I have had this opinion for several years, but elected to hold back.
Franklin will always be a middle of the pack guy, who will never win the big one at any school, for any amount of $ in salary/facilities. 8 years ago Penn State prioritized hiring a minority candidate over the best possible candidate, and likely won't fire him for the same reason, barring something egregious. Being just over .500, and thus bowl eligible is sufficient for the admin, especially while there are still so many butts in the seats. Some people are either delusional thinking that Franklin won't shit the bed every year when it matters most, and others are content with just shaking pom poms and enjoying mediocrity, but some of us will speak with our wallets by staying home.
The NCAA is a mess, and there are just different classes of teams that are more like semi-pro. Kids getting paid is nothing new to these schools, and their all-star athletes don't have to be bothered by classes and tests. So there is likely no coach that is going to come into a school like Penn State and win the whole thing without adopting that same philosophy.
So while I don't like Franklin, there's really little point in firing him, especially since any buyout would be throwing good $ after bad. But what I don't want to see is the admin continually giving into Franklin's (and O'Brien's before him) annual posturing. He is getting plenty of $, and I believe too much, so if he wants to make demands, then the University needs to call his bluff. And if another program is dumb enough to cave to his demands, then good riddance. And when the current contract expires, there should be a mutual parting of the ways, especially if the University seriously wants to take a run at winning with someone else who is actually capable of getting the job done, because it ain't gonna happen with Franklin, here, there, or anywhere!
Franklin will always be a middle of the pack guy, who will never win the big one at any school, for any amount of $ in salary/facilities. 8 years ago Penn State prioritized hiring a minority candidate over the best possible candidate, and likely won't fire him for the same reason, barring something egregious. Being just over .500, and thus bowl eligible is sufficient for the admin, especially while there are still so many butts in the seats. Some people are either delusional thinking that Franklin won't shit the bed every year when it matters most, and others are content with just shaking pom poms and enjoying mediocrity, but some of us will speak with our wallets by staying home.
The NCAA is a mess, and there are just different classes of teams that are more like semi-pro. Kids getting paid is nothing new to these schools, and their all-star athletes don't have to be bothered by classes and tests. So there is likely no coach that is going to come into a school like Penn State and win the whole thing without adopting that same philosophy.
So while I don't like Franklin, there's really little point in firing him, especially since any buyout would be throwing good $ after bad. But what I don't want to see is the admin continually giving into Franklin's (and O'Brien's before him) annual posturing. He is getting plenty of $, and I believe too much, so if he wants to make demands, then the University needs to call his bluff. And if another program is dumb enough to cave to his demands, then good riddance. And when the current contract expires, there should be a mutual parting of the ways, especially if the University seriously wants to take a run at winning with someone else who is actually capable of getting the job done, because it ain't gonna happen with Franklin, here, there, or anywhere!
