Penn State fires coach Franklin, sources say

Penn State has fired caput manager James Franklin, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Franklin is owed much than $49 million, per his contract.

Less than a twelvemonth removed from an quality successful the College Football Playoff semifinals, Franklin's programme appeared to deed a caller debased erstwhile the Nittany Lions traveled retired to Los Angeles 2 weeks agone lone to suffer to UCLA, a squad that not lone was winless, but hadn't antecedently held a pb each season.

But the woes flew backmost location with the squad to Penn State, and with them came "Fire Franklin!" chants astatine Beaver Stadium connected Saturday. The Nittany Lions dropped their 2nd consecutive location game, and 3rd overall, erstwhile they fell to Northwestern, 22-21, successful beforehand of a stunned assemblage astatine Happy Valley. Penn State was a favourite of much than 3 touchdowns successful that game.

"I instrumentality afloat work for each of it," Franklin said aft the nonaccomplishment to the Wildcats. "I hired each the staff, I recruited each the players. I judge successful each of them. But we're not getting it done close now."

In the nonaccomplishment to the Wildcats, the Nittany Lions committed six penalties for 71 yards successful the archetypal fractional alone. They simply could ne'er get retired of their ain way, and that was earlier backmost Drew Allar suffered a season-ending wounded successful the 4th quarter.

Earlier successful the season, erstwhile the losing streak began against Oregon astatine Happy Valley, Franklin fell to 4-21 astatine Penn State against AP top-10 opponents, including 1-18 against top-10 Big Ten teams.

"I get that narrative, and it's truly not a communicative -- it's factual. It's the facts," Franklin said aft the nonaccomplishment to the Ducks. "I effort to look astatine the full representation and what we've been capable to bash here. But astatine the extremity of the day, we got to find a mode to triumph those games. I wholly get it. And I instrumentality ownership. I instrumentality responsibility."

Franklin's .160 winning percent against AP top-10 teams is tied for the third-worst grounds by a manager (minimum 25 games) astatine a azygous schoolhouse since the canvass epoch began successful 1936, according to ESPN Research.