Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
1 2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M The Penn State board of trustees did not wait until the very last minute to alter head coach James Franklin's contract to account for the 12-team College Football Playoff, but it certainly was on the clock heading into the postseason. "The Committee on Equity and Human Resources voted unanimously to revise the performance incentives section in Coach James Franklin's contract," a school spokesperson said on Nov. 29. "The change accounts for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff format." Under the 10-year, $70 million contract that he signed in 2021, Franklin is eligible to receive $800,000 if his team wins a national title, $500,00 if it finishes as the runner-up in a given year, $400,000 if it reaches the CFP final four, $300,000 if the team makes a non-playoff New Year's Six Bowl, and $200,000 for appearing in any other bowl game. Penn State is not releasing a new term sheet, so it's not known what the committee is changing. However, it likely has to do with the addition of first-round and quarterfinal CFP games. During the tournament's first 10 years, there were only four teams and two rounds. Franklin's base salary this year is $7 million. He is owed a $500,000 retention bonus on Dec. 31, and he receives a $1 million annual life insurance loan, so he was set to earn at least $8.5 million before any postseason incen- tives kick in. He earned a $250,000 bonus when the Nit- tany Lions qualified for the Big Ten Championship Game. — Greg Pickel Penn State Amends James Franklin's Contract Franklin's base salary is $7 million this year, and there are bonuses tied to Penn State's appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game and the upcoming College Football Playoff. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL PENN STATE DUO TABBED AS NFL FIRST-ROUNDERS Longtime ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper updated his 2025 big board recently, and two Penn State players were on it. Junior defensive end Abdul Carter was No. 3, while senior tight end Tyler Warren was No. 20. "Carter is versatile and has plenty of experience effectively operating as an off-ball line- backer, helping him crack 60 tackles in each of the past two seasons at Penn State," Kiper noted. "The hope this season was that he would make a dent in opponents' game plans as a pass rusher off the edge. So far, so good. "Carter has the traits to wreak havoc there, getting pressure on 16.4 percent of his pass- rush snaps. He is instinctive and fast flying to the football." As for Warren, Kiper said NFL teams will like his versatility. "He can be used as a traditional in-line tight end, at H-back, at fullback, out of the slot or lined up out wide. He's a reliable pass catcher, and once the ball is in his hands, he can break free," Kiper wrote. "He was incredible against USC in October, hauling in 17 catches for 224 yards and a TD. It tied for the most single-game catches by a tight end in FBS history." Three additional Penn State players appeared in Kiper's positional rankings. Junior Drew Allar was seventh at quarterback, while junior Kevin Winston Jr. and senior Jaylen Reed were third and ninth, respectively, at safety. Reed will be wrapping up his college career in the playoff, but Winston and Allar had decisions to make as of early December. Both could declare for the draft in the coming weeks — the deadline is Jan. 15 — but they have a year of eligibility remaining and may elect to use it. Winston missed nearly the entire season due to an injury he suffered in Week 2 against Bowling Green. — Greg Pickel FRANKLIN, LOCKSLEY SPAR VERBALLY AFTER LATE TD VERSUS MARYLAND Backup quarterback Beau Pribula hit freshmen receiver Tyseer Denmark in the back of the end zone for a 10-yard score as time expired to complete Penn State's 44-7 victory over Maryland on Nov. 30. Terps coach Mike Locksley was clearly upset when he met James Franklin for the postgame handshake moments later, and he made his feelings crystal clear at his postgame news conference. "Bull---- is what it was," Locksley said. "I respect the game. Got a lot of respect for James and his program. I think it was bull----." Franklin, too, was asked about the tense exchange and the decision that sparked it. He pointed out that Penn State had its backups in the game, while Maryland was still playing its starters. "It's my job to put the threes and fours into the game," he said. "But when the threes and fours go into the game, they get to play football. Those guys deserve to play football. Your ones are in the game. You were trying to score, we're trying to score. On top of that, you're playing Cover 0. If you don't want [to face a pass], play Cover 2. So, I'm good with it. "There's also a change in college football. We're trying to play as long as we can, make the playoffs, and be seeded as high as possible. Point differential matters. All that matters. If you don't get that, it's really not my problem." — Greg Pickel