The Penn State Fallout: What James Franklin’s Firing Says About College Football Loyalty and the Ripple Effect on the Hobby

The Penn State Fallout: What James Franklin’s Firing Says About College Football Loyalty and the Ripple Effect on the Hobby

College football loyalty isn’t what it used to be. One minute you’re the program’s savior, the next, you’re the scapegoat. Just ask James Franklin. After years at the helm of Penn State, turning them into a consistent top-15 program, the Nittany Lions finally pulled the plug. The move shocked some, but for many, it’s just another reminder of how fast college football chews up its own. 

The Coaching Carousel Never Stops Turning

Franklin’s buyout reportedly cost Penn State tens of millions, but apparently that didn’t matter. In today’s college landscape, schools are willing to pay massive amounts to get rid of a coach faster than they used to pay to keep one. Loyalty takes a back seat to fan frustration, increasing impatience, and the endless chase for a playoff spot.

We’ve definitely seen the same cycle before: coaches paid massive sums just to leave quietly. Jimbo Fisher walked away from Texas A&M with what’s being called a $76 million buyout, one of the largest in college football history. Auburn once paid out $21.45 million to part ways with Gus Malzahn, despite years of success. And LSU’s Ed Orgeron, fresh off winning it all in 2019,  was still let go and owed roughly $16.9 million under his contract. It’s brutal, but it’s business. And the cycle’s speeding up. One bad season, sometimes even one bad month,  can shift everything.

What It Means for Players

When coaches are getting swapped out like sneakers, the players are feeling the chaos first hand. Recruits sign with one vision, one coach, one system and within a year, everything’s flipped. The new coach might not believe in them. The offense changes. Their NFL stock can tank before they even get their shot. For the top prospects, it becomes a transfer portal scramble. For the mid-tier guys, it’s often the end of the line. And for those in the card world, that volatility can either make or break a player or team’s market overnight.

How This Bleeds Into the Hobby

When a star quarterback comes out of a previously stable  program, like Penn State, Texas A&M, or Auburn, collectors pay close attention. The card market doesn’t just follow performance anymore; it pays attention to the narrative.

Think about it:

• When LSU was hot under Oregon, Joe Burrow cards exploded.

• When Texas A&M imploded, Kellen Mond’s market flatlined overnight.

• Players tied to big coaching shakeups see their hype and their values swing with every headline.

So with Franklin out, the next Penn State QB or top recruit’s card market could either skyrocket with a fresh start or crash  if the program spirals. Investors in college prospecting (Bowman University collectors, for example) will be watching closely.

The Big Picture: College Football Is Volatile & So Is the Hobby

Both worlds run on emotion, hype, and short-term memory. Fans turn on coaches faster than collectors flip a case hit. Loyalty, in both cases, has been replaced with momentum. But that’s also what makes it exciting. The same chaos that ruins a coach can create the next breakout player and the next hobby darling.