"Young people are resistant to change": When James Franklin revealed his model for success & rising to prominence

James Franklin has built a perennial Big Ten contender in his 11-season tenure at Happy Valley. The Penn State Nittany Lions head coach has led the team to six 10-win seasons, including the last three years.

However, before he was named head coach at Penn State, Franklin turned around another program in the South. In a “Next Up With Adam, Breneman” interview from June 2023, Franklin talked about his model for success.

Franklin started coaching in 1995, but it was during his first head coaching job at Vanderbilt that he could really see his model at work.

“Typically, young people think that there’s only one way to be successful and this is what we know," Franklin said. "They are resistant to change. On top of that, for me, I took a job at Vanderbilt. One winning season in 30 years before we had gotten there.

“Had gone two and 10, I think, the previous two years before we showed up on campus, and I was just naive enough to take that job and confident enough, and then we were able to have success … So if we could do it there with less, now let’s come to Penn State and do more with more. But the success that we had there really gave us confidence in our model and how we do it,” he added.

James Franklin arrived at Vanderbilt in 2011. The Commodores were considered one of the weakest SEC programs at the time, with only one winning season since 1982. The Langhorne, Pennsylvania native turned things around for the team, winning nine games in his second and third seasons, before moving on to coach at Penn State.

His success in Happy Valley is a more controversial topic. While the team has been a contender for the Big Ten title for most of his 11 seasons there, they have struggled to beat top competition, with a 1-15 record against top-five teams.

Franklin and the Nittany Lions once again enter this season as favorites to at least contend for the conference title. They will open the season on Aug. 30 against Nevada.

James Franklin Blue-White spring game with a twist

The Penn State Nittany Lions are not going the Nebraska route and canceling the Blue-White game. James Franklin announced on Tuesday that the team will hold its annual spring game on Apr. 26, right after the spring transfer portal, which will close a day earlier.

After their run to the CFP semifinals, the Nittany Lions had to adjust their schedule, which means the game will be played on an unexpected date.

Franklin also announced changes to the way the team conducts the game.

"I think the biggest modification that we will make is very similar to what we did with Tyler Warren and Olu (Fashanu). We'll modify specific guys rather than modify the whole program, because, to me, that's the hard part,” Franklin said.

That means that veterans will spend less time on the field, and the game will feature more of the younger student-athletes.