Penn State football head coach James Franklin takes a lot of heat for his shortcomings with the Nittany Lions, but during his tenure with the program, he has been pretty successful. Franklin hasn't won any national championships and it's been nearly 10 years since Penn State has won the Big Ten, but still, the program has experienced more success than the majority of college football in that time. That is why James Franklin is proud of what he has done in State College.
The Penn State football program wasn't in great shape before James Franklin took over, and building a team back up is a challenge. Franklin quickly made the Nittany Lions a contender in the Big Ten again, and he won a Big Ten title in his third season. He hasn't been able to get back to the top of the conference, but still, this program has been and is in better shape than most.
“I’m proud of it, all right? And what I mean by that is, you guys know, when we got to Penn State, it looked a little bit different, obviously,” Franklin said in an interview with Big Ten Network. “One of the best programs historically. But, there was a rough patch. And you know, to think about what we’ve been able to do, the consistency that we’ve been able to do, the number of players that have gone on and done special things, and then obviously the excitement for this season.”
There's no question about it, Penn State is in better shape now than it was before Franklin took over. The Nittany Lions have been a consistent contender, and while they are still trying to get over the hump, the future continues to look bright for the program. The hard work that Franklin has put in is paying off.
“So I’m just, I’m really proud of it all,” he continued. “The coaching staff we’ve put together, how the facilities have changed since we’ve arrived, all of it. Because in today’s college football, it all matters.”
The 2025 season is expected to be one of Franklin's best. From top to bottom, this is the best roster that he has ever had at Penn State, and a lot of people believe that the Nittany Lions are the best team in the country. They are returning a lot of guys that should be on NFL teams right now, and it all starts with quarterback Drew Allar. He is as experienced as they come, and if he can meet expectations this season, the sky is the limit. Penn State is in great shape on both sides of the football.
College football is almost back, and the Penn State football team will begin its hunt for a national championship in a little over three weeks. If the Nittany Lions achieve all of their goals this season, James Franklin will be even more proud of what he has done with this program.
