James Franklin labeled college football’s most important coach in 2025

Penn State football cemented its preseason hype earlier this week, coming in as the country’s No. 2 team in the first AP Poll of the year. Finishing two votes shy of the top spot, the national media is clearly all in on the Nittany Lions’ potential in 2025.

With the increased expectations in Happy Valley comes an even brighter spotlight on James Franklin. The 12th-year head coach has been selling his vision for Penn State for a decade. This fall may be his best opportunity to break through and silence his critics.

It’s for that reason that Franklin has become one of the most compelling storylines in college football this offseason. The Nittany Lions coach picked up more national recognition this week, selected as the preseason Coach of the Year by CBS Sports.

“Like Ohio State and Michigan before him, Franklin managed to convince key pieces of his 2024 squad to turn down the NFL and return for another season,” wrote Shehan Jeyarajah. “Quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and defensive lineman Dani Dennis-Sutton all would have been early draft picks. The development of the interior offensive line and addition of receivers Kyron Hudson and Trebor Pena make this one of the most talented rosters in Penn State history.”

Franklin called the most important coach in college football

August 7, 2025. Penn State football coach James Franklin looks on at practice as the Nittany Lions enter Week 2 of training camp. © Heather Weikel / Basic Blues Nation, 2025.

By his own admission, Franklin is leading his best team since taking the Penn State football job in 2014. Facing a daunting narrative fueled by his 1-15 record against top-10 foes, Franklin enters a defining moment for his career and, ultimately, his legacy.

Compared to the narratives swirling around Ohio State coach Ryan Day a season ago, the uphill battle facing the Nittany Lions has earned Franklin the title as the most important coach in college football this fall.

“Franklin is 125-57 as a head coach,” Jeyarajah wrote. “The last step for him to take to cement himself among the greatest in the game is to win a national championship.”

Franklin and the Nittany Lions will begin that title quest in 15 days against Nevada.

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