James Franklin finally got his 107,000 strong late last week, eclipsing the 107,000 follower mark on Twitter.
An unnoticed moment to most but it’s a symbolic milestone for a coach pushing hard to fill Beaver Stadium with that same number each and every week of the football season.
Following coaches on social media will give you a bizarre combination of public relations coupled with the occasional glimpse into the coaches’ personal lives.
Neither offering is usually very insightful, but following along is nothing short of mandatory for anyone who considers themselves a devoted fan.
Penn State football’s growing relevance in the social media world is spearheaded, in large part, by alumnus turned social media czar Lauren Damone, is the latest in a long line of changes and upgrades for the program. While growing a social media presence may seem somewhat superfluous, it is its own kind of currency in a recruiting landscape where perception is nearly as important as reality.
Penn State won’t be winning any national titles on the backs of good tweets. But in a world where you may only ever interact with someone online, Penn State’s ability to carve out a niche in your digital life is not without its benefits.
Franklin is nearly winning that particular race in the Big Ten. Only Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh (279k) and Ohio State’s Urban Meyer (276k) have more followers.
While Franklin might have a way to go to catch up to the top of the pack, he still has quite a few notable followers in his 107,000 strong.
SportsCenter: A self explanatory follow for the world’s leading sporting news show.
Johnny Manziel: Johnny Football keeps tabs on Franklin while he looks to find a role with the Cleveland Browns.
Donald Driver: The former NFL receiver also takes the time to check in on Franklin. The two worked together in Green Bay in 2005.
Variety: Everyone needs to be well cultured, so that includes keeping tabs on some college football coaches.
Melissa Joan Hart: Even Sabrina the Teenage Witch needs her fix of college football. She follows over 100,000 people, so maybe this one isn’t a genuine as we would like to hope.
Shawn Johnson: The former olympian has been up to State College on a handful of occasions and must have enjoyed her visits.
Ali Krieger: The former Nittany Lion and US women’s soccer defender is maybe one of the least surprising names on this list.
Pat Fitzgerald: Northwestern’s coach has always had a thing for Penn State and that now extends to keeping an eye on Franklin.
Todd Blackledge: A former Penn State quarterback and TV announcer is almost too obvious to be noted here.
Pedro Gomez: The well known ESPN baseball reporter found himself in State College for Signing Day last year.
*Honorable mentions: ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Sara Walsh and Sam Ponder*
