‘I get it’: Penn State’s James Franklin addresses mounting fan frustration after shocking two-game skid

James Franklin knows the mood inside Beaver Stadium this Saturday might not be particularly friendly. After two straight losses — a double-overtime heartbreaker to No. 3 Oregon and an unthinkable stumble at previously winless UCLA — Penn State’s season has shifted from playoff dreams to damage control.

Franklin, who’s seen and heard plenty from the fan base during his 12-year tenure, isn’t pretending the atmosphere will be comfortable when the Nittany Lions host Northwestern. Speaking after practice Wednesday, he said he understands fan frustration.

“We try to control the things that we can control,” Franklin said. “We’ve had this in the past. I obviously don’t want it, nobody wants it. I want the players to have a great experience, I want the coaches to have a great experience. I want the fans to feel good and be excited, and I know that we impact their mood for the week and the year.”

Franklin has taken Penn State from the depths of NCAA sanctions to consistent national relevance since arriving in 2014, winning a Big Ten title in 2016 and coming minutes shy of playing for a national title last season. Yet the next step — contending seriously for a national championship — has eluded him. The Nittany Lions entered 2025 ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25, their highest mark under Franklin, and were viewed as one of the most complete rosters in college football. Two losses in as many weeks, however, have once again raised questions about the program’s ability to break through with Franklin.

He has never shied away from tense moments with the crowd. Last October, moments after Penn State dropped its eighth straight game to Ohio State, he exchanged words with an upset fan near the tunnel at Beaver Stadium before leaving the field. The brief encounter came after yet another missed opportunity to topple a top-10 opponent — a recurring frustration during Franklin’s tenure — and symbolized the growing impatience around the program’s ceiling.

Even in less heated settings, Franklin has confronted criticism head-on. During Penn State’s spring game in April, he was seen approaching the stands to address an apparent heckler directly, inviting the fan to speak with him afterward. It was a small moment, but one that reflected his willingness to meet criticism face-to-face rather than ignore it.

“So I get it, I do,” Franklin continued. “Do I like it? Am I happy about it? No. But I get it. This is a place that’s got high expectations and high standards. I get it. But again, it’s outside of our control and we try and pour all of our energy on the things that we can control.”

Now 3-2, Penn State’s path forward depends on whether Franklin can not only quiet the noise, but flip the narrative.