James Franklin: The Face of The Nittany Lions
The long time leader of the Penn State football team has had quite the journey.
James Franklin was born in Langhorne, Pennsylvania on February 2, 1972. After playing quarterback for four years at Neshaminy High School, the standout football player continued his football career in state at East Stroudsburg University. Franklin would go on to tie or break 23 school records in his time on campus, including the single season records for passing yards, total yards, and touchdown passes. When all was said and done, Franklin was named a member of the East Stroudsburg University Hall of Fame.
Coaching Career
James Franklin started his coaching career from the bottom and had a journey that lasted over a decade. This journey has been filled with short stints all around the country, as well as internationally.
In 1995 after hanging up the cleats, Franklin got his first coaching break. In state Kutztown University named him their wide receivers coach. After one season, Franklin returned to his alma mater East Stroudsburg to coach their defensive backs. He also spent some of this year coaching in the Danish American Football Federation as he was the offensive coordinator for the Roskilde Kings.
In 1997, he left the state of Pennsylvania for James Madison University, where he was their receivers coach. After one season in Virginia, Franklin hit the road again and moved cross country to Washington State for his first power five job. Franklin coached tight ends for one season before moving to Idaho State to coach receivers once again.
In 2002, after one successful season in Idaho, Franklin moved back to the East. He became the University of Maryland’s wide receivers coach. He stayed for four seasons and even lasted an entire coaching staff change after his first season. In 2005, Franklin moved to the NFL, where he coached wide receivers for the Green Bay Packers.
In 2006, Franklin went back to the college level after one season in the NFL. Franklin became Kansas State’s offensive coordinator and their quarterback coach. After two up and down years at Kansas State, Franklin returned to Maryland to be their assistant head coach/offensive coordinator/quarterback coach. He was expected to be the next man up at Maryland, but ended up accepting another head coaching offer before the position opened.
Head Coach
James Franklin celebrating with team post win. (John Russell, Vanderbilt University)
In 2011 after over a decade of moving through the ranks, Franklin got his opportunity to run the whole show. Vanderbilt named him their head coach, and he took off running. In his three seasons there, Franklin led the team to three bowl appearances. A major accomplishment as Vanderbilt had never played in consecutive bowl games prior to his arrival.
Franklin celebrating with his team post win. (Gary A. Vasquez)
In 2014, Franklin received his dream coaching offer to return back home to Pennsylvania to coach the Penn State Nittany Lions. Franklin has built one of the strongest programs in the country. He picked up a team still recovering from one of the worst scandals in college sports history and worked through sanctions that would end most football programs. With his guidance, the Penn State Nittany Lions have returned once again to the spotlight. In 2016, Franklin cemented Penn State as being back, by winning their first Big Ten Championship in eight years.
Franklin has coached many standout players in his time throughout all schools, such as Josh Freeman, Jordy Nelson, Micah Parsons, and Saquan Barkley, just to name a few. This list will keep growing as Penn State produces NFL quality athletes who will continue to shine at the next level.