James Franklin has been the face of Penn State football for over a decade, but this may be his most revealing interview yet. In this episode, Adam Breneman sits down with Coach Franklin to talk about the challenges of NIL and the transfer portal, why players are staying at Penn State, and how he landed top defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
They dive deep into leadership, culture, and what it’ll take to bring a national championship to Happy Valley. Whether you're a Penn State fan, a college football diehard, or just want a masterclass in building a winning culture, this one is for you.
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CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
:38 - Going from great to elite
2:32 - How the head coaching job has changed
5:55 - Hiring Jim Knowles
9:30 - Developing guys that stay in the program
11:28 - Preparing for revenue sharing in college football
13:25 - Non-negotiables for transfer portal players
16:02 - Evaluating young coaches
19:45 - What Coach Franklin is obsessed with
22:20 - Studying leadership
24:20 - The best time of Coach Franklin’s day
25:46 - Team meetings in 2014 vs now
27:40 - Sticking to the process
29:49 - Balancing what the program needs vs fan perception
32:54 - What keeps Coach Franklin up at night
34:00 - Drew Allar
35:40 - What it will take to win a National Championship
37:16 - NIL support at PSU
39:05 - Coach Franklin’s legacy
On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans.
Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.
Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.
Next Up with Adam Breneman