Overview

• Associate head coach Terry Smith was named interim after a three-game skid dropped the Nittany Lions to 3-3, capped by a 22-21 loss to Northwestern.
• Front Office Sports’ copy of Franklin’s 2021 contract shows a duty-to-mitigate clause that offsets Penn State’s payments by any salary he earns in coaching or media through 2031.
• Athletic director Pat Kraft framed the move around long-term trajectory and title ambitions, saying he is at Penn State to win a national championship.
• On3 reports Kraft will “take a couple of big swings,” including contacting Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, with other names linked in reports such as Matt Rhule, Curt Cignetti and Eli Drinkwitz.
• Early fallout includes multiple 2027 decommitments and emotional player reactions, while one analyst estimated total transition costs, including staff changes and a new hire, could exceed $100 million.