Who have buyouts that would have been at an unthinkable level not that long ago? After all, Penn State was only one year removed from the CFP. Lots of coaches have flamed out in much more spectacular fashion than Franklin, AND have smaller buyouts than he had. Bryan Fischer reports.

https://www.si.com/college-football/penn...ball-coach

To answer the question posited in the subject line: no.

No.

Universities wanting to make a coaching change don’t need ‘permission.’ They need to know how they will arrange the buyout. That secured, it’s better these days to act sooner rather than later.

I think that UCLA gave schools a bit more air cover for a quick trigger, though what's happened there is very much the exception rather than the rule.

Only if you lose at home to Northwestern.

Only if they have a moneyman willing to pay the old coach out.

(10-14-2025 09:42 AM)Gitanole Wrote:  That secured, it’s better these days to act sooner rather than later.

I really wonder if that's true. Have coaches hired early after the departure of a previous coach been remarkably more successful than average?

If every coaches buyout is structured the way Franklin's it really isn't that onerous. The have six and a half seasons to pay it and Franklin is obligated to find work in a similar field and obligated to receive a market rate contract. My guess is Penn State won't pay a dime after this season.


https://www.si.com/college-football/penn...t-next-job

The rest of Penn State’s fb games this season are on a downward trajectory. If PSU waited until the end of the season to terminate Franklin, fans at home games would respond more negatively towards him, and attendance would wane.

Penn State may win a few more games this year, but the damage is already done.

(10-14-2025 08:44 AM)tf8693 Wrote:  Did Penn State just give other schools permission to fire their head coaches

No more than UCLA or Arkansas did.

(10-14-2025 12:29 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  If every coaches buyout is structured the way Franklin's it really isn't that onerous. The have six and a half seasons to pay it and Franklin is obligated to find work in a similar field and obligated to receive a market rate contract. My guess is Penn State won't pay a dime after this season.

Franklin is under no legal obligation to be a college coach. Patrick Ewing walked away with a sizeable buyout at Georgetown and he will never coach again.

(10-14-2025 01:07 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 08:44 AM)tf8693 Wrote:  Did Penn State just give other schools permission to fire their head coaches

No more than UCLA or Arkansas did.

(10-14-2025 12:29 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  If every coaches buyout is structured the way Franklin's it really isn't that onerous. The have six and a half seasons to pay it and Franklin is obligated to find work in a similar field and obligated to receive a market rate contract. My guess is Penn State won't pay a dime after this season.

Franklin is under no legal obligation to be a college coach. Patrick Ewing walked away with a sizeable buyout at Georgetown and he will never coach again.

You say that, but according to the article he can't just sit at home or pick up a couple of shifts at 7-11 and collect his money.

Here's are those clauses from his contract, courtesy of FOS:

Once terminated, Coach is obligated to diligently search for and make a good faith effort to obtain another position appropriate for his skill set (i.e., coaching, scouting and broadcasting only) and to provide the university upon request with evidence that he is seeking such employment.

(10-14-2025 01:58 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 01:07 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 08:44 AM)tf8693 Wrote:  Did Penn State just give other schools permission to fire their head coaches

No more than UCLA or Arkansas did.

(10-14-2025 12:29 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  If every coaches buyout is structured the way Franklin's it really isn't that onerous. The have six and a half seasons to pay it and Franklin is obligated to find work in a similar field and obligated to receive a market rate contract. My guess is Penn State won't pay a dime after this season.

Franklin is under no legal obligation to be a college coach. Patrick Ewing walked away with a sizeable buyout at Georgetown and he will never coach again.

You say that, but according to the article he can't just sit at home or pick up a couple of shifts at 7-11 and collect his money.

Here's are those clauses from his contract, courtesy of FOS:

Once terminated, Coach is obligated to diligently search for and make a good faith effort to obtain another position appropriate for his skill set (i.e., coaching, scouting and broadcasting only) and to provide the university upon request with evidence that he is seeking such employment.

I'd take the broadcasting. Decent money and way less headaches.

(10-14-2025 01:07 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 08:44 AM)tf8693 Wrote:  Did Penn State just give other schools permission to fire their head coaches

No more than UCLA or Arkansas did.

I don't think there's any programs out there on the fence of firing their coach that are going to be looking at Foster or Pittman. The same is not true of Franklin.

Franklin should just settle for $25MM payable in 3 installments over 3 years and be done iwth it. The SI article brings up the gray areas around enforceability. He could just keep paying his agent some $$ to throw his name around and tank interviews or ask for too much money and never get a job. He could claim his reputation is irreparably harmed by his "Big Game James" moniker and record and can't get a suitable job lol.

(10-14-2025 02:31 PM)ballantyneapp Wrote:  Franklin should just settle for $25MM payable in 3 installments over 3 years and be done iwth it. The SI article brings up the gray areas around enforceability. He could just keep paying his agent some $$ to throw his name around and tank interviews or ask for too much money and never get a job. He could claim his reputation is irreparably harmed by his "Big Game James" moniker and record and can't get a suitable job lol.

Yeah. It's almost always worth it to both sides to just negotiate a payment plan with no hooks than it is to deal with years of gray areas.

(10-14-2025 02:31 PM)ballantyneapp Wrote:  Franklin should just settle for $25MM payable in 3 installments over 3 years and be done iwth it. The SI article brings up the gray areas around enforceability. He could just keep paying his agent some $$ to throw his name around and tank interviews or ask for too much money and never get a job. He could claim his reputation is irreparably harmed by his "Big Game James" moniker and record and can't get a suitable job lol.

James Franklin is only 52 years old and I am sure he would love an opportunity to prove Penn State wrong. If I was Virginia Tech I would be falling over myself to get bring him in.

I'd be falling all over myself to retire as a millionaire at 52 but that's also why I'm not in coaching.

(10-14-2025 02:04 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 01:58 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 01:07 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 08:44 AM)tf8693 Wrote:  Did Penn State just give other schools permission to fire their head coaches

No more than UCLA or Arkansas did.

(10-14-2025 12:29 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  If every coaches buyout is structured the way Franklin's it really isn't that onerous. The have six and a half seasons to pay it and Franklin is obligated to find work in a similar field and obligated to receive a market rate contract. My guess is Penn State won't pay a dime after this season.

Franklin is under no legal obligation to be a college coach. Patrick Ewing walked away with a sizeable buyout at Georgetown and he will never coach again.

You say that, but according to the article he can't just sit at home or pick up a couple of shifts at 7-11 and collect his money.

Here's are those clauses from his contract, courtesy of FOS:

Once terminated, Coach is obligated to diligently search for and make a good faith effort to obtain another position appropriate for his skill set (i.e., coaching, scouting and broadcasting only) and to provide the university upon request with evidence that he is seeking such employment.

I'd take the broadcasting. Decent money and way less headaches.

That’s what I’d do if I was Franklin.

He’s still “young” so he can take a 3 year break getting a broadcasting job and then see what P4 HC jobs become available.

(10-14-2025 12:12 PM)ouflak Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 09:42 AM)Gitanole Wrote:  ....
That secured, it’s better these days to act sooner rather than later.

I really wonder if that's true. Have coaches hired early after the departure of a previous coach been remarkably more successful than average?

Granted, haste like this looks awful. But it is not about predicting next year’s record. It’s about preserving the present recruiting class.

Past a certain point, keeping the wrong hire around means the right players leave. It is much better to have your current commits and potential recruits take a ‘wait and see’ stance than to watch them stampede for the door.

(10-14-2025 02:04 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 01:58 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 01:07 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(10-14-2025 08:44 AM)tf8693 Wrote:  Did Penn State just give other schools permission to fire their head coaches

No more than UCLA or Arkansas did.

(10-14-2025 12:29 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  If every coaches buyout is structured the way Franklin's it really isn't that onerous. The have six and a half seasons to pay it and Franklin is obligated to find work in a similar field and obligated to receive a market rate contract. My guess is Penn State won't pay a dime after this season.

Franklin is under no legal obligation to be a college coach. Patrick Ewing walked away with a sizeable buyout at Georgetown and he will never coach again.

You say that, but according to the article he can't just sit at home or pick up a couple of shifts at 7-11 and collect his money.

Here's are those clauses from his contract, courtesy of FOS:

Once terminated, Coach is obligated to diligently search for and make a good faith effort to obtain another position appropriate for his skill set (i.e., coaching, scouting and broadcasting only) and to provide the university upon request with evidence that he is seeking such employment.

I'd take the broadcasting. Decent money and way less headaches.

What is a "good faith effort"? Define it exactly. What are the parameters of it ?

The burden of proof that Franklin failed to give it the ole college try, and that failure should terminate a $49 million buyout, would rest with Penn State.