SEC Coach CALLS OUT Penn State For Firing James Franklin! episode artwork

EPISODE · May 27, 2026 · 20 MIN

SEC Coach CALLS OUT Penn State For Firing James Franklin!

from Locked On Nittany Lions - Daily Podcast On Penn State Nittany Lions Football & Wrestling · host Locked On Podcast Network

Steve Sarkisian called out Penn State football over the way James Franklin was fired, but the full Penn State context tells a very different story. This episode breaks down why Penn State’s decision was not about one bad month, but a long-term big-game problem, the Oregon losses, the UCLA and Northwestern collapse, and the larger question of whether Franklin’s tenure had reached its ceiling. We also discuss the Chaz Coleman situation at Tennessee, Penn State’s NIL approach, Matt Campbell’s early roster management, Derek Hoosier’s role as general manager, and why the Nittany Lions may have avoided a major mistake by refusing to overextend for one transfer portal pass rusher. This matters because Penn State is entering a new era where coaching decisions, NIL spending, roster retention, and Big Ten title contention are all connected. The question is whether Penn State’s new staff can build a more complete, more disciplined roster than the one that came up short in the biggest moments. Penn State fans: was Sarkisian wrong, and did Penn State dodge a major NIL problem with Chaz Coleman? Drop your thoughts in the comments. Become an every-dayer! Subscribe to Locked On Nittany Lions on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lockedonnittanylions?sub\_confirmation=1 Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast   Rugiet Get 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhl Rugiet. Performance medicine for men. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LONittanyLions?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow the show on X! https://x.com/LockedOnNittany https://x.com/zach\_seyko #lockedonnittanylions #pennstate #nittanylions #pennstatefootball #collegefootball #bigtenfootball #ncaafootball #lockedon #weare #football 0:00 Steve Sarkisian Calls Out Penn State 1:15 Sarkisian’s James Franklin Quote 2:25 Why Penn State Did Not Fire Franklin Over One Bad Month 3:00 Oregon Changed the Big Ten Conversation 4:18 Franklin’s Big-Game Problem at Penn State 6:01 UCLA and Northwestern Collapse After Oregon 7:37 Why the Franklin Firing Became Unavoidable 8:17 Best Roster, Jim Knowles, and Penn State’s Expectations 9:06 Chaz Coleman, Tennessee, and NIL Roster Management 10:48 Why This Is Not About Dunking on Coleman 12:03 What Tennessee Is Dealing With Right Now 12:46 How Penn State May Have Avoided a Major Problem 13:41 The Risk of Paying Millions for Potential 15:28 Availability, NIL, and Defensive End Value 16:17 Matt Campbell’s Penn State Roster Interviews 17:34 The Incentive Problem in Modern NIL 19:02 Final Takeaway on Campbell, Hoosier, and Penn State Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Steve Sarkisian called out Penn State football over the way James Franklin was fired, but the full Penn State context tells a very different story. This episode breaks down why Penn State’s decision was not about one bad month, but a long-term big-game problem, the Oregon losses, the UCLA and Northwestern collapse, and the larger question of whether Franklin’s tenure had reached its ceiling.

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SEC Coach CALLS OUT Penn State For Firing James Franklin!

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This episode was published on May 27, 2026.

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