Penn State fans have grown tired of losing to the best teams on the schedule every year since James Franklin took over a decade ago. However, even the most frustrated Nittany Lions supporters were ready to heap praise on the team’s head coach after escaping Minneapolis with a 26-25 win over Minnesota on Saturday night.
Franklin didn’t just go for it on fourth down on the final drive of the game once, he did it three times. Those gutsy decisions sealed a victory that has Penn State just one win away from an at-large bid into the 12-team College Football Playoff.
It’s very common for people to shit on James Franklin. I’ve been critical of him many times myself…
— Connor Griffin (@RealCGriff) November 24, 2024
But I don’t think it’s crazy to say that this play call quite literally saved Penn State’s Playoff hopes. Unbelievable decision by Franklin. Gutsy.
pic.twitter.com/HjzRD5P1oB
Franklin’s fake punt and then fourth-down pass from quarterback Drew Allar to tight end Tyler Warren were shocking to a fanbase that has become accustomed to their head coach shrinking in the biggest moments. Still, they were happy to see what looked and felt like an evolution from Franklin in his 11th year.
That was ELITE coaching and decision making by James Franklin. Perhaps the best situational coaching I’ve seen from him at Penn State.
— Cory Giger (@CoryGiger) November 23, 2024
Penn State doesn’t always beat the best teams in the schedule, in fact, it rarely does. However, Franklin has led the Nittany Lions to 30 straight wins over unranked opponents and for the first time since taking over in Happy Valley, has an unbeaten season on the road.
James Franklin gets a lot of crap but the play calling on the last drive was masterful. Shoutout true freshman Luke Reynolds, the season was in his hands and he came through.
— PSU Everything (@PSU_Strong) November 23, 2024
James Franklin deserves his flowers. With the 2024 season on the line he showed heart and guts tonight.
— The Basic Blues Podcast (@BasicBluesPod) November 23, 2024
That’s the attitude this team needs to play with every single game
The praise for Franklin even came in from the national media, which has often spread the narrative that he “can’t win the big one.”
The absolute Onions of James Franklin!!!! A fake punt up by 1 on their own side of the field with less than 4 mins to go. That is so ballsy! Playoffs on the line. Incredible.
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) November 23, 2024
Gigantic ballsy call by James Franklin. Call of Penn State’s season.
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) November 23, 2024
It was a big change from earlier in the game when Penn State fans and everybody else were ready to run Franklin out of town for a loss that could have cost a spot in the CFP.
If Penn State loses today then James Franklin should be fired immediately
— Chris Barnhart (@ChrisBarnhart52) November 23, 2024
Franklin has plenty of security from a long-term contract extension, but it’s not hard to imagine a desperate program and fanbase moving on after failing to make the expanded version of the playoff. Now, that’s not a worry because all Franklin needs to do, is what he’s done best at Penn State, beat up on Maryland.
If Penn state loses today I’m never defending them as a team again with James Franklin at head coach.
— Penn State UNRIVALED (@UNRIVALED_PSU_) November 23, 2024
This is a fucking clown show