After the devastating defeat to Northwestern, James Franklin‘s 12-year tenure at Penn State came to an abrupt end. As soon as the news was announced, you could practically feel the air leaving Happy Valley. The feeling of stability that had kept recruits confined to PSU also left with him. The dominoes started to fall  within one hour after Franklin was fired. Kemon Spell, the explosive four-star running back who had been a key part of Penn State’s future, was the first to decommit. And with him, a steady stream of recruits rolled out, including Khalil Taylor.

Yes, Happy Valley has had a rough few weeks, and Ryan Day’s Ohio State has somehow made things worse. According to Jeremy Birmingham, Ohio State has extended an offer to Khalil Taylor. Not only is he a former Penn State commit, but there’s another connection. Taylor is the teammate of Jay Timmons, a cornerback in the class of 2026. Interestingly, the Buckeyes offered Khalil when Timmons was on an official visit to Columbus.

The timing wasn’t random. One program loses stability and its coach, while another quietly takes over and uses a personal connection to sow the seeds of something much bigger. For Penn State, Taylor’s decommitment from PSU wasn’t really shocking; when their head coach is fired, players frequently withdraw and wait to see how things work out.

But offering him during his best friend’s university trip to your campus? At that point, the situation shifts from randomness to strategy. Khalil is a 4-star out of Pine-Richland High School in Pittsburgh. The class of 2027 WR currently has 23 offers. After the chaos ends, Taylor could yet decide to recommit to PSU. For the time being, Ohio State has been able to do what it does best: keep one step ahead of the competition by using relationships as recruitment tools.

James Franklin’s firing sparks a recruiting freefall

After James Franklin got kicked out, Penn State’s world quickly fell apart. Recruiting was affected within hours of the release. Five-star running back Kemon Spell, who withdrew his promise less than an hour after the dismissal, was the first loss. He said, “Coach Franklin played a huge role in my recruitment and me being committed…Just suc-s to see him leave.” Then came a series of blows. Wideout Khalil Taylor, cornerback Gabriel Jenkins, and four-star offensive lineman Layton Von Brandt all did the same, leaving the once top-ranked 2027 class.

The chaos did not end with the 2027 class. Once ranked No. 17 nationally, the 2026 class also started to collapse. One of the most promising quarterbacks of the cycle, Troy Huhn, withdrew his commitment, depriving Penn State of a signal-caller for the class. Lions247 stated, “The decision to fire Franklin carries major recruiting implications,” and they were right. In an emotional note, defensive lineman Alexander Haskell flipped to Syracuse a few days later, stating, “They gave me an opportunity and I’m so thankful… but with the uncertainty surrounding the program, my family and I decided to reopen my recruitment.” Soon after, others like Jack Fuchs and Julian Peterson followed.

What makes matters worse is how public and quick it has become. These shifts are happening on social media, in press quotes, and in every recruitment tracker; these are not quiet, behind-the-scenes changes. Athletic Director Pat Kraft admitted as much, saying, “Student-athletes are flipping and going everywhere. Look, I’m not going to be naive.  I probably know that every Power Four team has reached out to our student-athletes already. That’s where the industry is.” For now, finding a new head coach is just one part of Penn State’s battle ahead, while another is rebuilding trust and the belief that State College is still a place worth betting your future on.