For over 11 years, James Franklin led the Nittany Lions, pouring out his blood and sweat for Penn State. But with three back-to-back losses, AD Pat Kraft bid him farewell. But it wasn’t easy, decade-old memories stitched on the University Park campus, with future plans in making, the beloved coach parted ways. Penn State meant a lot to him and his family. His youngest daughter, Addison, was already planning to join the program.

On Saturday, Franklin made his first appearance at Athens following his controversial firing. On the set of College GameDay, he shared a personal nugget about the whole saga and how it affected his daughter. Addison was planning to join Penn State, but “obviously those plans have changed,” he said. Over the week, he has spent a lot of time with his daughter and comforting her over the sudden developments around his dismissal.

Oregon’s defeat was upsetting, but no one was ready for losses against UCLA and Northwestern. Happy Valley was draped in gloom. At Beaver Stadium, cameras zoomed in on his face, waiting for his reaction. But for the head coach, who was already on a hot seat, the 21-22 loss hammered his chances for a comeback. Post-game, he was consoled by his family. He held his daughters, Shola and Addison, in a tight embrace.

Last season, as well, when the program blew its national championship chances against Notre Dame, Addison was there for him. With tears pooling in her eyes, she embraced him in the back hallways of Hard Rock Stadium. Not just post-game, Franklin and his daughters have a wholesome pre-game ritual as well. They hold hands, taking a lap around the field.

Franklin shares a close-knit bond with his family. Back in 2020 (during the pandemic), he wanted to protect his loved ones, especially Addison, who suffers from anemia, a sickle cell disease that affects the immune system. The college football season was about to start, and Franklin didn’t want to take any chances, so he isolated himself. “There was a lot of tears, a lot of emotion having this conversation,” Franklin said on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. “So a lot of heartache over it.”

Franklin’s firing has been a major blow to his family. Although his hot seat was already a talk of the town, what was more shocking was the timing of the call.

James Franklin on abrupt firing

As James Franklin narrates the saga, his firing did not occur during a proper meeting. Rather a quick and brutal phone call just 30 minutes before Sunday’s practice. And just like that, a man who had given more than a decade of his life to the Penn State football program was gone. “It was that quick. I was in shock,” he said on GameDay.

Following that, he immediately informed his roster. “Most importantly, it’s all about the players. I’m a players’ coach, I always have been. So, that’s the hardest part, is walking away from all those young men in that locker room,” he said. His contributions to the PSU program have been immense. With 59 NFL Draft picks, 32 major national award winners/finalists, and 18 All-American selections, he has made his legacy.

He continued, adding to his point, “The recruits that were committed to us, a lot of tough conversations. That’s the challenge, it’s the people at the end of the day.” PSU alum and Nebraska head coach, Matt Rhule praised his efforts, which led Penn State to 11 wins in last year’s campaign. “I’m really sad to see Coach Franklin go,” said Rhule, who started his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at University Park.