The post Oregon’s Dan Lanning shares blunt perspective on James Franklin firing appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning offered a raw take on the harsh realities of major college football after Penn State fired James Franklin. His comments show the unforgiving nature of coaching at the highest level.
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“That’s the business that we’re in. It’s a heavy pressure position, there’s high expectations, fanbases want to win — they expect that. You know, there’s some really good coaches that it’s really about what have you done lately, and that’s college football. That’s the world we live in,” Lanning commented on Tuesday regarding Penn State’s decision to fire Franklin, according to On3 Sports.
“So, it is what it is, right? There’s not a lot you can say about it other than go do your job and try your best to go win games,” Lanning later added.
What led to Penn State’s shocking decision to fire James Franklin?
Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft fired Franklin Sunday morning after the Nittany Lions lost their third consecutive game. The decision came less than 24 hours after a disappointing home loss to Northwestern.
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Franklin’s 12-year tenure ended with a 104-45 record and six 10-win seasons. He went 4-21 against AP top-10 opponents at Penn State, including just 1-18 versus top-10 Big Ten teams in conference play.
It all started with Oregon’s 30-24 double-overtime win at Beaver Stadium on Sept. 27. Lanning’s sixth-ranked Ducks handed the No. 3 Nittany Lions their first loss of the season. Penn State then lost back-to-back games as 20-plus-point favorites to UCLA and Northwestern.
“I’m here to win a national championship,” Kraft said Monday. “And I believe our fans deserve that.”
The buyout will cost Penn State approximately $49 million, the second-largest in college football history behind Jimbo Fisher’s $76 million buyout at Texas A&M.
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Duke’s Manny Diaz and Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman sympathized with Franklin’s staff and their families. But Lanning kept it simple about coaching survival. Terry Smith takes over as interim coach with Penn State sitting at 3-3. The program is looking for a new coach after a surprising drop from being a playoff contender to needing a complete rebuild.
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