The Penn State Nittany Lions are actively seeking their next head coach after firing James Franklin. Candidates like Matt Rhule from the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Steve Sarkisian from the Texas Longhorns are popping up as Franklin’s successor.
Meanwhile, Franklin himself is looking for his next head coaching role. After spending more than a decade with the Nittany Lions, his resume is heavy, and he has often been linked with multiple Southeastern Conference schools.
SEC Schools That Can Be the Next Spot for James Franklin
On CBS Sports’ College Football Show, former Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells suggested Franklin as a strong candidate for the head coaching position at Arkansas.
“I think Arkansas is a potential place that could make a lot of sense for James Franklin in terms of the talent that he would be able to recruit and where they are in the SEC,” Wells said (6:40).
“I believe James Franklin could uplift that program and put him on a map, a much better situation than they had the last couple of years.”
Franklin’s impact on recruiting has been massive, as less than an hour after his firing, five-star running back Kemon Spell decommitted from Penn State. Quarterback Troy Huhn from the 2026 class also reconsidered his decision following Franklin’s departure.
Franklin’s recruiting strength is a major asset for whichever program he joins next. Wells also mentioned Franklin as a potential candidate for the Texas head coaching position after The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said that Steve Sarkisian might move to the NFL.
“You have to start thinking if Sark does indeed leave and go to the NFL,” Wells said (6:50).
“You want a head coach that is able to recruit, that is able to stabilize a program, we’ve watched James Franklin do it at Penn State, so what makes us believe he wouldn’t be able to do it at a place like Texas with the resources maybe a little bit better than he had.”
However, following Texas’ 45-38 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, Sarkisian dismissed Russini’s report. So, Franklin’s move to replace Sarkisian is seemingly not possible now.
As for Franklin’s next destination, he held a 104-45 record at Penn State, including three New Year’s Six bowl victories. Besides Arkansas and Texas, multiple programs have been linked to him, including the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks lost 29-22 to Alabama on Saturday and fell to 1-5 in the Southeastern Conference. Franklin can be a major addition to South Carolina to help improve their winning record.
Wells went to Ohio Statr
Good Luck Coach Franklin wherever you go. You are a good man who has meant so much to Penn State.