The James Franklin era at Penn State football team is officially over, and the search for his permanent successor is underway. The university dismissed Franklin after the team’s shocking 22-21 loss to Northwestern, its third straight defeat, marking the end of a 12-year tenure that saw both triumph and turmoil.
Franklin, who led the Nittany Lions to five 11-win seasons and a Big Ten title in 2016, leaves behind a 104-45 record and a legacy that’s hard to define. Once considered a national title contender earlier this season, Penn State’s collapse, capped by back-to-back losses to UCLA and Northwestern, made change inevitable.
Now, the university turns the page with Terry Smith as interim head coach. Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Smith will have a legitimate opportunity to earn the job permanently.
“Absolutely. Everyone is under consideration,” Kraft said. “I’m going to help Terry do everything he can to help run the table.”
Smith, who has been a long-time assistant and a respected recruiter, made sure to acknowledge Franklin’s impact on the program during his first public comments as interim head coach.
“He took us out of a dark era and got us to be a relevant program again,” Smith said. “We don’t take that for granted.”
It’s a fitting tribute from someone who worked closely under Franklin for years and understands the full scope of his influence. Franklin inherited a program still reeling from NCAA sanctions and restored it to national prominence, a feat that Smith and Kraft both emphasized should not be forgotten.
Still, the road ahead for Smith and Penn State is daunting. The team has not only lost three straight but also its starting quarterback, Drew Allar, to a season-ending leg injury. Recruiting fallout has also begun, with several top prospects, including four-star safety Matt Sieg, reopening their commitments amid uncertainty about the program’s direction.
Despite the challenges, Kraft’s support suggests that Penn State football team plans to evaluate Smith seriously while exploring external candidates such as Curt Cignetti and Matt Rhule, both mentioned among early favorites.
For now, the message from Happy Valley is clear: even as the program moves on, the respect for what Franklin built remains intact.
