In college football, as in politics, people get tired of the incumbent. Penn State fans have felt that way about James Franklin for a few years now, even though he won a ton of games. He was either going to make them happy by winning a national championship, or he would stumble and get thrown out of office.
It feels unprecedented. But Franklin’s tenure in State College ended in pretty much the same way, and for the same reasons, as Andy Reid’s time with the Eagles and Dan Quinn’s with the Falcons. College sports are pro sports now, and Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft acted like a professional franchise owner: He paid a successful coach to go away so he could go hire another one. Penn State owes Franklin a $49 million buyout.
