Franklin will stay at Penn State Coach agrees to 6-year extension with Nittany Lions
Penn State head football coach James Franklin has agreed to the terms of a new six-year contract to continue in his current position with the Nittany Lions through 2025.
The new agreement for Franklin was approved Friday by the Penn State board of trustees' compensation committee.
Franklin, who had been under contract through the 2022 season before the new deal was announced, has compiled a 55-23 record with the Lions since taking over in 2014. He led Penn State to a 10-2 record this season, including a 7-2 record and a second-place finish in the Big Ten East. The Nittany Lions will learn their bowl destination on Sunday.
“It's not often a coach gets an opportunity to move back to their home state and coach the team they grew up watching,” Franklin, who is from Langhorne, said in a statement. “It's even more rare that it's a school as rich in history and tradition as Penn State. It's been an honor and a privilege to be the head coach of the Penn State football program for the past six years.”
The new agreement came a little more than a week after reports surfaced that Franklin had spoken to officials at Florida State about its head coaching position, and that the two sides had “mutual interest.” Franklin also had been linked to speculation he'd be offered the Southern California job if head coach Clay Helton was let go.
After Sunday's final game of the regular season, a 27-6 win over Rutgers, Franklin addressed the speculation in general terms.
“There is nobody that would want this not to be talked about more than me,” he said. “I'm hoping this is going to be over very quickly. I love Penn State. I love our players. I don't see that changing any time soon.
“It's a little bit of the nature of college football but I love Penn State. I love what we're doing here. Hopefully all this conversation will be over very shortly.”
Sandy Barbour, Penn State's vice president of athletics, said the new contract makes “a strong pledge to James and this program.
“We are thrilled to have James as the head of our football program,” she said.
