Overview
- In his first comments on ESPN’s College GameDay, Franklin said AD Pat Kraft informed him of the decision 15 minutes before a team meeting, leaving him “in shock.”
- Franklin emphasized his goal of winning a national championship remains unchanged and stated he intends to coach again elsewhere.
- Nick Saban, appearing on the GameDay set, called Penn State’s decision to dismiss Franklin “unfair as hell.”
- Penn State is being led by interim coach Terry Smith with redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer set to start at quarterback after Drew Allar’s season‑ending injury.
- USA TODAY and other outlets report Franklin’s buyout is just under $50 million, with documents indicating it could be offset if he accepts another coaching job.