James Franklin has been the face of Penn State football for over a decade, but this may be his most revealing interview yet. In this episode, Adam Breneman sits down with Coach Franklin to talk about the challenges of NIL and the transfer portal, why players are staying at Penn State, and how he landed top defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

They dive deep into leadership, culture, and what it’ll take to bring a national championship to Happy Valley. Whether you're a Penn State fan, a college football diehard, or just want a masterclass in building a winning culture, this one is for you.

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CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Intro

:38 - Going from great to elite

2:32 - How the head coaching job has changed

5:55 - Hiring Jim Knowles

9:30 - Developing guys that stay in the program

11:28 - Preparing for revenue sharing in college football

13:25 - Non-negotiables for transfer portal players

16:02 - Evaluating young coaches

19:45 - What Coach Franklin is obsessed with

22:20 - Studying leadership

24:20 - The best time of Coach Franklin’s day

25:46 - Team meetings in 2014 vs now

27:40 - Sticking to the process

29:49 - Balancing what the program needs vs fan perception

32:54 - What keeps Coach Franklin up at night

34:00 - Drew Allar

35:40 - What it will take to win a National Championship

37:16 - NIL support at PSU

39:05 - Coach Franklin’s legacy

On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans.

Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.

Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.