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Penn State

James Franklin addresses switching agents amidst USC, LSU rumors

275133747_4796292347117549_592518599057046758_nby:Jonathan Wagner•10/26/21•

Jonathan Wagner

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Scott Taetsch via Getty Images.

News broke on Monday that Penn State head coach James Franklin will be switching agents. Franklin, who has been linked to the USC and LSU job openings, will now be represented by Jimmy Sexton and Creative Artists Agency (CAA), per Football Scoop.

Franklin addressed him switching agents on Tuesday. He said that he switched agents in the summer.

“Completely focused on our season and our team and finding a way to beat Ohio State and be 1-0 this week,” Franklin said via The Athletic’s Audrey Snyder. “I’m not gonna get into the details.”

Sexton is a very powerful figure in college football, as he represents Alabama coach Nick Saban, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, Florida coach Dan Mullen, Georgia coach Kirby Smart, and Texas coach Steve Sarkisian among others.

Franklin was previously represented by Trace Armstrong of Athletes First. That is who Franklin negotiated his extension with Penn State through. That extension gave Franklin an escalating salary, which will peak in 2025 with a base salary of $6.5 million.

Franklin and Penn State suffered a tough loss to Illinois in Week 8

After starting the season 5-0 and being ranked in the top four, Penn State has dropped two consecutive games, falling to 5-2. This past weekend, the Nittany Lions suffered a brutal loss in nine overtimes to Illinois.

As Franklin’s future continues to be discussed, he and Penn State are trying to focus on the rest of the season. Penn State has a very important game in Week 9 at No. 5 Ohio State. That game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET. That’s only the beginning to a tough schedule in the final stretch of the season.

After facing Ohio State, Penn State hits the road again for a trip to Maryland. Then, the Nittany Lions have another tough game against. No. 6 Michigan. In the second to last week of the year, Penn State hosts Rutgers. Then, a trip to take on No. 8 Michigan State will wrap up the regular season. Penn State is out of the College Football Playoff, but they could have a big say in who makes it from the Big Ten in the final weeks of the year.