As coaching carousel prepares to spin faster, Penn State coach James Franklin makes staff retention goals clear
Penn State coach James Franklin made the decision to search for a new offensive coordinator this offseason by firing Mike Yurcich. However, as the coaching carousel prepares to start spinning even faster than it already is once the regular season ends Saturday, the 10th-year leader of the Lions could also find himself involuntarily seeking a new member(s) of his staff.
At the top of the potential list of Penn State coaches who could leave following the season is Manny Diaz. The second-year Lions defensive coordinator undoubtedly wants to be a head coach again one day. Franklin can’t, and won’t, stand in the way of that ambition. But, he can ensure that Diaz, and any member of his staff, have reasons to think about staying even when an opportunity presents itself elsewhere. And, that presenting those will be his goal once the silly season and rumor mill are both running in earnest by this time next week.
“Every offseason, that’s a challenge; when you have we have good people, and you have talented people, we have to do everything we possibly can to retain them and for them to feel good and appreciated,” Franklin said. “And, that’s what the entire staff.
Franklin wants to avoid losing coaches to lateral moves
That is the big takeaway here. And, Franklin has said it before. But, in his mind, losing a coach to a promotion is one thing. Losing one to a lateral move, by the assistant’s choice, is another. And, he wants to avoid as many of those instances as possible.
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“To me, that’s really the main focus,” Franklin said. “We got to make sure that assistants don’t leave to be assistants. That coordinators don’t leave to be coordinators. If guys have a chance for a clear, obvious promotion, we want that for him. You’d like to create a situation here for Manny and his family that he wants to be here until he has an opportunity to get a really good head coaching job, that’s going to allow him to flourish. I think Brent [Pry] handled it probably as well as any. He had a great day job, turned down a bunch of jobs waiting for the right one. And I think what happens is, I think the longer you’re in this profession, you recognize that.
“It’s assistant coaches not leaving for titles. If the assistant coaches have an opportunity to go be the coordinator and call the offense, or the defense, or special teams, then they should do that, if that’s that’s what they want to do professionally. But for myself, and Pat [Kraft], and Vinnie [James], we’re going to try and do everything we possibly can to make sure that guys aren’t leaving for lateral moves. And to me, that’s that’s the focus. The other opportunities, I think that’s in their best interest, if it’s the right job. And it’s also, I think, a complement to what we’re doing here.”
