11. James Franklin
Good news! To all of those who have no idea how to make a gingerbread house or have simply never made one before, we have the guy for you. Yup, that’s right, it’s Penn State’s James Franklin. Throughout his short career as a college coach thus far, Franklin’s turned around two train-wreck programs and made them into something special.
During his three years as the head coach of Vanderbilt University, Franklin turned the Commodores into a nine-win team … twice. He had Vanderbilt ranked in his final two years, even making a bowl game every year of his tenure. From there, Franklin took over post-Paterno Penn State. Of course, this was after Bill O’Brien spent a few years in charge of the Nittany Lions. However, the program remained a shell of its former self. He managed to achieve winning records in his first two seasons and has the Nittany Lions as a virtual lock to win 10 games every year after his past two seasons. He’s returned Penn State to one of the NCAA’s powerhouses.
What’s even more impressive about Franklin’s turnaround job at his schools is that he coaches a model program. So much so, he once chased down one of his players who was sulking off the field after a loss and made said player go shake hands with the other team.
Franklin has a genuine love for coaching, as well. He runs a model program and he does everything with a smile. Franklin’s love for coaching should make him a top candidate on anybody’s list for desired coaches to help you build a gingerbread house.