Zeroing in on Candidates for Coach of the Year … and Not Coach of the Year.Third Quarter: James Franklin’s ReboundJames Franklin’s 2025 journey has been completely unfathomable, but perhaps it ends in a better place for all involved parties.

With ex-Penn State football coach James Franklin moving on to take the Virginia Tech job, the Big Ten school is saving nearly $40 million of Franklin’s buyout. Franklin signed a 10-year, $75 million contract with Penn State in 2021, which means the school owed him a $49 million buyout.