Penn State just made a huge mistake by firing James Franklin midseason

Penn State football just made a huge mistake by firing head coach James Franklin in the middle of the season, a move that could set the program back years.

Penn State fires James Franklin in stunning move that needed to happen

The results on the field left much to be desired for the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten), given a roster and coaching staff that were initially expected to have national title ambitions.

Falling short of expectations caused Penn State fans to express heavy displeasure, and their qualms aren't entirely unfounded as the blue and white sits winless in the Big Ten.

Only one day after a stunning loss to Northwestern, the administration in Happy Valley decided enough is enough and opted to swallow a $50 million buyout for Franklin.

This action may have been too swift and completed in overreaction. The consequences of his firing are already piling up.

The gem in the Nittany Lions' 2027 recruiting class and No.1 RB in the nation, Kemon Spell, de-committed after the firing. Notable four-stars also joined the running back, from both classes of 2026 and 2027.

In-state homegrown players nixing their Penn State commitments are just the first wave of backlash, which is another reason why a mid-season firing is baffling. The roster situation in State College after the 2025 season offered concerns and the class of 2026 already weakened in the summer.

When the disappointing season ends, the Nittany Lions will see little roster turnover. Many starters on offense and defense reach the end of their eligibility. The team will have to navigate this without the recruiting talents of Franklin, who already prepared for this new phase.

Franklin displayed his talents to keep the best Pennsylvania high school athletes in the commonwealth. In recent years, he also demonstrated his ability to utilize the Transfer Portal, including the acquisition of three marquee wideouts in the offseason after 2024.

Happy Valley will be without those recruits, without Franklin's program-building talents, and $50 million poorer in trying to rebuild these absences.

Things weren't going great for Penn State, which is an understatement for the train wreck of a season that was supposed to end in a national championship win. The administration now put itself in a more difficult situation to repair.

The Nittany Lions have been fractured many times before. After one of the darkest scandals in sports history, which ended Joe Paterno's long tenure, there was little hope that the program would return to greatness just 15 years later.

While the national championship hasn't returned to State College since 1986, Franklin's leadership helped rebuild the Penn State brand after its reputation took a massive hit that would destroy the image of any other university.

The Nittany Lions wouldn't be where they are today without over 10 years of leadership from Franklin, who gave opponents a reason to fear Penn State again. He gave motivated high-profile recruits reason to choose and trust in the blue and white.

Just as Bill O'Brien managed the chaos after the scandal, Franklin retained that stability and pushed the team forward, once again making the team a national contender.

While big game losses mark his era of leadership, it is clear that the program is in a better place because of his tenure, making the midseason dismissal even more sour. If Penn State waited until the offseason, it would've made more sense. The buyout would be lower and there would be more time to determine how to move forward.

A midseason firing doesn't mean the Nittany Lions suddenly turn their season around. There aren't any worthy, statement candidates for the position to justify an earlier interview process. When weighing the differences between a midseason dismissal and a postseason one, the recent decision seems rash.

Now, the Nittany Lions embark on a season where they must determine the following steps to lead this program, all while being surrounded by maximum outside noise and facing challenging games.

Many current players expressed sadness and gratitude for Franklin, and it will be telling on the field if the new coaching staff can regain the support inside the locker room.

It feels like the firing of Franklin, while understandable nonetheless, was made in panic. Most of the staff under the old boss remain, and time will soon tell if removing a great head coach from his position can get Penn State over the hump of winning those big games.

There is little to argue that firing Franklin was not the right move as the play on the field stagnated and the locker room was falling out of his control. It was a move that had to be made at some point, but the timing is the issue here.