After his dismissal as Penn State’s football coach, James Franklin has several options, and the most likely scenarios include either finding another coaching job or moving to a TV role for a season or more until there’s an appealing offer to return to the sideline.
The TV rehab approach has worked for many coaches, most recently Dan Mullen, who took over at UNLV this season after working at ESPN for several seasons following his firing at Florida in 2021.
Franklin could be an interesting and viable candidate for a TV role, and there has already been some interest.
Several factors matter in finding a landing spot or making a match, though. Here’s a look at three things — fit, skill set and timing — that could impact any potential move to a media role for Franklin.
Fit
Broadcasters and networks almost always need talent, and they’re always looking for the next quality addition to their roster. They update their lineup of analysts and the makeup of shows to garner ratings and serve viewers, in that order.
Franklin would offer a fresh-off-the-field coaching perspective. He’s been cited for years as a CEO and worked hard to build consensus, improve facilities and raise money. Plus, he fought to get Penn State’s name, image and likeness house coordinated after a disparate, unorganized start.
He knows the challenges and the landscape of college football.
The Big Ten Conference’s broadcast partners would be the logical starting spots because of his nearly 12 years as a coach in the conference. So, that’s BTN, CBS, Fox and NBC/Peacock.
The biggest outlet, some sort of role with ESPN (including the ACC Network or the SEC Network), might seem a bit more aspirational — because ESPN just replaced Mullen and its other shows seem set in terms of talent.
Plus, it’s been a while since Franklin has coached in the SEC, so that option might be less likely. The prospect of him working in any way with Paul Finebaum is interesting, though.
Skill Set
He’s a hard worker who strives to improve and takes notes. He listens. He’ll look the part and he’s coachable.
He’s much more qualified and has more reps in front of a camera than Joe Paterno did when he worked the 1974 Michigan-Ohio State game as an analyst for ABC.
Multiple times during his tenure at Penn State, Franklin referenced learning from people and seeking insights and best practices. He’d do the same if he moved to broadcasting.
Most likely, the potential partners would position him for a studio role, rather than a game analyst. That allows him to talk about bigger picture topics, and it lets him carry less of the load during a broadcast. It becomes a shared effort and could allow the coach to banter and show some personality.
Broadcasters will want him to say something, to have an opinion. That’s always a challenge for a coach who might have plans to return to the sport.
Even as a coach, Franklin was always thinking through the ramifications of who would hear what he’d say and what exactly he would say as a result. That sometimes prevented his personality from coming through. That calculus would be heightened in a broadcast role, and potential employers do not want vanilla.
He’s not going to be Lee Corso in terms of an entertainer but flashing some personality would be good. And he’d almost certainly be better than Jimbo Fisher who’s working on the ACC Network and SiriusXM.
Franklin is well-liked nationally, probably more so than close to home. And neither his well-known records (4-21 vs. Top 10 opponents and 1-18 vs. Big Ten Top 10 teams) nor his one conference championship matter much to the TV types. He’s consistently been a winner and knows the sport.
Plus, Franklin wanted to be the first Black coach to win a national championship, so he cares about bigger picture topics and college football history. If he’s willing to talk and participate in meaningful discussions, he could have a lot of insights to share.
If Franklin goes to TV, and wherever he goes, those he works with would be invested in helping him succeed — whether that’s simply with ample preparation or with specific themed segments tailored to his expertise.
Timing
Any potential TV move depends on how long Franklin can handle being idle and how much he wants to return to coaching.
No broadcast partner or potential employer wants him only for a year, although it would not be a shock to see him appear later this season in some sort of cameo role/test assignment somewhere. That’s not necessary, and he might want to keep a low profile for a bit, but it would not be a shock if he got reps somewhere.
Frankling will have the opportunity to coach or move to the media next season. And adding him might be appealing to the potential employer because he could be a financial bargain with Penn State paying a large portion of his salary.
It’s just a matter of what jobs open or what roles get pitched.
Geography could play a role, too. With BTN that probably means Chicago while it would be New York with CBS or NBC or Los Angeles with Fox.
No matter what, he’d have more weekly travel than he had in his previous job. And, if he wants to embrace time with his family, that could be a consideration as well.
Prediction
OK, ESPN just seems unlikely. Not impossible, but certainly the most aspirational of the bunch.
Likewise, NBC/Peacock seems set with its lineup. Not nearly an aspirational place, but they have so many people now — four on set, three on site — for “B1G Saturday Night” that more would not necessarily be better. That said, there’s not a coach in the bunch. So, maybe.
Fox seems full as well, especially with Urban Meyer as the face of the place, and with Meyer’s additional duties on BTN. At the same time, Fox continues to search for the right recipe to get its shows to resonate so a fresh face could help.
At BTN, Gerry DiNardo is the coach and has been there since the network’s inception. He’s still steady, and probably not ready to cede his spot — especially to someone who might only be there for a season or two. But maybe there’s a role for Franklin, alone or in combination.
As a wild card, maybe there’s a top-tier podcast that needs a college football presence. Maybe not Pat McAfee and his cast of dozens, but there might be a show that makes sense. It needs to be national and reputable, though, because Franklin’s brand already exists at that level.
He’s a known quantity in his previous job, who will work hard to succeed.
Honestly, James Franklin could be good but probably not elite, at least right away, on TV.
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