It is not out of the realm of believability to say that James Franklin’s 2014 was pretty good. Great, even.
In January, he was hired to be the head football coach of a fairly prestigious university (a team in his home state that he grew up watching, nonetheless), he scraped out a winning season despite having a severely depleted team, and he led Penn State to its first bowl game since 2012 and it’s first bowl win since 2010.
So the question becomes this: will 2015 bring greatness for Franklin?
Heavy is the Head: For a school as football-centric as Penn State, the job of head coach can be a daunting one. Coaches like Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, and Steve Spurrier must feel an immense amount of pressure as each season rolls around. While Franklin’s popularity and record are in no way at the same level as those coaches, he likely feels the same type of pressure.
Even in the wake of the Sandusky scandal – or perhaps in part because of it – football has been a unifying factor for thousands of students from several generations. Football is a major part of the glue that holds the Penn State family together, and that responsibility now rests on Franklin’s shoulders. He doesn’t have just one boss, he has hundreds of thousands. Every alumni, student (whether current or prospective), and season ticket holder has high expectations for him.
He must not only win, but he must also exemplify all of the traits that Joe Paterno sought to instill in the university – success with honor, family above all, and integrity on and off the field. The world is looking at him through a magnifying glass, just as they did with Bill O’Brien.
In essence, Franklin must not only be a good football coach; he must also be a good man. Keeping a spotless reputation is half of his job. If he fails, he loses more than a few football games.
Keeping Control: Franklin’s team may have gotten away from him during the 2014 season. Injuries and an adjustment period wreaked havoc with an already struggling team. Coupled with the scholarship reductions, the Nittany Lions’ record took a hit.
To get to the next level, Franklin has to find a way to combat that.
It should be a little easier for him this season. Not only did the team grind out a winning season despite all odds – which should give them a confidence boost – but they also had all of the scholarships restored by the NCAA. This allows Franklin to recruit to his full potential – and his potential is nearly unlimited.
Franklin is a natural salesman. He is smart, smooth, and doesn’t waste words. Every sentence is carefully calculated and he makes those listening believe his message. When he promises his players a great education and a good football program, he isn’t messing around. His players trust him, and that’s half the recruitment battle.
He’s clearly doing something right, because he’s secured some of the state’s top prospects for the classes of 2015 and 2016.
Keeping that in mind, over the next few years Franklin has the potential to cultivate a team that could dominate the Big Ten. If the offensive line he has collected can pull together to protect quarterback Christian Hackenberg for his final two seasons, the Nittany Lions have the potential to be deadly.
First Impressions Matter: Franklin has made a great first impression on Penn Staters everywhere. The coach’s charisma and his delivery on big promises has earned him the respect of many coaches, players and fans.
But he still has a long way to go. The truth is, though he is loved by many, he still has to prove that he can win more than seven games in a season. He still has to stand the test of time, and the test of more ranked opponents. He won’t win a National Championship any time soon, but a Big Ten Championship might be possible in the next few years.
So for now, the answer to everyone’s “greatness” question is no. His first year wearing the Nittany Lions logo was great, but Franklin has not achieved greatness, despite what some will say.
Not yet, anyway. It will certainly take more time, perhaps years.
But he’s getting there.
Photo Credit: post-gazette.com
