After the Penn State Nittany Lions dropped three games in three weeks, going from the preseason second-best team in the country to an unranked squad in danger of missing a bowl game, the program has officially parted ways with 12-year coach James Franklin.
While Franklin established a culture in Happy Valley of constant success but never quite getting over the hump, he is still an accomplished leader who will certainly find a job elsewhere — especially because there is a contract stipulation in his buyout that forces him to find a new job. So, where could he be coaching next?
Potential Landing Spots For James Franklin After His Penn State Firing
According to his Penn State contract extension from 2021, Franklin is “obligated to diligently search for and make a good faith effort to obtain another position appropriate for his skill set (i.e., coaching, scouting and broadcasting only) and to provide the university upon request with evidence that he is seeking such employment.”
While the 2025 college football season is still in progress, so no official moves might be made until later, here are five different landing spots for Franklin.
Head Coach, Virginia Tech
While the Penn State faithful might be a little sour on Franklin after what often seemed like 12 years of football purgatory, Virginia Tech would be foolish not to at least get the coach on the phone. The Brent Pry era didn’t look great — after a 16-21 mark over three full seasons, the Hokies decided to pull the plug after a rough 0-3 record to start 2025.
Virginia Tech has many positives — the fanbase is desperately hungry for football success, which Franklin can bring, the program has its own voice, and the ACC is experiencing a little bit of a power vacuum in this current era. At 53, Franklin already has adequate experience building a program and returning it to relevance.
Head Coach, UCLA
When Franklin first set foot in Happy Valley, Penn State was reeling from the fallout of the end of the Joe Paterno era and many NCAA infractions from the Jerry Sandusky scandal. While UCLA isn’t in as bad a shape, the Bruins are in desperate need of a rebuild after struggling in their first two years in the Big Ten.
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Since UCLA shares the same conference as the Nittany Lions, this wouldn’t be classified as too much of a step down. The program can certainly attract high-quality transfers and recruits — they persuaded QB Nico Iamaleava to transfer from Tennessee — and he can re-establish the historic team as a program to be feared in the new-look Big Ten.
Head Coach, North Carolina
Before Penn State, Franklin had a successful three-year stint at Vanderbilt, which resulted in a 24-15 record and two bowl victories. While North Carolina is not nearly as bad as the Vandy team he inherited, UNC has struggled this season under Super Bowl champion coach Bill Belichick. The Tar Heels are 2-3 through five games under his leadership.
If North Carolina decides to get rid of Belichick for Franklin, the longtime Penn State coach could expect similar amenities. Like PSU, UNC has a big alumni base, great NIL funding, and an extensive history of solid players coming through the program.
Since the Tar Heels aren’t as steeped in history as Penn State, Franklin will get an opportunity to build gradually and won’t have as much pressure on him in good games. He finally gets a little benefit of the doubt again — something he didn’t have in the past few years with the Nittany Lions.
NFL Coaching
Franklin is a well-established leader in college football, having led teams for 15 years now. Vanderbilt was his first head-coaching gig, but he has pretty much stayed in college football since joining the ranks in 1995. Still, he did have a one-year stop coaching receivers for the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
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The only official NFL coaching vacancy currently is the Tennessee Titans, which could be a viable option for Franklin, considering his history in Nashville. With more NFL jobs becoming available over the next few months, the longtime college coach might just move on to professional ball.
Broadcasting
As mentioned above, Franklin’s 2021 contract extension requires the coach to look for another job, including broadcasting. While it might not be his final stop, Franklin might decide to take a year off — or the rest of the season — and join a panel, where he can show off his coaching prowess.
