Browns coaching search: Penn State to offer James Franklin HC job per report
By Peter Smith
Jan 4, 2014; Birmingham, AL, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores Coach James Franklin during the 2014 Compass Bowl at Legion Field. The Commodores defeated the Cougars 41-24. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
At Penn State, sources tell us that PSU plans to offer their head coaching position to James Franklin http://t.co/sNnVtycOD5
— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) January 7, 2014
Have every reason to believe the offer from PSU will be one that Franklin will accept
— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) January 7, 2014
According to multiple reports, but Football Scoop is the most aggressive and most vocal that Penn State is going to offer Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin their head coaching job. They also expect him to take it. Obviously, if he takes the job, he would be off of the list of candidates for the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns requested permission to interview Franklin as did Washington. Franklin had interviewed with the Houston Texans before they made their hire of Bill O’Brien. It is unclear just how interested the Browns were in Franklin, but Franklin does have a connection to CEO Joe Banner from their time with the Philadelphia Eagles. Franklin was an assistant with the Eagles for two years.
The favorites for the job appear to be Josh McDaniels, the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, Adam Gase, the offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos and Gus Malzahn, head coach of the Auburn Tigers, but they are still interviewing other candidates.