James Franklin makes strongest declaration yet on Penn State speculation

After several weeks of mixed messages, Penn State head coach James Franklin is adamant he is staying in Happy Valley.

At a luncheon at the State College Quarterback Club on Wednesday, Franklin declared. “I’m not going anywhere,” per Neil Rudel of the Altoona Mirror. Rudel said the statement was met with a “rousing ovation” from the 175 to 200 attendees.

The firm sentiment is the strongest response Franklin has given on the topic of leaving for another head coaching job. He is rumored to be in contention for job openings at both USC and LSU.

USC was the first big job to open after they fired former head coach Clay Helton on Sept. 13. The Trojans are 3-4 under interim head coach Donte Williams and 4-5 overall.

In the SEC, on Oct. 17, LSU announced they would part ways with head coach Ed Orgeron at the end of this season. The Tigers are 4-6 and fighting for bowl eligibility.

Franklin, a Pennsylvania native, has enjoyed success in Happy Valley, so it is unsurprising some members of the fanbase want to keep him around. Penn State has reached double-digit wins three times under Franklin in 2016, 2017 and 2019, and he has a 66-32 record there as a head coach. Additionally, they won the Big Ten Championship in 2016. But since 2019, they have gone 10-9 since their last 11-win campaign.

After a handful of shaky losses this season, including Saturday’s 21-17 loss to Michigan, Franklin may be looking for a fresh start.

Franklin addresses possible outside distractions

Earlier this week, Franklin addressed the rumors and how they might be impacting his team’s performance. Penn State has lost four of their last five games, and they still have to travel to No. 7 Michigan State next weekend.

“We’ve been in this same situation before, and have had really strong season,” Franklin stated. “We’re also in a situation this year where we’ve lost some games that we’ve had a chance to win, and our record looks a little bit different. So I get people trying to connect the dots there.

“All the things that I’m able to control, I’m controlling. But I get it. I understand the business .. people’s concerns. Again, I would just state — looking at my track record over my time here, eight years. My actions, my behaviors, I think they’ve been pretty consistent since I’ve been here.”

On3’s Stephen Samra contributed to this report.