Penn State head coach James Franklin looks up during the second half of the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game against Notre Dame on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — It’s hard to get within field goal range of a national championship, but I still think this was a disappointing season.
So I won’t do that.
But certainly Thursday night was a disappointing end to a monumental year. The disappointment is further accentuated by the fact that this show had the best chance to change the narrative about James Franklin’s tenure at Penn State, and the Nittany Lions and Franklin were unable to do so.
Each time, the Lions found a way to lose, whether it was on the goal line against Ohio State, in the Big Ten finals against No. 1 Oregon, or in the College Football Playoff semifinals against a winnable Notre Dame.
Franklin has done a lot of things well since coming to Happy Valley and rebuilding the program, but winning the biggest games isn’t one of them.
He is 1-15 against AP Top 5 opponents, and his losses often follow the same troubling pattern — building a lead but not finishing strong, or making weird calls at the wrong times. or simply making a fatal mistake like Drew Aller’s interception in the final moments of the game against the Irish.
Franklin is clearly one of the better coaches in the nation, and with an annual salary of $8 million and a contract through 2031, he’s guaranteed to get paid accordingly.
Only a fool would leave him.
But that doesn’t mean the fan base believes in him or appreciates him enough, and the loss at Notre Dame was part of the reason for that.
Outside of an offensively loaded 2016 Rose Bowl appearance, this team is Franklin’s best team, with favorable ties with SMU, Boise State, and Notre Dame in the first 12-team CFP playoff road trip. It became.
Some may wonder if Franklin could have played in the title game in this slot with this team.
At some point, it’s natural to wonder how much more disappointment he can endure, or whether he wants a fresh start somewhere else.
But options may be limited because there aren’t many jobs comparable to PSU, which is embarking on a $700 million stadium renovation.
Penn State fans are more patient than in the SEC.
Late Thursday night, as an emotional but calm Franklin shed a few tears, he was asked how he felt about yet another failure.
He selfishly deflected the spotlight.
“I wanted that for the players and the staff in the locker room,” he said. “As you can imagine, there are a thousand different emotions going on, but as a head coach, I want to make sure I have the right face for the players in the locker room, for what we need right now, and for my family. Must be.
“And tomorrow the sun will rise. I want to make sure all of them come out of the locker room with their heads held high and their chests held high because they have so much to be proud of. ”
“There are about 128 teams that would give their right arm to have a season like this year. It just doesn’t feel like that right now.”
And it shouldn’t. Penn State is not one of the 128 schools. We are one of about 12 schools that have the courage to dream big.
The roster will begin to change from now on. Tyler Warren’s credentials are rising. Abdul-Carter’s departure for the NFL was immediately confirmed Friday morning. Nick Singleton might follow suit. So could Dani Dennis Sutton and Caitron Allen.
But Mr. Aller returns with a solid foundation.
“We’re going to have a lot of guys back next year. They’re going to be hungry and motivated to take on more challenges,” Franklin said. “They’re getting a taste of what this feels like, what this looks like, what this smells like. We’re all going to be better for it, myself included.”
We need to take him at his word and see when that translates into big game success.
Speaking of details…
■ After completing nearly 70 percent of his passes in 12 regular-season games, Aller dropped significantly in December.
He’s made 58 of 119 in his last four games, just over 50 percent.
This is something to keep an eye on in 2025, as the wide receiver position is in complete disarray (on Thursday, the Lions didn’t have a pass-catching WR).
n Penn State’s recruitment, evaluation and development of the wide receiver position may result in personnel changes at this position. stay tuned.
It’s hard to remember a more heroic performance by a PSU opponent than a game in which Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard entered the game. First, he looked sluggish and dazed in the first half, but came back to finish with 223 passing yards and a tough 35 rushing yards. .
Secondary flaw: Notre Dame’s Jaden Greathouse has caught 29 passes this season, completing seven catches for 105 yards against Penn State. The players assured us that four times in the fourth quarter were times when the Lion defenders couldn’t stay on their feet (this was a technical issue, not the former). )
We know there’s no chance of a restart, but regardless of the outcome, it was certainly good for Penn State to play against Notre Dame again.
Contact Rudel at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.
