James Franklin explains his approach to being a players' coach

In college football, everyone loves a player’s coach, a man of the people, and someone who can relate to their student-athletes. But Penn State head coach James Franklin made it clear recently that he does not want to be labeled as a player’s coach.

Franklin was a recent guest on ‘Next Up with Adam Breneman’, and revealed to Brenaman what his philosophies are on being a player’s coach in today’s world of college football.

“Yeah, I do not want to be their friends,” Franklin said getting a laugh out of Brenaman. “It’s funny, we have a camp and I always speak to the parents at the beginning of camp. Like I’m always trying to convince them, stop going down there to watch your son run a slow 40 (yard dash). Come talk to me because I’m going to tell you about this process and I’m going to tell you the truth.”

Franklin believes his approach on coaching applies in other walks of life and relationships as well, speaking on the importance of not being too overly friendly.

“And to me that’s a little bit of a problem with our society right now is you’ve got way too many parents trying to be their kid’s friends rather than their parents. And what I say all the time is in a healthy relationship, whether it’s your wife, or whether it’s your parents, or whether it’s your coach, just because you have a really good relationship and you’re really close doesn’t mean it’s always puppies, rainbows, hugs, and kisses,” Franklin explained.

The Penn State head man isn’t in the rainbow business, but in the business of getting the most out of his players. A principle that he also preaches to his team leaders as well to continue passing down amongst his players.

“Like when somebody really cares about you, they’ll have the hard conversation with you, they’ll push you outside of your comfort zone. They’re going to tell you what you need to hear not what you want to hear and to me that’s when you have a chance to make an impact in people’s lives,” Franklin said. “And it’s just like I’m talking to the leadership counsel and the captains about right now, you have to be willing to hold your teammates accountable and I don’t think enough people do that now.”

Franklin’s coaching style is hard to deny, as he boasts a 78–36 record during his tenure at State College built on tough love.

“Are you willing to have the tough conversations, so to me, I want them to know I care but I’m not your buddy, I’m not your friend, and I’m willing to have these conversations with you,” Franklin said. “And hopefully, they can intemperate is okay this guy cares about me, that’s why he’s having the conversation.”