Quite Franklin With LaVar Arrington And Penn State Head Coach James Franklin is back! In this conversation, LaVar Arrington and Coach James Franklin discuss various topics related to college football, including coaches moving to different programs and the loyalty of coaches. They also reflect on the progress and challenges faced by the Penn State football program under Coach Franklin's leadership. The conversation highlights the importance of loyalty and dedication in building a successful program.
- Coaches in college football are facing new challenges due to factors like the transfer portal and NIL, which can make their jobs more difficult.
- Despite facing challenges and rebuilding, the Penn State football program has made significant progress under Coach Franklin's leadership.
- Fans should appreciate the dedication and hard work of coaches like James Franklin, who have helped elevate the program and make it more relevant.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Quite Franklin with LeVar Errington. Each week, Penn
State head coach James Franklin and Penn State legend LeVar
Arrington will discuss game strategy and other insights on Penn
State football. Quite Franklin with LeVar Arrington is now, what's up?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Everybody's LeVar Arrington here.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Welcome in to another exciting edition of Quite Franklin. I'm
LeVar Arrington and we got the coach, Coach Franklin. Check
him out. All right, We're gonna do a little quick
year in review, and then we're gonna talk a little
coaches and where they're at. Chip Kelly made a move
(00:46):
into the Big Ten after being in the Big Ten
as a head coach.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Now o c in the Big Ten. I our host
that say, we'll talk about that.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Billy O'Brien was supposed to beat offense coordinator, the former
Hey coach of Penn State. He ends up going to
Boston College to be the head coach.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
So we got all these different things that are taking place.
We'll see what Coach Franklin's opinion is about it. We're
going to get to the show right now. Coach, first off,
good to see you hope all as well. Hope winter conditioning,
hitting in the spring is going well for you.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Just give me a.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Quick a quick over you know, oversight, or a quick
wrap up of what took place, you know for last year.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
What did you take from from last season?
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Well, I think a couple of things. I think one
of the things that's that's interesting is I find it
remarkable that Drew Aller has gotten some criticism as a
first year starter into Big Ten. And I think he
threw twenty six touchdown passes and like two or three interceptions,
which I think if you asked any you know, quarterback
(01:54):
or or offensive coordinator in the country, if you had
those numbers, which it would you feel good about it
at the end of the season. So the numbers were
phenomenal from that standpoint. Obviously, between Drew and our offense,
we need to be better in the biggest moments. And
and that's why Andy Koltneki is here. It's a big
(02:15):
reason why he's here. You know, we played really good
football except really two games, and those two games.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Are going to define you at Penn State. I trust me.
I know that as well as anybody.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
So that's why some of the decisions were made at
the end of the season to give us the best
chance to win those types of games. Defensively, you know,
at Penn State, from when you played here to now,
we continue to play really good defense. You know, I've
had three coordinators that have all had top ten defenses,
(02:52):
and now Tom Allen is in position to do something similar.
I needed to go get somebody that had the confidence
to follow a named Manny Diaz, that that arguably had
anywhere between the number one or number three ranked defense
and all of college football. Again, one of the challenges
is one and two were already in this conference. I
(03:14):
think that's a perfect illustration of the challenge of being
in the Big Ten and specifically the Big Ten East
before the new model hit us. And then, you know,
the last thing I would say is obviously the changes
in college football, whether it's the transfer portal, whether it's
the NIL, whether it's opt outs of bowl games and
(03:35):
what that means. That's why, you know, being able to
make the twelve game twelve team playoff is critical because
I really worry about what's going to happen to those
other bowl games based on what you see not just
at Penn State, but what you see nationwide.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
How challenging that has really become.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
All Right, you.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Talked about coaches moving around, and I just I'm curious,
what were you What were your thoughts on Chip Kelly
leaving U c l A to go to Ohio State?
Like I thought it was interesting move because U c
l A Is now entering into the deep waters of
the Big Ten.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
What what's your take on that?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Because I feel like Chip Kelly man for for better
or for words, whatever you think about him personally, dude's
a brilliant offensive mind. He knows how to call offenses,
he knows how to doubt stuff up. That's what he's
known for. I feel like it made Ohio State better,
like way better. What what's like?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
What was your what was your first thoughts on it? Well?
Speaker 4 (04:37):
I think, first of all, and let me say this,
and I don't want this to come off the wrong way,
but I just think what you're seeing in the new
nil world and the transfer portal world is the separation
of what people would argue or the haves and the
have nots are getting wider and wider and making those
jobs more and more challenging than they've ever been. In first,
(05:00):
some people aspects of the job that you didn't sign
up for, that you weren't interested in. So you see
coaches that are either going to the NFL or going
into coordinator roles because they don't want to deal with
those things.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
They want to coach.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
They want to coach college ball, and they want to
develop guys, and they want to develop offenses or defenses.
So we've had some conversations about some schools specifically not
only for you, but but also based on on your
son and and it was not shocking to me whatsoever.
(05:36):
I do think it was a really good hire for
for Ohio State. Obviously, not only from an offensive perspective,
but those.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
Two have history. Chip was his coach in college at
New hampt.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
I think if I remember correctly, So there's a lot
of reasons why I think it was it was a
good hire for them, but not surprising. You look what
happened at Boston College, you look what happened at UCLA.
I think you're going to see more and more of
this if it's the right opportunity. You worked with Billy
o at Maryland, right, Yeah. Me and Billy worked together
(06:10):
at the University of Maryland. We lived in the same neighborhood,
our wives were friends. I've known Billy for a long time,
got a ton of respect for him, talk to him
probably ten times before taking the Penn State job once
he left about what the challenges were, what the realities were,
what the strengths and weaknesses were before coming here. So
I had a pretty good understanding of that. Billy was
(06:32):
a big part of that. I think he's good to
a great job at Boston College. It's a great fit
for him and his family.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I never was a fan of Bill O'Brien, and I'm
not you know, I've always been one I shoot from
the hip.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I always have shot from the hip with you.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
I'm not a fan of him because I knew he
was a user. And while I don't have a problem
with coaches or even at this point with players being opportunistic,
I ultimately feel like, if you're going to accept the challenge,
accept the challenge.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
If you want to.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Accept the role, accept the role. And for me, I
look at it like with Chip Kelly, I would never
take a backwards step as a coach, like whether they
wanted me out or not, I'm not trying to beat
I'm not trying to beat the wave and go take
an offense coordinator job somewhere else.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
That's first and foremost.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
That's if I'm speaking one hundred percent, that's a cowards way.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
But that's just me talking, all right.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Billy O'Brien came to Penn State and never recruited his
own class. He left you with beer cupboard, So of
course he could have told you what you was stepping into.
You were stepping into a place that had nothing, and
it had tradition, and it had a whole bunch of
people that were hurt and injured from an emotional standpoint,
(07:50):
and that's what he left you. I never liked the
hire because I knew he would leave. So I was
telling people, and I know you got to go do
do a call. But this is just this is I'd
love to hear your response to it. But I tell people,
you know, they're judging how they viewed James Franklin off
of your record against Michigan and Ohio State. I judge
(08:13):
James Franklin off of the man and the figure and
the stable, stable foundation that the man put in place
and led to success, led to players coming back. Because
people may have a short memory, nobody wanted to come
to Penn State. Frank, nobody wanted to come to Penn State.
(08:35):
The tradition had had taken a nosedive after everything that
took place, and Bill O'Brien left just as as Mighty
and all of those guys were leaving, the guys that
chose to stay and became legendary off of staying there,
Szortage and all those guys, they were leaving, and O'Brien
was gone with them. You come in. You have to
(08:57):
refill what's going on.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
You have to.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Rebuild, just super quickly, not making it about him, making
it about you and where you are right now. When
you see all of these coaches going every which direction
because you had an opportunity to go. People may not notice,
but we have personal conversations. I have conversations around around
(09:20):
everything that's going on. I know that there were some real,
real interesting places you could have left Penn State to go,
and you never left. You never left you, You never
turned your back. You never said, hey, y'all been wanting
me out of here anyway, I'm up out of here.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
You didn't do that. How does that make you feel?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Sitting where you're seeing at right now, knowing that you
have stood in there, you have taken bullets, and yet
you continue to build a program that is going in
the right direction. Hell, you only got two games that
you have to figure out how to conquer alongside continuing
to win the games that you already had.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Like, what's your mindset on?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Well, I think to your point, LeVar, I think you're
a loyal guy, and I think you see my loyalty.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
To Penn State.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
But I'm also going to say my loyals my loyalties
to the players. You know, I love the guys, and
I believe when I'm a big part of the reason
why these guys choose Penn State.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
That am I loyal to the university?
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Am I loyal to the president, athletic director and the
board and the letterman and people like you. Yes, But
I'm also loyal to those players in the locker room.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
And that's probably the biggest thing for me.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Yeah, there's there's been opportunities, there has been, but again,
that's probably the biggest thing for me. I had a
hard time leaving Vanderbilt, I really did, and I do
think we've built something special here. I know the program
is in a totally different stratosphere from from when.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I got here.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
And although I want us to be better and we're
going to take the steps necessary to be better, I'm
also not going to apologize for having one of the
most consistent top ten programs in college football over the
last over the last ten years.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
So I'm very very proud of that.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
And you know, I understand some of the things you
say and in your perspective, the one thing I would say,
like you were talking about Chip, I don't know if
Chip from his view and I can't speak for him,
but coaches like Chip, I don't know if they look
at it as they're taking a step back because a
lot of things that are occurring in college football and
(11:45):
even magnified at certain schools, that's not what they signed
up for. That's not the job that they signed up for.
They want to coach ball. They understood recruiting was a
part of that as well, they had signed up for
those things, but all the other things now that that
are a big part of college football, that's not what
they signed up for. So that's the challenge, and that's
(12:06):
why you're seeing more and more of these coaches make
these types of decisions because you know, LeVar, I mean
think about it. There's there's college kids that have transferred
four or five different schools.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Now, uh, it's a very.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Different college football than me and you signed up for
not only as players, but but also when I started coaching.
It's it's a very different college football. So I think
that's how some coaches would look at it.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Go get that big ten coaches called coach. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I hope we can continue to have conversations through through
the spring. I mean, let's let's let's get a couple
more talk about what the future holds, because I would
love to talk about where you're at, what direction you're
going in the recruits, all that different stuff that's going on.
I'd love to keep, you know, having the conversation. So
but go have the conversation with the coaches. Appreciate you
(12:54):
coming on making times, Coach Franklin, everybody.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Always love to talk online, but also appreciate our offline
conversations in need.
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Next time you're in Talent's grab dinner.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
We're gonna do that. We're gonna do that. Se Appreciate
your coach, keep up the great work. Hey, listen to
all y'all out there.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I think the biggest message to take away from this
this episode in particular, is that having a coach that
is willing to endure while succeeding and working to succeed
at such a high level is not a given. It's
not a given that you can keep them. It's not
(13:33):
a given that they're they're willing to be motivated. These
contracts are so big these days. I would urge our community,
the Penn State community, to take two steps back, the
Penn State fans, the Penn State community, take two steps
back and think about it for one moment, at something
(13:56):
larger than just wins and losses on the football field.
Coaches win, coaches lose, players win, players lose. Us in
our lives, we win and sometimes we lose. But you
take those losses and you learn from them. You take
those wins and you learn from them. But you know
(14:16):
what I really, really really appreciate about James Franklin. He's
a person first, He's an honest person, and he stands
in there.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
He's never ran. I know some of these.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Opportunities that James Franklin had as a coach to go
to different places, and believe you me, yes, he would
have got the money, if not more, going to some
of these. There's two in particular that pop into my
head that I know for certain were on the table
for him, and were they bigger programs?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Debatable?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Debatable meaning that you can't just say, hey, why would
you leave Penn State to go here? Now, if you
went there, he'd be like, yeah, that's a great move
for him. The man has stood in there. He has
not treated us as a stepping stone or being an
opportunist that would actually take a job and a month
into taking the job, take a job somewhere else.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Not that guy. He's not that guy.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
He's not leaving us as the head coach to go
be somewhere else to be an offensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
He's not that guy. So for two losses three this year,
now you know, bowl game is debatable.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
But for two real losses Ohio State, Michigan, for two
losses to be on James Franklin's resume for the last
two seasons, Let's keep things in the proper perspective, my people,
Let's really keep things in the proper perspective, because what
that man is doing and what he has done is
made Penn State football in our Penn State community much
(15:49):
more relevant than what it possibly might have could have
would have been if we didn't have a man that
was prepared and willing to attack this situation that was
at hand. When Penn State had to go through, you know,
all of the drama and the penalties that we had
(16:10):
to go through, it was going to take a special
person to be able to get Penn State football out
of and through the situation that we found ourselves in.
James Franklin, and my estimation, has done excellent and a
tremendous job of doing just that right there on the
(16:30):
cusp of being a program that is contending for and
competing for getting into the playoff. Obviously the playoff it
expands this season, and I wouldn't be surprised if Penn
State under even new leadership of offense coordinating and defensive coordinating,
I would not be surprised if Penn State is right
(16:53):
there in the mix.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
So keep the faith Penn State, because we truly are
we are Penn State. All right.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
That's just my little rant. That's my little end of
the season rant. What I've liked this season have been better. Absolutely,
I would have liked the season that ended better, been better.
Beat Ohio State or Michigan beat both of them get
to the college playoffs. See where we're at. But you
know what we heard coach talk about Drewler. Drew Aler
is our quarterback. Give him the ability to give give
(17:23):
him the space and give him the support he needs
to transition into that guy. He's our quarterback. We got
Nick Singleton, we got fat Man, you know, I mean,
we got we we we we got running backs, all right,
we got running backs. So for me, States, stay in
(17:44):
stay in line, like let's let's let's hold the line.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Guys.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
It could be some really really cool opportunities and movements
coming in the near future for Penn State. Loyal people,
loyal fans. I mean, we've had a lot of great
opportunities to chair as well. I mean there's only been
two times, well through this past season, there's only been three.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Times where it ended where we weren't on top. Let's
just keep things in perspective, y'all.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
All right, this LeVar Arrington, this is quite Franklin. Make
sure you tune into up on Game Up, on Game Presents,
wherever it is that you get your your podcast from,
you know, check us out, all right, Yeah, until next time,
make sure you check out disrupt you. That's also a
deal disrupt you PSU.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Check them out, all right, all right, we'll talk to
you soon.
This is Quite Franklin with LeVar Errington. Each week, Penn
State head coach James Franklin and Penn State legend LeVar
Arrington will discuss game strategy and other insights on Penn
State football. Quite Franklin with LeVar Arrington is now, what's up?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Everybody's LeVar Arrington here.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Welcome in to another exciting edition of Quite Franklin. I'm
LeVar Arrington and we got the coach, Coach Franklin. Check
him out. All right, We're gonna do a little quick
year in review, and then we're gonna talk a little
coaches and where they're at. Chip Kelly made a move
(00:46):
into the Big Ten after being in the Big Ten
as a head coach.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Now o c in the Big Ten. I our host
that say, we'll talk about that.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Billy O'Brien was supposed to beat offense coordinator, the former
Hey coach of Penn State. He ends up going to
Boston College to be the head coach.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
So we got all these different things that are taking place.
We'll see what Coach Franklin's opinion is about it. We're
going to get to the show right now. Coach, first off,
good to see you hope all as well. Hope winter conditioning,
hitting in the spring is going well for you.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Just give me a.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Quick a quick over you know, oversight, or a quick
wrap up of what took place, you know for last year.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
What did you take from from last season?
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Well, I think a couple of things. I think one
of the things that's that's interesting is I find it
remarkable that Drew Aller has gotten some criticism as a
first year starter into Big Ten. And I think he
threw twenty six touchdown passes and like two or three interceptions,
which I think if you asked any you know, quarterback
(01:54):
or or offensive coordinator in the country, if you had
those numbers, which it would you feel good about it
at the end of the season. So the numbers were
phenomenal from that standpoint. Obviously, between Drew and our offense,
we need to be better in the biggest moments. And
and that's why Andy Koltneki is here. It's a big
(02:15):
reason why he's here. You know, we played really good
football except really two games, and those two games.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Are going to define you at Penn State. I trust me.
I know that as well as anybody.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
So that's why some of the decisions were made at
the end of the season to give us the best
chance to win those types of games. Defensively, you know,
at Penn State, from when you played here to now,
we continue to play really good defense. You know, I've
had three coordinators that have all had top ten defenses,
(02:52):
and now Tom Allen is in position to do something similar.
I needed to go get somebody that had the confidence
to follow a named Manny Diaz, that that arguably had
anywhere between the number one or number three ranked defense
and all of college football. Again, one of the challenges
is one and two were already in this conference. I
(03:14):
think that's a perfect illustration of the challenge of being
in the Big Ten and specifically the Big Ten East
before the new model hit us. And then, you know,
the last thing I would say is obviously the changes
in college football, whether it's the transfer portal, whether it's
the NIL, whether it's opt outs of bowl games and
(03:35):
what that means. That's why, you know, being able to
make the twelve game twelve team playoff is critical because
I really worry about what's going to happen to those
other bowl games based on what you see not just
at Penn State, but what you see nationwide.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
How challenging that has really become.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
All Right, you.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Talked about coaches moving around, and I just I'm curious,
what were you What were your thoughts on Chip Kelly
leaving U c l A to go to Ohio State?
Like I thought it was interesting move because U c
l A Is now entering into the deep waters of
the Big Ten.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
What what's your take on that?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Because I feel like Chip Kelly man for for better
or for words, whatever you think about him personally, dude's
a brilliant offensive mind. He knows how to call offenses,
he knows how to doubt stuff up. That's what he's
known for. I feel like it made Ohio State better,
like way better. What what's like?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
What was your what was your first thoughts on it? Well?
Speaker 4 (04:37):
I think, first of all, and let me say this,
and I don't want this to come off the wrong way,
but I just think what you're seeing in the new
nil world and the transfer portal world is the separation
of what people would argue or the haves and the
have nots are getting wider and wider and making those
jobs more and more challenging than they've ever been. In first,
(05:00):
some people aspects of the job that you didn't sign
up for, that you weren't interested in. So you see
coaches that are either going to the NFL or going
into coordinator roles because they don't want to deal with
those things.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
They want to coach.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
They want to coach college ball, and they want to
develop guys, and they want to develop offenses or defenses.
So we've had some conversations about some schools specifically not
only for you, but but also based on on your
son and and it was not shocking to me whatsoever.
(05:36):
I do think it was a really good hire for
for Ohio State. Obviously, not only from an offensive perspective,
but those.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
Two have history. Chip was his coach in college at
New hampt.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
I think if I remember correctly, So there's a lot
of reasons why I think it was it was a
good hire for them, but not surprising. You look what
happened at Boston College, you look what happened at UCLA.
I think you're going to see more and more of
this if it's the right opportunity. You worked with Billy
o at Maryland, right, Yeah. Me and Billy worked together
(06:10):
at the University of Maryland. We lived in the same neighborhood,
our wives were friends. I've known Billy for a long time,
got a ton of respect for him, talk to him
probably ten times before taking the Penn State job once
he left about what the challenges were, what the realities were,
what the strengths and weaknesses were before coming here. So
I had a pretty good understanding of that. Billy was
(06:32):
a big part of that. I think he's good to
a great job at Boston College. It's a great fit
for him and his family.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I never was a fan of Bill O'Brien, and I'm
not you know, I've always been one I shoot from
the hip.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I always have shot from the hip with you.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
I'm not a fan of him because I knew he
was a user. And while I don't have a problem
with coaches or even at this point with players being opportunistic,
I ultimately feel like, if you're going to accept the challenge,
accept the challenge.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
If you want to.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Accept the role, accept the role. And for me, I
look at it like with Chip Kelly, I would never
take a backwards step as a coach, like whether they
wanted me out or not, I'm not trying to beat
I'm not trying to beat the wave and go take
an offense coordinator job somewhere else.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
That's first and foremost.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
That's if I'm speaking one hundred percent, that's a cowards way.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
But that's just me talking, all right.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Billy O'Brien came to Penn State and never recruited his
own class. He left you with beer cupboard, So of
course he could have told you what you was stepping into.
You were stepping into a place that had nothing, and
it had tradition, and it had a whole bunch of
people that were hurt and injured from an emotional standpoint,
(07:50):
and that's what he left you. I never liked the
hire because I knew he would leave. So I was
telling people, and I know you got to go do
do a call. But this is just this is I'd
love to hear your response to it. But I tell people,
you know, they're judging how they viewed James Franklin off
of your record against Michigan and Ohio State. I judge
(08:13):
James Franklin off of the man and the figure and
the stable, stable foundation that the man put in place
and led to success, led to players coming back. Because
people may have a short memory, nobody wanted to come
to Penn State. Frank, nobody wanted to come to Penn State.
(08:35):
The tradition had had taken a nosedive after everything that
took place, and Bill O'Brien left just as as Mighty
and all of those guys were leaving, the guys that
chose to stay and became legendary off of staying there,
Szortage and all those guys, they were leaving, and O'Brien
was gone with them. You come in. You have to
(08:57):
refill what's going on.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
You have to.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Rebuild, just super quickly, not making it about him, making
it about you and where you are right now. When
you see all of these coaches going every which direction
because you had an opportunity to go. People may not notice,
but we have personal conversations. I have conversations around around
(09:20):
everything that's going on. I know that there were some real,
real interesting places you could have left Penn State to go,
and you never left. You never left you, You never
turned your back. You never said, hey, y'all been wanting
me out of here anyway, I'm up out of here.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
You didn't do that. How does that make you feel?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Sitting where you're seeing at right now, knowing that you
have stood in there, you have taken bullets, and yet
you continue to build a program that is going in
the right direction. Hell, you only got two games that
you have to figure out how to conquer alongside continuing
to win the games that you already had.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Like, what's your mindset on?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Well, I think to your point, LeVar, I think you're
a loyal guy, and I think you see my loyalty.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
To Penn State.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
But I'm also going to say my loyals my loyalties
to the players. You know, I love the guys, and
I believe when I'm a big part of the reason
why these guys choose Penn State.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
That am I loyal to the university?
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Am I loyal to the president, athletic director and the
board and the letterman and people like you. Yes, But
I'm also loyal to those players in the locker room.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
And that's probably the biggest thing for me.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Yeah, there's there's been opportunities, there has been, but again,
that's probably the biggest thing for me. I had a
hard time leaving Vanderbilt, I really did, and I do
think we've built something special here. I know the program
is in a totally different stratosphere from from when.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I got here.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
And although I want us to be better and we're
going to take the steps necessary to be better, I'm
also not going to apologize for having one of the
most consistent top ten programs in college football over the
last over the last ten years.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
So I'm very very proud of that.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
And you know, I understand some of the things you
say and in your perspective, the one thing I would say,
like you were talking about Chip, I don't know if
Chip from his view and I can't speak for him,
but coaches like Chip, I don't know if they look
at it as they're taking a step back because a
lot of things that are occurring in college football and
(11:45):
even magnified at certain schools, that's not what they signed
up for. That's not the job that they signed up for.
They want to coach ball. They understood recruiting was a
part of that as well, they had signed up for
those things, but all the other things now that that
are a big part of college football, that's not what
they signed up for. So that's the challenge, and that's
(12:06):
why you're seeing more and more of these coaches make
these types of decisions because you know, LeVar, I mean
think about it. There's there's college kids that have transferred
four or five different schools.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Now, uh, it's a very.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Different college football than me and you signed up for
not only as players, but but also when I started coaching.
It's it's a very different college football. So I think
that's how some coaches would look at it.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Go get that big ten coaches called coach. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I hope we can continue to have conversations through through
the spring. I mean, let's let's let's get a couple
more talk about what the future holds, because I would
love to talk about where you're at, what direction you're
going in the recruits, all that different stuff that's going on.
I'd love to keep, you know, having the conversation. So
but go have the conversation with the coaches. Appreciate you
(12:54):
coming on making times, Coach Franklin, everybody.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Always love to talk online, but also appreciate our offline
conversations in need.
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Next time you're in Talent's grab dinner.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
We're gonna do that. We're gonna do that. Se Appreciate
your coach, keep up the great work. Hey, listen to
all y'all out there.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I think the biggest message to take away from this
this episode in particular, is that having a coach that
is willing to endure while succeeding and working to succeed
at such a high level is not a given. It's
not a given that you can keep them. It's not
(13:33):
a given that they're they're willing to be motivated. These
contracts are so big these days. I would urge our community,
the Penn State community, to take two steps back, the
Penn State fans, the Penn State community, take two steps
back and think about it for one moment, at something
(13:56):
larger than just wins and losses on the football field.
Coaches win, coaches lose, players win, players lose. Us in
our lives, we win and sometimes we lose. But you
take those losses and you learn from them. You take
those wins and you learn from them. But you know
(14:16):
what I really, really really appreciate about James Franklin. He's
a person first, He's an honest person, and he stands
in there.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
He's never ran. I know some of these.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Opportunities that James Franklin had as a coach to go
to different places, and believe you me, yes, he would
have got the money, if not more, going to some
of these. There's two in particular that pop into my
head that I know for certain were on the table
for him, and were they bigger programs?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Debatable?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Debatable meaning that you can't just say, hey, why would
you leave Penn State to go here? Now, if you
went there, he'd be like, yeah, that's a great move
for him. The man has stood in there. He has
not treated us as a stepping stone or being an
opportunist that would actually take a job and a month
into taking the job, take a job somewhere else.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Not that guy. He's not that guy.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
He's not leaving us as the head coach to go
be somewhere else to be an offensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
He's not that guy. So for two losses three this year,
now you know, bowl game is debatable.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
But for two real losses Ohio State, Michigan, for two
losses to be on James Franklin's resume for the last
two seasons, Let's keep things in the proper perspective, my people,
Let's really keep things in the proper perspective, because what
that man is doing and what he has done is
made Penn State football in our Penn State community much
(15:49):
more relevant than what it possibly might have could have
would have been if we didn't have a man that
was prepared and willing to attack this situation that was
at hand. When Penn State had to go through, you know,
all of the drama and the penalties that we had
(16:10):
to go through, it was going to take a special
person to be able to get Penn State football out
of and through the situation that we found ourselves in.
James Franklin, and my estimation, has done excellent and a
tremendous job of doing just that right there on the
(16:30):
cusp of being a program that is contending for and
competing for getting into the playoff. Obviously the playoff it
expands this season, and I wouldn't be surprised if Penn
State under even new leadership of offense coordinating and defensive coordinating,
I would not be surprised if Penn State is right
(16:53):
there in the mix.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
So keep the faith Penn State, because we truly are
we are Penn State. All right.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
That's just my little rant. That's my little end of
the season rant. What I've liked this season have been better. Absolutely,
I would have liked the season that ended better, been better.
Beat Ohio State or Michigan beat both of them get
to the college playoffs. See where we're at. But you
know what we heard coach talk about Drewler. Drew Aler
is our quarterback. Give him the ability to give give
(17:23):
him the space and give him the support he needs
to transition into that guy. He's our quarterback. We got
Nick Singleton, we got fat Man, you know, I mean,
we got we we we we got running backs, all right,
we got running backs. So for me, States, stay in
(17:44):
stay in line, like let's let's let's hold the line.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Guys.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
It could be some really really cool opportunities and movements
coming in the near future for Penn State. Loyal people,
loyal fans. I mean, we've had a lot of great
opportunities to chair as well. I mean there's only been
two times, well through this past season, there's only been three.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Times where it ended where we weren't on top. Let's
just keep things in perspective, y'all.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
All right, this LeVar Arrington, this is quite Franklin. Make
sure you tune into up on Game Up, on Game Presents,
wherever it is that you get your your podcast from,
you know, check us out, all right, Yeah, until next time,
make sure you check out disrupt you. That's also a
deal disrupt you PSU.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Check them out, all right, all right, we'll talk to
you soon.
Host
LaVar Arrington
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