Penn State football coach James Franklin mentioned for potential SEC opening

The college football season has only just begun, but that hasn’t stopped some from looking ahead to the inevitable spin of the coaching carousel. The annual cycle of speculation and rumor mills has started particularly early this year, with the expected ouster of Florida head coach Billy Napier. The ongoing saga in Gainesville may now be of note for Penn State football fans, as Nittany Lions coach James Franklin has already been floated as a top target for the Gators if the position becomes available.

Speaking on this week’s episode of the College Gameday Podcast, ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel included Franklin on a “big game hunting” hypothetical coach wish list for Florida. The list also included Penn State football letterman Matt Rhule (Nebraska), Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Eli Drinkwitz (Missouri), Matt Campbell (Iowa State), and Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State).

“If you are [thinking] Florida football is a top-five job in the country, and we’re going to go recruit the best coach, that’s a reasonable high-end list,” Thamel said. “I’m not saying those guys would come. I’m not saying it’s inevitable. But that’s a pretty good wish list there.”

Of course, Billy Napier is still the head coach at Florida as of Thursday evening. He has led the Gators to a 12-16 record since taking over before the 2022 season.

Out to a 1-2 start in 2024 and with a bye week following Saturday’s game at Mississippi State, many believe it’s a matter of when, not if, Billy Napier will be shown the door out of Gainesville.

Kraft: Penn State football has the best coach in the country

© Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

This isn’t the first time that the Nittany Lions faithful have dealt with speculation about James Franklin and his future in Happy Valley. In 2021, Franklin was rumored to be a top candidate for both LSU and USC. Just eight months ago, Thamel listed the Penn State coach among his potential replacements for Nick Saban at Alabama.

Franklin and Penn State agreed to a new 10-year, $70 million guaranteed contract in 2021. If he were to leave for another college coaching job this year, he would owe the university $2 million. The buyout decreases to $1 million in 2026 and is removed in 2031.

But by all outward appearances, things are running smoothly between James Franklin and athletic director Pat Kraft. Hired the year after Franklin’s new deal, Kraft recently received a contract extension to 2032.

“Look, I believe we have the best football coach in the country,” Kraft said during the Nittany Lions’ defensive coordinator search last December. “I let our coaches make decisions on assistant coaches. I think we got the best head coaches in the country. They got to do their jobs, and that’s what their job is. 

“I’m here to support them. I’m here to do whatever I can. I can be a sounding board for them. But I’m here to just support in any way I can. And I know everyone thinks that’s financially related, it’s not. But I also want to make sure I challenge them to think big and think in a different way than what was thought of in the past. 

“But I would like to think that I’m a person they can lean on to say, ‘What do you think here?’ Because sometimes it’s better to have outside eyes looking at it. And so that’s how it works. But we’re partners, all of us. James, myself… we’re partners in this… That’s the way I believe it should work.”

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