Penn State AD discusses decision to fire head football coach James Franklin

Penn State Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft made the choice to fireside head soccer coach James Franklin, and he instructed reporters Monday that it wasn’t simply the three-game dropping streak that led to the choice.

Franklin’s departure is a shock to school soccer, because the locker room chief since 2014 parted methods with the Nittany Lions, who must fork out as a lot as $50 million to pay him.

Kraft mentioned he was “watching all the things” after Penn State’s loss to Northwestern, 22-21, on Saturday.

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Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft provides head soccer coach James Franklin an enormous hug after a 33-24 win over Indiana at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in State School, Pennsylvania. (PROPOSE)

“After sitting down Saturday and taking a look at all the things, the place we had been when it comes to the most effective pursuits of the athletes and the place this system was going, I felt like we needed to make the powerful choice,” Kraft instructed reporters by way of Sports illustrated. “Taking a look at the place this system was, the place it’s and the place we need to go, I felt there was no different course. I felt it was time.”

This can be a Penn State program that was ranked No. 2 within the nation earlier than the beginning of the season. They began 3-0 however have been in freefall ever since. It got here to a head in opposition to an unranked Northwestern group, as followers’ chants for Franklin to be fired roared even louder than when Oregon entered Beaver Stadium and handed them their first loss.

PENN STATE FIRED JAMES FRANKLIN AFTER WONDERFUL LOSS TO NORTHWESTERN: REPORT

Kraft and Franklin have had each an extended friendship and an expert relationship, which has made his taking pictures tough on many ranges.

“James Franklin is a superb pal who has at all times carried out himself with dignity and represented Penn State with absolute class,” Kraft defined. “We’re all lucky to have James Franklin main this program for greater than a decade and we want nothing however the most effective for him and his household.”

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the sphere after the sport in opposition to the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium on October 11, 2025 in College Park, Pennsylvania. (Matthew O’Haren/Imagn Photos)

The Nittany Lions shall be led by Franklin assistant coach Terry Smith, who has been named interim head coach.

Franklin took over at Penn State earlier than the 2014 season after main Vanderbilt in the identical position for 3 seasons. He was in his twelfth season at Penn State after taking the group to the School Soccer Playoff semifinals final season.

Because the group’s head coach, Franklin was 104-45.

Trying forward, Penn State shall be with out quarterback Drew Allar for the rest of the season attributable to a leg harm suffered within the loss to Northwestern. They will face Iowa subsequent week, however the schedule will get a lot more durable from there.

Penn State Nittany Lions athletic director Patrick Kraft is seen throughout the sport in opposition to the Illinois Combating Illini at Memorial Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Champaign, Illinois. (Michael Hickey/Getty Photos)

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Penn State will see No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1, No. 7 Indiana on Nov. 8, and 4 or extra losses would hold them out of the School Soccer Playoff this season.

Fox Information’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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