4 | 5–3 | 4th (Eastern) | W Music City | 20 | 23 | ||
| 2013 | Vanderbilt | 9–4 | 4–4 | 4th (Eastern) | W BBVA Compass | 23 | 24 | ||
| Vanderbilt: | 24–15 | 11–13 | |||||||
| Penn State Nittany Lions (Big Ten Conference) (2014–present) | |||||||||
| 2014 | Penn State | 7–6 | 2–6 | 6th (East) | W Pinstripe | ||||
| 2015 | Penn State | 7–6 | 4–4 | 4th (East) | L TaxSlayer | ||||
| 2016 | Penn State | 11–3 | 8–1 | T–1st (East) | L Rose† | 7 | 7 | ||
| 2017 | Penn State | 11–2 | 7–2 | T–2nd (East) | W Fiesta† | 8 | 8 | ||
| 2018 | Penn State | 9–4 | 6–3 | 3rd (East) | L Citrus | 17 | 17 | ||
| 2019 | Penn State | 11–2 | 7–2 | 2nd (East) | W Cotton† | 9 | 9 | ||
| 2020 | Penn State | 4–5 | 4–5 | 3rd (East) | Declined | ||||
| 2021 | Penn State | 7–6 | 4–5 | 4th (East) | L Outback | ||||
| 2022 | Penn State | 11–2 | 7–2 | 3rd (East) | W Rose† | 7 | 7 | ||
| 2023 | Penn State | 10–3 | 7–2 | 3rd (East) | L Peach† | 13 | 13 | ||
| 2024 | Penn State | 13–3 | 8–1 | T–2nd | W CFP First Round†, W Fiesta†, L Orange† | 5 | 5 | ||
| 2025 | Penn State | 0–0 | 0–0 | ||||||
| Penn State: | 101–42 | 64–33 | |||||||
| Total: | 125–57 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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