A Neshaminy High School graduate and former Langhorne resident has been fired from his high-profile college football coaching gig.
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Penn State University fired head football coach James Franklin on Sunday after nearly 12 seasons, according to a statement from the sports program.
Franklin, a 1990 graduate of Neshaminy High School, was dismissed one day after the Nittany Lions suffered a 22-21 loss to Northwestern University at Beaver Stadium.
Associate Head Coach Terry Smith will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
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Franklin’s firing triggers a massive payout under a contract extension he signed in late 2021 amid rumors he was being sought by other teams.
The Centre Daily Times reported Franklin’s contract with Penn State will net him more than $49 million. It will pay him roughly $8 million a year until the end of the 2031 season.
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The payment to the former coach comes as Penn State plans to close seven state campuses by 2027, has embarked on a $700 million renovation of its stadium, and is planning closing its public media station, WPSU, after financial troubles, according to StateCollege.com.
In announcing the change, university leadership noted Franklin’s accomplishments while stating the decision was made for the program’s future.
“Penn State owes an enormous amount of gratitude to Coach Franklin who rebuilt our football program into a national power,” said Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft. “He won a Big Ten Championship, led us to seven New Year’s Six bowl games and a College Football Playoff appearance last year. However, we hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards, and we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships.”
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Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi also thanked the former coach.
“I am grateful for all that Coach Franklin has done for Penn State football and the University over the past 11-plus years,” Bendapudi said. “We thank him for his dedication, and we extend our best wishes to him and his family as they move forward into their next chapter.
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At the time of his hiring by Penn State, Franklin was described as a “football nut” by his former Neshaminy coach, Philly.com said.
Before joining Penn State, Franklin had been the head coach at Vanderbilt University since 2011. He arrived at Penn State after former coach Bill O’Brien left to take the Houston Texans coaching job.
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NBC Sports Net detailed Franklin’s career, which included coaching roles at Kutztown University, East Stroudsburg University, James Madison University, Washington State University, Idaho State University, Kansas State University, the University of Maryland, and the Green Bay Packers. Prior to taking the head coaching job at Vanderbilt, he served as the offensive coordinator for Maryland.
Franklin has come back to visit Neshaminy since his hiring by Penn State in 2014.
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