The magnitude of the Penn State Nittany Lions’ season-opening win over the University of Central Florida on Saturday (26-24) was tremendous for James Franklin. This former Pennsylvania-kid-returned-home-a-young-man has proven his ability to recruit, coach and win in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), arguably the best college football conference over the past decade. When Franklin accepted his former head coaching position at Vanderbilt University, he inherited a team that had won a total of four games over the previous two seasons. But in three years at the helm of the Vanderbilt Commodores football program, he compiled a record of 24-15, taking the Commodores to three consecutive bowl game victories and back-to-back nine-win seasons, their most in a single season since 1915.
The young African American man that the Penn State Coaching Search Committee selected to open a new era of scholar/athlete-empowerment from Beaver Stadium has already proven himself in the SEC… he is prepared, able and dedicated to his task.
When you look at the win-loss columns of athletic teams on every level, you understand that there is a certain psychology that goes along with the numbers you are reading. Is there an air of excellence? Do your athletes accept losses without remorse? Does your team settle for being mediocre? You must think about the mindset of not only the athletes, but the university as a whole when the football program has a total of 16 victories out of the 49 games played over the previous four years.
After meeting Coach Franklin earlier this spring, it was easy to see why he is such a successful recruiter. He is a no nonsense, shoot-from-the-hip young man. The recruiting process was one thing, but there was the question of how this year’s group of student athletes would receive this dynamic, energetic young coach with a bounce in his step and a smile that captivates. Would they buy into what Franklin would present to them? Would they be able to keep up the intense pace that he and his hand-picked enthusiastic staff set? How quickly would our new coach’s personality be seen through the players on the field and in the community?
These questions would be answered quickly.
Penn State has a rich football tradition. It seems like it was just yesterday that we celebrated “A CENTURY of EXCELLENCE,” by defeating the Miami Hurricanes in Tempe Arizona (Fiesta Bowl 14-10) for the 1986 National Championship. It is now 28 years later and the young men of Penn State were given the opportunity to play in the first international game ever of the school’s illustrious history. This would be an opportunity to look into the character of the team. A road trip of this magnitude could certainly allow for a lack of focus… some breaking of the team rules. Would the team take their leader’s aggressive personality as it went into battle on a field in Ireland against an opponent who narrowly escaped with a victory the previous year? Would it effectively battle an opponent who was returning many more starters and experienced players than itself?
The answer was a resounding “YES” on all accounts. The coach showed patience with players who made poor decisions. And despite those poor decisions, they remained aggressive because of Franklin’s short memory of them. He remained calm under pressure when there was 1:35 remaining in the game as his young offense stayed poised under the pressure of that final drive; even in the face of a fourth down with five yards to gain. It was obvious that the young men were prepped for that very moment… thanks to their new head coach.
WE ARE!