Penn State football’s nightmare season has gone from bad to worse. Just weeks after a shocking 22-21 loss to Northwestern, the team’s third straight defeat, the backlash that started with furious fans has now turned into full-blown fallout.
The program officially parted ways with longtime head coach James Franklin, ending a decade-long tenure that once defined the Nittany Lions’ modern era.
It was only a short time ago that Franklin’s job security seemed unshakable. A 10-year contract extension signed in 2021 and five 11-win seasons in nine years made him one of the most respected figures in college football.
But after back-to-back collapses against Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern, patience finally ran out. What began as isolated online frustration quickly escalated into widespread chants of “Fire Franklin!” echoing across Beaver Stadium.
Fans flooded social media demanding a change after another collapse at home. “You can’t call yourself a serious football program with James Franklin as the head coach. It’s over,” posted Barstool Penn State on X.
Others echoed the sentiment, pointing to the team’s dismal performances and a steep decline in recruiting momentum. Franklin’s supporters hoped his 104-44 record and Big Ten title in 2016 would earn him one last chance, but the optics and the buyout math couldn’t save him this time.
The aftermath was immediate. Just hours after Franklin’s firing, four-star linebacker Gabriel Jenkins, ranked as the No. 13 LB in the 2027 class per Rivals, announced his decommitment from Penn State, according to On3's Hayes Fawcett.
Jenkins had been one of the crown jewels of Penn State’s 2027 recruiting class, and his departure signals growing instability in the program’s future pipeline.
The fallout didn’t stop there. Within a few hours of Gabriel Jenkins’ announcement, two more top recruits followed suit. Five-star running back Kemon Spell — ranked as the No. 1 RB in the 2027 class across all major recruiting sites- informed Rivals he was decommitting from Penn State.
Shortly after, four-star offensive tackle Layton von Brandt, the No. 28 overall player and No. 6 offensive tackle nationally, also withdrew his commitment.
Losing two elite offensive cornerstones alongside Jenkins underscores just how much Franklin’s dismissal has shaken confidence in the program’s stability and direction.
Penn State’s football team next head coach will not only need to stabilize a shaken locker room but also repair recruiting relationships damaged by weeks of chaos.
In the final days before his firing, Franklin had looked visibly defeated. Following the Northwestern loss, he stood motionless on the sideline as fans booed, watching in silence as his players exited the field.
The viral moment, captured by local reporters and replayed endlessly on social media, encapsulated the mood around the program: stunned, exhausted, and ready for change.
Penn State now faces an uncertain future. Once a perennial contender, the Nittany Lions must rebuild both their image and their roster. For a program used to competing on the national stage, the coming months will determine whether this is a temporary setback or the start of a much longer fall.
