James Franklin switching agents amidst candidacy rumors, per reports

Penn State head coach James Franklin will now be represented by  Jimmy Sexton and Creative Artists Agency (CAA), per FootballScoop.

Sexton, who’s considered college football’s most powerful man, represents the likes of Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, Florida head coach Dan Mullen, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, among many others.

The representation switch comes at an interesting time to say the least, as Franklin is considered among the leading candidates for the head coach openings at both USC and LSU.

James Franklin was previously represented by Trace Armstrong of Athletes First. It was Armstrong that negotiated Franklin’s last extension at Penn State, which set an escalating salary that is set to peak in 2025 with base compensation of approximately $6.5 million.

Penn State is coming off a disappointing 20-18 loss to Illinois in nine overtimes. The Nittany Lions, who at one point were 5-0, have lost back-to-back games against Iowa and the aforementioned Fighting Illini.

Up next, Penn State travels to Columbus on Saturday to take an Ohio State team that’s only gotten better since an early loss to Oregon.

Though Michigan and Michigan State’s are unbeaten, ESPN’s David Pollack believes James Franklin’s Nittany Lions will be the Buckeyes’ biggest challenge. 

“If Sean Clifford’s playing, I say Penn State,” Pollack said on College Football Live. “Because the weapons, the firepower on offense, his ability to run as well. Without that, I don’t think that’s the case. Sean Clifford, when you got those dudes to throw to out wide I think it makes a difference. … And I also think Penn State’s defense is athletic enough to give Ohio State some problems, not stop them, because I don’t think anyone’s going to stop them consistently but they would have to have their trigger man because you saw when their trigger man went out, it went bad, it was not pretty at all.”