James Franklin’s $3.2M Plan to Kill Ryan Day’s Promise as Ohio State Hit Crisis Right Before Celebration Parade

Dennis Sutton, the Penn State defensive end, summarized his team’s attitude for the next season in a few words, ” unfinished business to chase the elusive championship”. And that’s exactly the mood in the Penn State locker room right now. James Franklin‘s Penn State had to face a bitter loss on 9th January against Notre Dame in the playoff. That hasn’t changed the enthusiasm in the locker room even a bit. And it seems the Nittany Lions head coach is out to seek redemption in the 2025 season. With him making moves left, right, and center, it’s looking like even Ryan Day will feel its chills in the night.

Things were starting to look quite favorable for James Franklin until his defensive coordinator, Tom Allen, was poached by Clemson Tigers. Who left Penn State owing to his admiration for Swinney and close proximity to his home with his daughters. But, even in this crisis, he has gone all in to pull off a hail mary in trying to hire ace Ohio State DC Jim Knowles. And with an offer already made by Penn State close to $3.2 Million, it seems Franklin isn’t budging down any soon.

Zach Seyko, who runs the ‘Locked on Nittany Lions‘ podcast on YouTube, has a definite update on Franklin’s exploits, “Why Penn State has a chance to land one of the best defensive coordinators if not the best defensive coordinator in the entire country is because Penn State’s already a national title Contender. He would have a chance to win back-to-back titles all while getting a pay raise.” And Zach is right in every respect, to be precise. Because he will come to a squad that is teaming with potential to win the 2025 championship, as they were placed no.1 in Stewart Mandel’s 2025 projections. But why Penn State is adamant on hiring Knowles?

Seyko does provide an answer to this question, “Penn State has been so selective with its defensive coordinator candidate because they want to follow and have a similar system. So that there’s not this complete overhaul and there is some consistency. Penn State wants to run the 425 and guess what Jim Knowles runs a 425 as well, so Penn State is loaded with not only just pure talent but the right talent to fit.” Well, that does explain a lot. And with Franklin’s team looking the same as it was in 2024, the philosophy will help the team’s chemistry and cohesion as well. But is there a catch? Well, there definitely is.

Because, for one, Ohio State doesn’t like playing catch up in the hiring market. And that seems very evident in their immediate reaction to Franklin’s poaching exploits. So, what did they do? Well, of course, they have made him an offer he can’t surely refuse. For starters, they offered a new contract to the DC that will make him the highest-earning DC in college football. Mind you, he already has a $2.5 Million deal in his bag till 2027 with Ohio, and if he accepts the renewed offer. That may mean troubling waters ahead for James Franklin. But, still, Franklin may have a way to disrupt Day’s victory parade after all.

Top Comment by Outside source

No – some of the insight and info sounds petty. The new DC will not guarantee a Championship. Good...more

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How may the development affect Ryan Day’s victory parade?

Well, Ryan Day and Ohio State were some happy lads on 20th January after winning the championship. But their happiness may well have some darker clouds on the horizon. If Seyko is to be believed, Penn State plans to announce Jim Knowles’ signing soon. And it’s coming at a terrible time.

Seyko said, “I think Jim Knowles maybe has his mind made up as far as what he is going to do but a decision officially publicly will not happen until after the Championship parade….if the decision happens it will be after the Championship parade whether that’s Sunday evening going into the next day on Monday. I think we’re going to hear about this news relatively soon.” Well, this would essentially mean that Ryan Day will go into the parade knowing that his ace DC is departing to Penn State. And maybe he will have one more worry to think about going into the much-awaited victory parade.