Former Crimson Tide HC believes James Franklin’s firing from Penn State was ‘unfair’
Nick Saban calls James Franklin’s firing “unfair as hell,” defending the former Penn State coach’s legacy after a disappointing 2025 season and continued struggles under interim leadership.
Historic Alabama coach and sports broadcaster Nick Saban isn’t one to hand out sympathy in college football. However, during a recent ESPN College GameDay interview, the seven-time national champion came to the defense of recently fired Penn State head coach James Franklin, calling the move “unfair”—especially for a program that hasn’t looked any better without him.
Nick Saban doesn’t speak lightly when it comes to coaching legacies.
When the seven-time national champion weighed in on Penn State’s decision to fire James Franklin, his words carried both authority and empathy.
“You know, you made the statement it’s not up to you to decide what’s fair or unfair,” Saban told Franklin during ESPN’s College GameDay. “I’m going to answer it—it’s unfair as hell. For you to go to the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, get in the Final Four and come out being ranked No. 1 this year, an expectation that you created by what you accomplished at Penn State. And for those people to not show enough appreciation for that and gratitude for all the hard work that you did, I’m saying it’s unfair.”
For once, Saban, the sport’s embodiment of accountability, wasn’t preaching toughness, but defending the importance of keeping things in perspective.
Franklin’s firing ended a 12-year tenure that transformed Penn State from a program under NCAA sanctions to a perennial contender. He tied the second-most wins in school history (104), won the 2016 Big Ten Championship, and was named Coach of the Year that same season. Unfortunately, his 4-21 record vs. AP Top 10 opponents and Penn State’s rocky 2025 campaign (a 3-4 start capped by four straight losses) left fans and boosters restless.
Still, Saban argued that the standard Franklin built ultimately became his undoing. “Being No. 1 out of the box this year, do you think that affected how your team prepared to start the season?” he asked. “I hated that, absolutely hated it, because you didn’t know how it was going to affect your team.”
Franklin agreed that expectations were part of the challenge. However, he also believes that those expectations are part of what made the job meaningful. “We created that pressure, and I think that’s something I’m most proud of,” he said. “When I took over the program 12 years ago, it was in a very different situation. . . one of the most historical sanctions in NCAA history. We got them back to being a consistent contender.”
That consistency is what made his firing sting so badly. Under Franklin, Penn State reached two New Year’s Six bowls, rebuilt its recruiting pipeline, and reestablished Penn State football as a national brand. Now, without him, the Nittany Lions have continued to stumble. Interim coach Terry Smith oversaw another loss to Iowa last weekend, with the same offensive woes and late-game collapses repeating themselves.
Saban’s defense wasn’t sentimental. It was given out of deep professional respect—one legend recognizing another who carried a program out of darkness. Franklin didn’t meet every expectation, but as Saban put it, he earned far more appreciation than he got.
Penn State Nittany Lions News
With Allar out for season and Grunkemeyer struggling, Penn State’s QB crisis deepens
Penn State’s season has spiraled from playoff hopes to collapse. After four straight losses and mounting quarterback injuries, the post-Franklin era offers no quick fix.
