"Nick Saban, ex-Alabama coach but still somehow patron saint of college football, had some things to say during yesterday's edition of College GameDay about the "ugliness" faced by his former coaching peer, James Franklin. Saint Nick wants the world to know that it was "unfair as hell" for Penn State to fire Franklin in the middle of what's been a disastrous season for the Nittany Lions. Saban got these feelings off his chest when Franklin joined the GameDay crew for the softest of softball interviews."
"The entire interview was an absurd attempt to reverse any reputational damage this season might have brought Franklin. The whole panel talked to Franklin, who will be living fat off his buyout for the next few years, as if he had just been diagnosed with a terminal illness. For his part, Franklin made the case that he had done everything that was asked of him at Penn State, and that things just went a little awry this season."
Nick Saban publicly defended James Franklin, calling Penn State's midseason firing "unfair as hell" and speaking for Franklin on College GameDay. The broadcast emphasized Franklin's 12-season accomplishments—Rose and Fiesta Bowl wins, a playoff Final Four appearance, and a preseason top ranking—while minimizing a 4-21 record against AP top-10 opponents. The interview framed Franklin sympathetically as he characterized the season as a temporary derailment and downplayed losses like the defeat to winless UCLA. Franklin highlighted meeting program expectations and promised championship-level results to future employers. The segment reflected coaching fraternity pushback against rising performance and job-security demands.
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