Penn State gives new deal to James Franklin worth $5.73M per season
— -- Penn State?has approved a new six-year contract extension for football coach James Franklin, the school announced Friday.
Franklin will average $5.73 million annually over the length of the new deal, his agent told ESPN's Chris Low.?
Franklin was scheduled to make $4.7 million this year under his previous deal. The new contract places Franklin among the five highest-paid coaches in college football along with Alabama's Nick Saban, Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, Ohio State's Urban Meyer and Florida State's Jimbo Fisher.?
Franklin's deal will total $34.3 million over its six years.
After back-to-back 7-6 seasons in Franklin's first two years in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions won the Big Ten last year. Penn State finished 11-3 and No. 6 in the country after starting 2-2, capping the program's best season in the post-Joe Paterno era with a 52-49 loss to Southern California in the Rose Bowl. A blowout loss to Michigan last September had Penn State fans doubting Franklin's ability to turn around a program that was still recovering from NCAA sanctions brought on by the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
Athletic director Sandy Barbour was even compelled to give Franklin a public vote of confidence.
The deal has been in the works for months. It was given approval by the board of trustees on Friday.
"I am pleased with the progress our program has made in the community, in the classroom and on the field,'' Franklin said in a statement. "I look forward to diligently working with President [Eric] Barron and Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour on implementing a plan that puts our University and our student-athletes in the best position to compete on the field and in life.''
Franklin replaced Paterno's successor, Bill O'Brien, in 2014. The Pennsylvania native was 24-15 in three seasons at Vanderbilt before taking the Penn State job. Last season the Nittany Lions rebounded from a ragged and injury-filled start with a nine-game winning streak that included a come-from-behind victory in the Big Ten championship game against Wisconsin.
Franklin was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
"James and his staff have done an exceptional job with our football student-athletes and in all aspects of the football program,'' Barbour said. "His values are Penn State's values and they resonate throughout every member of the organization and team he has built.''
Penn State has ESPN's No. 3-ranked recruiting class for 2018, which would be its highest spot since ESPN began its recruiting rankings in 2006.?The Nittany Lions have 13 commits from the ESPN 300 for next season.
ESPN college football reporter Chris Low and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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