When James Franklin began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Kutztown University in 1995, college football – and athletics in general – looked very different.
Players who chose to transfer had to sit out one season. Recruiting was more seasonal than a year-round endeavor. No one had heard of Name, Image and Likeness. If college athletes were paid, it was against the rules and done secretively.
Twenty-nine years later, many athletes change schools. Some wind up playing at four schools, something that once was never imagined. Recruiting is non-stop. NIL collectives pay athletes. Revenue-sharing is on the horizon.
Now as he prepares for his 11th season as the head coach at Penn State, Franklin deals with all those external factors just like coaches across the country.
He and the Nittany Lions again hope to contend for a championship in the first season of the 18-team Big Ten and for a berth in the College Football Playoff, expanded to 12 teams for the first time.
Franklin discussed the state of college football, new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, new defensive coordinator Tom Allen, the Beaver Stadium renovation plan and other topics in a one-on-one interview earlier this week.
Q: You said several years ago that you compared your job to being a CEO. With the transfer portal and roster management, NIL collectives and recruiting, how much of your time do you get to spend on actually coaching football?
Franklin: Typically, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., I block my schedule. If not, it’s an interview, it’s fund-raising. Recruiting will go on throughout the day. That’s kind of a mix. Now with all of the other things you’re talking about, if you don’t (block off time), you’re constantly getting pulled out. All my non-football specific responsibilities will happen before 8 o’clock or after 5 o’clock….
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/one-one-james-franklin-penn-034600726.html
Author : Reading Eagle, Pa.
Publish date : 2024-06-07 03:46:00
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