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10 most overrated head coaches in college football ahead of 2022 season

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 20, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks off the field following the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Rutgers 28-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks off the field following the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Rutgers 28-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 2, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks up at the video board during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. Penn State won 24-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks up at the video board during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. Penn State won 24-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /

Are you surprised with the No. 1 choice on this list? You shouldn’t be.

Yes, it’s another Big Ten coach and a guy who was just given a massive extension by Penn State, but I think James Franklin is still living off the respect he got from winning a Big Ten title back in 2016. That conference championship seemed to have bought him a lifetime of respect from the Penn State athletic department as he’s won nine or fewer games in three out of the five years since.

Franklin usually has really good seasons or very average seasons — there is rarely any in-between.

For example, he was 7-6 in each of his first two seasons with the Nittany Lions and then he followed that up with a Big Ten title and 11 wins. He won 11 games the next year, nine in 2018, and then 11 again in 2019. But then he went 4-5 in 2020 and just 7-6 in 2021.

The former Vanderbilt head coach has as many seasons with seven or fewer wins as he does nine-plus win campaigns. That inconsistency wouldn’t be enough to retain a job at most top-tier Power Five programs, but I guess Penn State is still in love with that 2016 title.

dark. Next. Way-too-early Top 25 rankings projections for 2022

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