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No matter what happens in Thursday night’s Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame, college football history will be made and another barrier will be broken. College football will see its first Black head coach guide his team to the national championship game at the highest level of the game with either Penn State’s James Franklin or Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman.
For as long as college football has been played, it is remarkable it has taken this long to get to the point where a Black head coach will have a real shot at a national championship, the next barrier to break down after this for the sport. And for two schools like Penn State and Notre Dame with as storied a history of head coaches (Joe Paterno, Knute Rockne, Lou Holtz) to be the two setting the stage for this moment is somewhat inspirational in itself.
“At the end of the day, you know, does this create opportunities for more guys to get in front of athletic directors? Does this create more opportunities for search firms? I hope so,” Franklin said recently on the subject of the historic moment this Orange Bowl is presenting. “I think at the end of the day, you just want an opportunity and want to be able to earn it through your work and through your actions.”
It is safe to say Franklin has earned this opportunity through his work and actions. Franklin was once supposed to be the next head coach at Maryland but got his first head coaching opportunity with Vanderbilt in the SEC. Success at Vanderbilt ultimately led to the chance to help revive Penn State’s football program against all odds. While he may just have one Big Ten title to his name, Franklin has led Penn State to victories in the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl (twice). And now he is one win away from taking Penn State to its first national championship game in the Big…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/james-franklin-first-black-head-011800254.html
Author : Nittany Lions Wire
Publish date : 2025-01-08 01:18:00
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