Franklin: Penn State has ‘tremendous opportunity’ to be special in 2025

Penn State football has been front and center all offseason as one of the likely national title contenders in 2025. As expectations continue to increase with each passing week, so too does the pressure for the Nittany Lions to get over the hump and break into the upper echelon of the top teams in college football.

James Franklin is well aware of the narrative that surrounds his program and the national perception that the Nittany Lions cannot win the biggest games on their schedule. But with perhaps more eyes than ever looking to Happy Valley, the 12th-year head coach is welcoming the opportunity to flip the script this fall.

“I think the first thing, you have to embrace that, right? That’s the nature of major college football,” Franklin said on Wednesday’s edition of the Triple Option podcast with Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, and Rob Stone. “That’s part of being at a place like Penn State. I mean, we finished fifth in the country last year and people are pissed, right? That’s what the Penn State job is about, and you’ve got to embrace that. I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished. We’ve been as consistent as any program in the country. We’ve been as consistent at Penn State that Penn State’s ever been since joining the Big Ten.

“So I’m proud of all those things. But, I also understand and fully embrace that we got to take that next step. And it’s winning those games that you’re talking about. We totally understand that and we’re excited about it. That’s what this year is all about – about taking those steps…I’m proud of the staff and I’m proud of the players of how we’re approaching it. And we’ve got a tremendous opportunity to change that conversation and change that narrative.”

The Nittany Lions return one of the most talented rosters in the country, led by stars Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, and Kaytron Allen. Between moving to hire defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and addressing the program’s longstanding concerns at wide receiver via the transfer portal, it’s clear that the minds assembled in the Lasch Building recognize the window of opportunity before them.

Even while looking to his “1-0” mentality, Franklin is willing to acknowledge that 2025 could be a special season in Penn State football history.

“I think we got a tremendous opportunity to do some special things this year,” he said. “I know you don’t want me to do this, but I am excited about our opportunity. I’m looking up on the screen right now, Nevada is our opening game. People are going to say, ‘Well, that’s not a big game.’ Well, lose to Nevada and find out quickly. We’re focused on that.

“But, I also am totally comfortable with talking about the things that we aspire to do as a team this year and as a season, and for these players. To me, that’s the biggest thing. I want these players to experience this. I want these players that have come back and made these sacrifices to be a part of something special. And that’s why I wake up very early. That’s why I go to sleep late at night, trying to put these players in the best position to be successful at it and have a very, very special season this year at Penn State.”

You can watch Franklin’s full interview on Triple Option here.

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