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Penn State head coach James Franklin gets vote of confidence from AD

By Brad Berreman

Sep 10, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. PITT won 42-39. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. PITT won 42-39. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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James Franklin’s tenure as Penn State football coach has not gone as planned, but the school’s athletic director gave him a vote of confidence.

A successful three-year stint at Vanderbilt (2011-2013) with 24 wins, two bowl victories and two top-25 finishes, made James Franklin a top candidate for a bigger job. Penn State hired him in 2014, but a floundering offense has brought two 7-6 seasons and one bowl win thus far.

Through the first month of the 2016 season, the Nittany Lions have won games they’re supposed to (Kent State, Temple), with a close loss to Pittsburgh in between and a blow out loss to Michigan last week. It’s hard to see Penn State winning much more than seven or eight games again this year, which has led to speculation about Franklin’s job security. But he does not appear to be any immediate danger, if a vote of confidence from a high authority matters.

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According to the Altoona Mirror, Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour said Franklin is not on the hot seat now, and he won’t be any time soon.

"“He’s not on the hot seat, and he’s not going to be on the hot seat in December,” Barbour said. “James is going to be our football coach. I believe in where this football program is going under James Franklin, and I think he’s going to be our football coach, period.”"

It’s interesting, with some reading between the lines, that Barbour cited December as a proverbial end point for Franklin to not be on the hot seat. The comments really only rule out an in-season head coaching change, which isn’t saying much.

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Heading into Saturday’s home game against 3-0 Minnesota, the Nittany Lions are 6-11 in Big Ten play under Franklin. The free pass he’s been afforded as Penn State emerges from NCAA sanctions is expiring quickly, and with a notable name like Les Miles available, the results need to improve. Barbour’s words ring fairly hollow upon closer examination, and if the Nittany Lions finish somewhere along the lines of 7-6 again Franklin could be three-and-out at Penn State.

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