Penn State head coach James Franklin reacts after losing to Oregon in the second overtime of their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

James Franklin put some closure on his Penn State tenure by appearing as a guest on ESPN Gameday Saturday morning.

Franklin said he was “pretty much in shock” after being informed of his dismissal last Sunday afternoon by Athletic Director Pat Kraft, who according to Franklin, “walked in and said, ‘We’re going to make a change, I’m sorry.”

The Nittany Lions (3-3) were ranked No. 2 by the Associated Press to start this season but lost three straight, including to a pair of unranked teams, which sparked fan unrest and “Fire Franklin” chants at Beaver Stadium.

Franklin, who was 104-45 in 12 seasons, said the decision was “hard for me to comprehend,” but he shifted to the good days he said he had at Penn State.

“What I want to focus on is all the unbelievable moments,” he said. “I had a great run there — 12 years. Penn State was good to me and my family. I’m very grateful for the time we had and most important the relationships.”

Franklin called himself “a player’s coach” and said “that’s the hardest part.”

After he was informed, he alerted his family so the daughters wouldn’t learn of it on the internet and met with the team for a “super emotional” farewell.

He mentioned “tough conversations” with committed recruits as well as support staff.

“What I don’t think people realize is how many people this affects – a ton,” he said. “That’s where my heart breaks.”

He said he encouraged his players to “take a deep breath. Everything is going to be fine.”

As for his family, Franklin said his wife, Fumi, “is the toughest one in the family so I’m not worried about her.”

His daughters, Addy and Shola, were 5 and 4 years old when he he was hired in 2014. Addy is now in college and Shola is a senior in high school.

“We were blessed for the majority of their upbringing was in State College,” Franklin said. “My youngest thought she was going to Penn State. Obviously, the plans have changed.”

Franklin left no doubt he intends to coach again, perhaps as soon as next season.

“I thought we were going to win a national championship (at PSU),” he said. “We were close. That goal hasn’t changed. I don’t know anything else. I don’t have hobbies. I don’t golf, I don’t fish. This has been such a big part of my identity. … We’re going to go win a national championship at the highest level.”

The ESPN panel thanked and praised Franklin for his appearance on the show, and former Alabama coach Nick Saban criticized Penn State’s decision.

“It’s unfair as hell,” Saban said. “For you to go the Rose Bowl (2016, 2022) the Fiesta Bowl (2017) and get to the (College Football Playoff) final four (last year) … and for those people not to show enough appreciation, I’m saying it’s not fair.”