Penn State football has provided us with thrills, chills, and some “Wait, what just happened?” throughout the season. The 2024 season was a rollercoaster ride in Happy Valley. The squad entered the College Football Playoff with an 11-1 record, with fans dreaming big and opponents anxiously looking at their schedules. However, they didn’t have a good outing in the Big 10 Championship game, as the Lions fell to the Oregon Ducks. In the playoffs, James Franklin’s team reached the semis in what some described as a surprise. Just one step away from the chance to play for the natty, Penn State lost to Notre Dame by the margin of a field goal. The finish to the season was disappointing for the Nittany Lions. However, overall, it can still be perceived as a success. A success that has been in the making thanks to some changes in the background.

The NIL journey of the Penn State program has been more of a comedy of errors than a recruiting masterclass lately. Powerhouse programs like Michigan and Ohio State have been throwing NIL money around like confetti at a parade. Penn State’s approach has been, let’s say, a bit more “pennywise” — and not in the scary clown way, just in the “where’s my wallet?” way. Back when NIL initially exploded onto the college football landscape, James Franklin was rather adamant: this entire NIL trend just wasn’t Penn State’s style. He believed it didn’t mesh with the program’s culture.

What shifted? A 43-year-old Athletic Director, Patrick Kraft. James Franklin appeared on the April 25 episode of the Next Up With Adam Breneman show. Naturally, given their close finish in the playoffs, Breneman asked the boiling question. “What do you think are the final couple of steps that need to happen to win a national championship?”

“I think the biggest thing is that we’ve done a great job of this, and it kind of goes back to your point earlier that everything matters, right? I think early on in the program, we would pick and choose the things that we would compete in; it was like, ‘We don’t need facilities.’ Well, everybody else needs them, and we were able to get those things done,” Franklin answered.

The Penn State head coach then elaborated on the role his AD has played in bringing about that change to the program. “Pat’s done a really good job where I felt like before maybe it was me pounding that drum by myself and Pat being very supportive and understanding for us to go where we want to go,” Franklin told Breneman.

Penn State’s football program brought in roughly $113 million in revenue for 2023-24. Meanwhile, the entire athletic department brought in nearly $220 million. Now, the kicker here is that out of the approximately $20 million allocated for NIL payments, Penn State is distributing a substantial $16 million to its football players. It’s a significant change from the good old days when players received nothing more than glory and Gatorade. This revenue sharing indicates Penn State’s attempting to stay current in the NIL arms race, ensuring its stars receive a piece of the pie they helped create.

When it comes to Penn State’s NIL turnaround, James Franklin hasn’t hesitated to acknowledge AD Pat Kraft. “I think especially in Pat’s last two years we’ve really made a move in those areas,” Franklin said. Kraft didn’t simply discuss putting Penn State on an even playing field—he rolled up his sleeves, consolidating collectives, fighting for resources, and making all 31 sports competitive at the highest level.

Money is the Answer

Franklin, in every classic Franklin fashion, kept it real and straightforward. “We have to compete in everything we’ve got to have the best coordinators, we’ve got to have the best coaches, we’ve got to have the best players, uh, we’ve got to be able to capitalize,” Franklin told Breneman.

Franklin’s staff features some hot-headed diamonds, such as offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. On defense, James Franklin spent top dollar to hire Jim Knowles, the OC who won the national championship with the Buckeyes in 2024. James Franklin credited the administration and staff for finally taking NIL support seriously, stating that it has become non-negotiable for anyone who wants to compete with the big dogs.

Penn State must continue to evolve, not only on the field but also off it, fostering a culture that encourages players to stay and grow instead of leaving for a better NIL deal. Penn State’s recent NIL efforts—driven by collectives like We Are, Success With Honor, and Lions Legacy Club—are focused on making football a priority, ensuring the team can compete for five-star recruits and fill roster gaps quickly. Franklin and AD Pat Kraft have pushed for more alumni and booster support, knowing that without it, Penn State risks falling behind in the arms race for talent.