Monday is James Franklin’s second anniversary as head football coach at Penn State.
A lot has happened since the day he was hired. A lot.
It’s interesting to read what Franklin had to say 104 weeks, 14 wins, 12 losses, a fired offensive coordinator, a departed defensive coordinator and a disillusioned quarterback ago.
The following is an excerpt of his opening address and Q&A response — 6,718 words in all — from his introductory press conference, held in the Beaver Stadium media room on Jan. 11, 2014.
Franklin was introduced by and joined at the dais by Rodney Erickson and Dave Joyner, the university’s president and athletic director, respectively, at the time. (Erickson has since retired and Joyner resigned.)
Franklin’s opening remarks lasted 6 minutes and 54 seconds, and were part of an overall presser that lasted 48:55. Excerpts are listed in the chronological order that they were made.
(You can read the transcript in its entirety here.)
Mentioning his previous institution by name: “I’d like to start by thanking Vanderbilt University. I had an unbelievable experience there. Today was an emotional day to be able to go there and say goodbye to our team. That was a very emotional day saying ’bye to the 107 sons that we left back in Nashville. David Williams, the Athletics Director, was a tremendous mentor and leader. I’ll be forever grateful to him.”
His Penn State predecessors: “Honored to be joining a long line of great coaches with Bob Higgins, Rip Engle and the great Joe Paterno. Then Bill O’Brien, a guy that I worked with at the University of Maryland who I have tremendous respect, for is going to be a great resource for me, a guy that I can call and bounce questions off of. I know he’s going to do great things and we wish him the best of luck.”
Pennsylvania boy: “I’m excited to come home. That is probably the thing that I take the most pride in is — coming home. I’m a Pennsylvania boy with a Penn State heart, and so excited to be here.’
Academics: “Our academic philosophy: I believe in the true student‑athlete. This is a place where a young man can have it all. He can get a world-class education. He can play football at the very, very highest level, and reach all of his dreams. To me, that’s why we made this decision. … World-class academics, true student‑athletes and unrivaled football tradition. To walk out into that stadium just a few minutes ago and see one of the world-class facilities is unbelievable to me.”
Recruiting: “Our recruiting philosophy — we are going to dominate the state. We are going to dominate the state. We are going to dominate the region.
Uniting Penn State and the Commonwealth: “I think with everybody pulling the rope in the same direction there is no reason why we can’t take this program where everybody wants it to be. We should take great pride in representing the state of Pennsylvania. We should take great pride in being having the ability to play for Penn State University, and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to unite the coaches, were going to unite the community, and build this program where everybody wants it to be.”
Coaching history: “I’m a blue‑collar guy that had to work my way up the ladder to get in this position. If you look at my resume, it’s probably not a great example of who I am. I lived in nine different states and countries in my first nine years to get to this position. I’d still be at Vanderbilt right now if it wasn’t just such an unbelievable opportunity.”
The plan: “We’re coming here with the mindset that we’re going to build this program. We’re going to build it the right way, and were going to build it for the long haul. We plan on being here for a very, very long time. This is my dream job. This is where I want to be. … Our plan is to go out and win a bunch of games so we can stay here.”
Hiring assistants and loyalty: “I’m a guy that for the last 12 years has been creating a staff. I have a list of receiver coaches and tight end coaches and offensive coordinators and defensive coordinators for the right job and the right fit and the right setting making sure that we’re always prepared. That’s something you’re going to find from me, is we’re going to work very, very hard to be prepared for every situation that may come up.
“I am fiercely loyal as a person in general, and I’m going to be fiercely loyal to the guys that I’ve worked with in the past. But I also know that we’re going to sit down and have some discussions with some people that are here. I think there are some people that can help us in the transition. Guys that have strong Penn State ties, guys that understand this place.
“…Yeah, they’re both guys we’ll have discussions with. Ron [Vanderlinden] gave me my first big opportunity at the University of Maryland. I was there with him for one year. Larry [Johnson], I knew Larry very well because he recruited in the Maryland and D.C. area and had a lot of success. We’ve known each other through that.
“So, yeah, like I mentioned before: We’re going to sit down and talk to current coaches. We’re going to talk to coaches that have Penn State ties. Again, like I mentioned before, I’m fiercely loyal to the guys that were at Vanderbilt with me. And if you look at that staff, it’s a Northeast staff.
Relationships: “I’m a relationship guy. You guys are going to ask me what our offensive philosophy and defensive philosophy and special teams philosophy is — I really don’t care. To me it’s about people. I love kids. You’re not going to find a coach that cares more about their players than me, and their complete development, academically, athletically, socially, spiritually, the whole package. That’s what drives me.
“Again, I’m a relationship‑based person. So the way we interact with our players and the reason we’ve been successful at Vanderbilt is because we have unbelievable chemistry on our staff and with our players. That’s why we’ll be successful here as well because these kids will know how much we care about them. I believe you can be unbelievably challenging and demanding on people if you love them hard as well. That’s what we’re about.”
The community: ”So me and my wife (Fumi) and my children will be out in this community. We’ll not turn down a speaking engagement. We’ll get out and interact with people. People ask us to come speak at schools; we’re going to be there. People ask us to come speak at social events; we’re going to be there. People ask us to blow up balloons in their kid’s birthday party in the backyard; we’ll do that as well. We’ll do everything we can to bring this community back together and really take pride in this program and where we’re going and how we’re doing it, and you can’t get more excited. As much as I love this press conference, I really can’t wait for it to end so we can run out of here and get to work.”
Penn State’s offense: “What I would say is we’re going to run multiple pro‑style offense, defense and special teams. To me, I’m not a guy that’s going to pigeon hole what we’re going to do. I think my philosophy is you go out and hire really smart people, and you have a system that has flexibility to take advantage of all your strengths and hide your weaknesses. I think that’s what we all try to do in whatever organization or whatever business you’re in. You play to your strengths and hide your weaknesses, and that’s what we’re going to do.
“We’ll be pro‑style, multiple pro‑style offense, defense, and we’ll be aggressive in everything we do. When we get off the bus, we’ll be aggressive. The way we call the game, we’ll be aggressive. I think that’s very, very important. I think the fans want to see an exciting style of defense. I think the fans want to see an exciting style of offense and special teams.”
Quarterback Christian Hackenberg: “We’ll take calculated risks. We’re going to have fun. It always helps to have a quarterback. I don’t care whether it’s Little League, high school, college or the NFL. If you have a quarterback, you’ve got a chance. We feel very, very good about the quarterback we have in our program right now.”
Dominating the state: “I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but we’re going to dominate the state. That is the first thing that we’re going to do. I believe in the high school coaches in this state. I know how well [players are] coached and developed. I know how talented this state is as well. I know how important football is here. I think that’s very, very important. So that is the first thing we’re going to do. We’re going to work very, very hard and put a staff together that will help us dominate the state of Pennsylvania.”
Beaver Stadium: “What’s the stadium hold? (Reporter: 107,000.) Is there a reason you said 90,000? (Reporter: That’s when it’s at its worst, but I know you’re going to bring it back up.) 107,000 from here on out. That stadium will be sold out every single game from here on out.”
Back handsprings: “Penn State is a special place. There are only a handful of Penn States in this country. An opportunity to coach here is such a tremendous honor that I take so much pride in. We’re going to wake up every single morning, do a back handspring out of bed, excited about the opportunity to represent this great institution.”
“Healing” Penn State: “But the healing process is why I’m here. It’s why we’re all here, to bring this great university back together and try to unite the former players, the current players, the alumni, all the people. Because I think that is the reality is everybody just takes great pride in this university and they want to see it great in everything, academically, athletically, socially, spiritually, the whole package. I know that I’m a guy that believes that as well. I believe I’m here for that. So we’re going to work very, very hard in not only developing our student‑athletes in this football program, but also trying to reach out and connect with all the people that take such pride in this great university.”
Joe Paterno and former Penn State players: “Well, first of all, [I have] tremendous respect for Joe Paterno and what he did here and how he built this program. I think that the biggest thing is what I said before is that everybody is so passionate and has such strong opinions because they care so much about this university and what it stands for. I think the fact that they have someone sitting in this role right now that cares just as much about it as they do, I think is important.
“I’ve gotten a bunch of great phone calls in the last week. You know, Matt Millen has reached out and been great, really been supportive and has given me really good insight. LaVar Arrington has been great. As soon as he found out my dad side’s of the family was from the Hill, we connected right away and had a great conversation. Todd Blackledge, I had a chance to sit down with him doing the ESPN National Championship Game. He pulled me aside and we had a chance to have a good conversation.
“Last time me and my wife went on the Nike trip and developed a good relationship with Sue Paterno, and she reached out and sent an email to my wife as well. I think that’s what everybody’s looking for. They just want a great university. They want a great football program. They want to do it with honor and do it the right way, and that’s what we’re here to take this university and bring it back together and unite it so that we can all just be so, so proud of everything that it stands for on and off the field.
“We’re coming here to win football games, but we know ultimately we’re here to graduate players and educate kids. But the thing that excites us the most is the opportunity to make a positive impact on this community. When I say this community, I’m talking about State College, but I’m also talking about the state of Pennsylvania and this region. I think Penn State has the ability to touch so many people in such a positive way. And that’s what we want to do.”
