Penn State head coach James Franklin has been ranked among the top 25 coaches of the 21st century by The Athletic this week. The Athletic as part of their series looking at the best of the best of the first 25 years of the 21st century including teams, games, and programs.
Franklin in the list of the top-25 head caoches of the 21st century ranked 16.
Here's what The Athletic's Chris Vannini had to say about the Nittany Lions' leader.
"Franklin has been a consistent winner, reaching a bowl game in all 14 non-COVID-19-altered seasons he’s spent as a head coach, with six double-digit-win seasons at Penn State. Given more opportunity in a 12-team CFP, Penn State won two games and nearly won a semifinal. He also took Vanderbilt to its only Top 25 finish since 1949. The only real criticism of Franklin’s run is that he hasn’t won big enough, unable to get over the final hump. It’s a similar resume to Richt at Georgia, but the Vanderbilt success puts Franklin higher."
Franklin is set to enter his 12th season as Penn State's head coach this fall. Through his first 14 seasons, Franklin has amassed a 101-42 record, a 70.6% winning percentage. That winning percentage ranks 11th in college football since 2014 and fourth among current Big Ten programs.
However, Franklin and the Nittany Lions have reached a different level of success since the 2022 season. Over the last three seasons, the Nittany Lions have won 34 of 42 total games, an 81.0% winning percentage, good enough for fifth in the country, only behind Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon. While ahead of programs such as Alabama, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Texas.
Additionally, the NIttany Lions have played in five of the six New Year's Six bowl games under Franklin, earning wins in three of the five (Rose, Cotton, Fiesta). In 2024, the program for the first time in the College Football Playoff era, made the College Football Playoffs, winning their first two matchups against SMU and Boise State before losing to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, falling one scoring drive short of a national championship game appearance.
Penn State will start their 12th season under Franklin on August 30 when the Nittany Lions hsot the Nevada Wolfpack at Beaver Stadium.
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