Penn State has begun the most high-profile coaching search of the season so far, as it moves to replace James Franklin, who was let go after nearly 12 years with the program. Franklin lifted Penn State from the wake of NCAA sanctions to a top-10 team that won a Big Ten title, three New Year's 6 bowl games and two College Football Playoff games.

James Franklin's buyout will cost Penn State tens of thousands per day originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

James Franklin's buyout was a major part of the story when Penn State decided to fire him Sunday, but the Nittany Lions reportedly could avoid paying all of it.

Terry Smith says he's willing to do whatever he can to help Penn State win in his role as the interim head football coach of the Nittany Lions. Smith, who was named interim head coach of the team on Sunday following the firing of James Franklin, addressed the media on Monday at a press conference alongside athletic director Pat Kraft.

Penn State Nittany Lions stunned the college football world when it fired longtime coach James Franklin on Sunday, Oct. 12, creating one of the sport’s most high-profile openings. The move came after a string of mixed results and controversies that left the program at a crossroads,

The college football regular season isn't yet half over and there are already eight coaching vacancies. We rank the most-appealing destinations.

Penn State was one win away from playing for a national title last year. How did it fall apart so fast? In the end, it was about one issue that plagued Penn State throughout James Franklin’s tenure. Unlock Digital Access for unlimited access to Inquirer.com and The Inquirer App, plus 5 articles per month to gift to friends and family.