1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: This is Wins and Losses with Clay Trevis, play talks 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 1: with the most entertaining people in sports, entertainment and business. 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: Now here's Clay Trevis. Welcome in Winson lost his podcast. 4 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: We are off and rolling as we can roll into 5 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: encourage you to check out all of these different interviews. 6 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: But without any further ADO want to go ahead and 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: jump in with Penn State football coach James Franklin and 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: coach appreciate you coming on. If I had told you 9 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: twenty five years ago that one day you would be 10 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: introduced as Penn State football coach James Franklin, your response 11 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: would have been, what, Yeah, I wouldn't have thought so 12 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: for for a couple of reasons. You know, I set 13 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: at my opening press conference that this was my dream job, 14 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: being from Pennsylvania, growing up just outside of Philadelphia. But 15 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: the reality is, I didn't really think it would be 16 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: you know, attainable. Um. You know, I thought it would 17 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: stay kind of within the family that had been here 18 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: for the years. So um, you know, I just just 19 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,040 Speaker 1: didn't really feel like it was an option. But you know, 20 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: when I when I had the opportunity, obviously it made 21 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: a lot of sense. You wanted to play football at 22 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: Penn State when you were growing up. What kind of 23 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: athletes were you and when did you realize it might 24 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: not happen, that that aspiration might not become a reality. Well, 25 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,559 Speaker 1: I actually came to camp here my junior year in 26 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 1: in high school, and um, you know, Jim called Well 27 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: was the quarterbacks coach at the time, if I remember correctly, 28 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: And um, you know, I ended up, you know, go 29 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: into a division to school e Straussburg, had a great 30 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,759 Speaker 1: experience there. Went there thinking I was going to play 31 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: in the NFL, um, which which makes no sense now, 32 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: but went They're thinking I was going to do that. 33 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: I had a really good college experience. Um, you know, 34 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: played played in one of those European leagues when I 35 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: got done, and then and then got into coach and 36 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: you know, really got into coaching as a graduate assistant 37 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: to get my master degree. Um, so it just kind 38 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: of went from there. But um, but yeah, I I 39 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: you know, I thought I was good enough to play 40 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,119 Speaker 1: at this level. You know, I realized probably after four 41 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: or five years out of college that I wasn't. Um 42 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: And I went to the right place, in the right 43 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 1: level and had a great college experience were you an 44 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: athlete growing up? Yeah, so I played baseball shortstop and 45 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: picture and messed around a little bit with basketball, but 46 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: I was more of a baseball football guy. In football, 47 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: I played running back when I was young, and then 48 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: trans trans uh you know, transition to quarterback in June 49 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: in middle school and like, uh, I guess probably seventh grade. 50 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: Were you good? I mean, obviously you played in college, 51 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: but when you were playing when you were a kid, 52 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 1: were you the best player on the team? What kind 53 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: of athlete would you describe yourself as as a kid? Yeah, 54 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: at the time, I thought I was really good. Now 55 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: looking back at it, I was. I was fairly average, 56 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: but um, yeah, I was was one of the better teams. 57 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:02,959 Speaker 1: You know, excuse me, I was one of the better 58 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: players in the area, and you know, one of the 59 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: better players in the region and that kind of stuff, 60 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: and um, you know again, had had a had a 61 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: really good high school career and then went on and 62 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: I had a really good, you know, college career at 63 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: the Division two levels. Um, you know, I actually was 64 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 1: a it was a finalist for the Division to Heisman 65 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: or you know, I guess, you know whatever, regional finalists 66 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 1: or whatever it was. For the Division two Heisman. So 67 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: I had had a really good college experience. My head coach, 68 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: my college head coaches was kind of a legend. He was. 69 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: He was at my college, I think as the head 70 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: coach for like fifty two years or something like that. 71 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: Um so, um, you know, it just was in a 72 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: was in a very very good situation and and uh 73 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: and had a great college experience. All right. When you 74 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: go into coaching, you said you went in initially to 75 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: get your master's degree. And I'm looking here and it 76 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: says your first coaching job. And sometimes this is inaccurate 77 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: on bios. Sometimes it doesn't catch. It was that Cutstown 78 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: where you were a wide receiver coaches that right, it was. Yeah, 79 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: it's pronounced Kutztown, which is school. Yeah, yeah, I know, 80 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: I get, I get. So what was what was your 81 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: salary when you were at how do you how do 82 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: you pronounce it Kutztown Kottowns a Division two school here 83 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: in the state of Pennsylvania. Um. I actually coached a 84 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: tight ends, I think if I remember correctly, and I 85 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: made fifteen hundred dollars for the year I lived in 86 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: I lived in a local guys basement or not a 87 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: basement kind of a side room named Joe Ludwig. I 88 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: still talked to Joe. I rented the room for from him. 89 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: I filled soda machines up in the morning before before 90 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: work and school started. The players used to make fun 91 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: of me. I'll be driving this white band around campus 92 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: film soda machines up. And then in the off season 93 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 1: I barred he that on Sundays at a local at 94 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 1: a local spot. So I made fifteen hundred dollars for 95 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 1: the year. That is amazing. So so was this. And 96 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: just so you know, uh, Kutztown, there was a guy 97 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: by name of John Mowdley who was there when I 98 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,119 Speaker 1: was there, who ended up being a really good player 99 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: in the NFL for a number of years of linebacker 100 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: with the Denver Broncos and and other places. Just a 101 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: little piece of information there on Kutztown, which you pronounce 102 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: is cutting down. I had no idea. Be sure to 103 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: catch live editions about kicked the coverage with Clay Travis 104 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: week days at six am Eastern, three am Pacific. So 105 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: when you're when you're at Cootstown, I believe hopefully I'm 106 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: getting closer there. You're making fifteen dollars you're driving around 107 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: filling up soda machines, Like, are you thinking to yourself 108 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: someday I'm gonna be a head coach? Or what was 109 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: your game plan at that point in time? Like how 110 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: many hours do you think you were working a day? Uh? 111 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 1: You know, fifteen dollars for the year is crazy. But 112 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: I always like to start with how people got their started, 113 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: because I think there's a lot of people out there listening. 114 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 1: And this is the Winds and Losses podcast. I'm Clay 115 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: Travis talking with Penn State football coach James Franklin. Who 116 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 1: come out of high school or come out of college 117 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: more likely, and they're like, Oh, I'm twenty two or 118 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: twenty three, I need to be made in fifty k. 119 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: I gotta have this job. I gotta have this car, 120 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: I gotta have this apartment. And coaching is not like that. 121 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: What I do for a living in sports media is 122 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: not like that. A lot of these places you have 123 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: to literally start at the bottom or sometimes even below 124 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 1: the bottom. Yeah yeah, so you know, for for me, 125 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: I actually at that point still didn't even though I 126 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: wanted to coach. I just I got my undergraduate degree 127 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: in psychology. I thought I was gonna get my doctorate 128 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 1: in the psychology or psychiatry and kind of make a 129 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: difference in people's lives that way. And UH did two 130 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: internships at two psychiatric hospitals, an adult and the adolescent, 131 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: and realized that's not what I wanted to do. And 132 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: then when as I was coaching, I realized, Hey, this 133 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: is something you know that I do really enjoy and 134 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: this is something where I can still make a difference 135 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: in people's lives. And at that level, you know, you're 136 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: offering you know, partial scholarships to kids you know that 137 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: maybe wouldn't have gone to college without it, you know, 138 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 1: So it was it was very different, But yeah, I 139 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 1: think to your point, I made my first year Kutztown. 140 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: Then I went and played overseas for for six months, 141 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: then went back to East Straullisburg as a graduate assistant 142 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: for five thousand dollars for the year. Then the next year, UM, 143 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: I went to James Madison, got my first big break, 144 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: and that one I think I made UH thirteen thousand 145 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: dollars for the year. And then I went to Washington 146 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: State to work for Mike Price. Right after the Rose 147 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: Bowl was Ryan Leaf. I was there when he was 148 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: working out for UM pro day for you know, for 149 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: the NFL, and I made five thousand dollars. I've been 150 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: out of college four years and was making five thousand dollars. 151 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: Then I got my first big break at Idaho State 152 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: in Pocatello, Idaho, making twenty three three, and Clay, you 153 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: couldn't tell me nothing. I thought I was you thought 154 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: you were loaded at living in Pocatello, Idaho, had my 155 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: own little apartment, my actually my special teams coordinator. Now 156 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: Joe Lord was my college roommate. We split a room 157 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: there and uh we were living good Man twenty three 158 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: and Hotel Idle, and uh we were living good and 159 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: and and and feeling good. I also see on a 160 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: resume here that did you coach in Denmark? Did you 161 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: coach football and Denmark? Yeah? So, so when I got 162 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: done at Kutztown UM for the spring, I went and 163 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: was the quarterback and offensive coordinator in Roskilde, Denmark for 164 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: six months. Which it was a great experience for me 165 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: because I, you know, I made the decision to do it, 166 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: hadn't really thought it all through, and got on a 167 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: plane for thirteen hours to a country where I didn't 168 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: know anybody and didn't speak the language. It was one 169 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,440 Speaker 1: of the more difficult dialects for English speaking people to learn. Um, 170 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: I was able to be the offensive coordinator. They had 171 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: never been very good. Um. You know, my contract ended 172 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: at the end of the regular season. We ended up 173 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: making it to the national championship game, but my contract 174 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: ran out and I had um agreed to be a 175 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: graduate assistant back at EA Stroudsburg. So I actually low 176 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: back at the end of the season, flew back, went 177 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: to school for a week, started grad school with East Straussburg, 178 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: flew back thirteen hours, flew back that weekend on Friday, 179 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,439 Speaker 1: played in the National Championship game on Saturday, won the 180 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: National championship on Saturday, then flew back for school on 181 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 1: Monday again. So you won a national championship in Denmark. 182 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: In Denmark, Yeah, it was amazing too, because if I 183 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: remember when I got there, I got to the first 184 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: meeting and all the guys they have three Americans on 185 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: each team and everybody else kind of just paid their 186 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:34,839 Speaker 1: own way. So you get there and there's all these 187 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: guys that are smoking cigarettes and drinking beer, and uh, 188 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: you know, it was it was and like our uniforms 189 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:45,239 Speaker 1: looked like NASCAR. There was like advertising all over our uniforms, 190 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: so it was it was an interesting deal. Had you 191 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: ever been to Europe before you ended up playing and 192 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: coaching in Denmark? Yeah? So, so you know, my my 193 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: dad was in the Air Force and was stationed in Manchester, England, 194 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: met my mom, they eloped to Ireland. He brought her 195 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: back to this really romantic city called Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and 196 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: they started popping out beige babies, me and my sister. Um. So, 197 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: so I've been to England a few times visiting family, 198 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: so everybody on my mom's side of the family isn't 199 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: is in England. And then my dad got a job 200 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: in Trenton, New Jersey, working for a General Motors plant 201 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: and we moved there. Um and kind of that's where 202 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: I was raised, just outside of Philadelphia. So that had 203 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: to be pretty cool. And I think I'm not messing 204 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 1: up right. Didn't Penn State play overseas? Didn't you guys 205 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: play in uh In? Didn't you guys play in the 206 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: in Ireland? Yeah? So my first game was a total nightmare. Um. 207 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: We opened the season in Dublin, Ireland against Central Florida. 208 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,439 Speaker 1: Georgio Leary was the head coach. It was perfect at 209 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: that time because it was Georgio Leary first, Bill O'Brien 210 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: so too, two good Irish boys Dublin. It didn't turn 211 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 1: out that way when Billy left and and I showed up. 212 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: But yeah, it was you know, Central Florida. How to 213 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: buy the next week, We didn't, so we've you back Sunday, 214 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,079 Speaker 1: got back like four in the morning, had practiced that day. 215 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: It wasn't an ideal situation. Um our equipment guy had 216 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: retired like a month before two games, so trying to 217 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:12,319 Speaker 1: get all because you gotta remember, you're going to a 218 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: country who doesn't have football, so you have to take 219 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 1: everything with you. So it was it was. It was 220 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: an interesting trip, but we were able to win that 221 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: game with the last second field goal and and um 222 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: you know that was when we first got the job, 223 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: you know, after you know, pretty challenging time and Penn 224 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: State's history, all right, So this is interesting because you're 225 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: talking about all the logistics involved in making a travel situation. 226 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: I know you pretty well and I remember one of 227 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 1: the first times I met you at Vanderbilt. You were 228 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 1: going through looking at the photos that have been taken 229 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: to decide like what the senior photos were gonna be 230 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 1: that we're gonna be in a pamphlet or something. Right 231 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: of the players, you're very hands on with a ton 232 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: of the details they go on at every program. Did 233 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: you always be that? Were you always that way in 234 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: terms of having your hand in you know, when you're 235 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: at Vanderbilt marketing, I know you do it at Penn 236 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: State now in fact that I'll just say it, like 237 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 1: right after we went up and watched a couple of 238 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: year games we've been up for, and one of the 239 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: things you ask is what was the environment, Like, what 240 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: did you think of the experience? A lot of coaches 241 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: are just football guys. You're not just a football guy. 242 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: Do you attribute that maybe to coming up through some 243 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: of these schools that are not you know, I would 244 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 1: say like sort of the name brand schools where you 245 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: have to work to get attention or do you think 246 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: you would have done that even if you had started 247 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: off at the Alabama's and the Michigan's and the Penn 248 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 1: States of the world. That's still just your personality. Well, 249 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: I think it is my personality, There's no doubt about it. Um. 250 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,439 Speaker 1: It's funny, you know, I would I would describe myself 251 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: as a micro manager, and I would say a lot 252 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,839 Speaker 1: of times it's funny because what I think drives people 253 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: crazy is when you say you're not a micro manager 254 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 1: and then you show up and the person is, you know, 255 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: I'm a micro manager, but I don't want to be. 256 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:55,599 Speaker 1: So what I mean by that is, I'm gonna be 257 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: a micro manager until you show me you can do 258 00:12:57,679 --> 00:12:59,560 Speaker 1: the job, and then once you do the job, I'm 259 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: stepping way. But ultimately I'm gonna be held responsible, so 260 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna make sure it's done the way we want 261 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: it done. But I do think your point is a 262 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: good one. Is when you're at small schools and you 263 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: have to wear a lot more hats, um, and even 264 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 1: at a place like Vanderbilt in the SEC where you 265 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: don't have maybe um a lot of the infrastructure that 266 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 1: maybe the other schools do, you have to do it 267 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: and you have to do it all. And I think 268 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, you know, I'm a 269 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: big believer that the details matter and the consistency in 270 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: your message matters. So um, you know, I'm gonna be 271 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 1: all over everything, um until I know someone's gonna do 272 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: things the way the way you know we need them 273 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: to be done. And that's where I'm fortunate to have 274 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: a guy like Dwight Galton, who has been with me, 275 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: you know, since since two thousand, our strength coach, and 276 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: you know Andy Frank, who runs our recruiting, has been 277 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: with me my entire head coach career. And Michael Hazel, 278 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: one of our ops guys, and Kevin Threlko. Those guys 279 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: have been with me ever since the first day at 280 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt and all the way all the way to now 281 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: here at Penn State. So there's value. And that my 282 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: defensive coordinators with me the whole time. So, UM, you know, 283 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 1: there's there's tremendous value in that. UM, no doubt about it, 284 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 1: because those guys know how we operate. What did Maryland 285 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,199 Speaker 1: mean for you? You You talked about making three living in 286 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: I think Postcatello, Idaho. You keep naming places that I 287 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: don't even know that I've ever said before. Uh. And 288 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: then you get a gig at Maryland and you come 289 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: all the way back across the country. You're back on 290 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: the East Coast where you spend a lot of time 291 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: growing up. What did getting that job with the terms 292 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: do for your career? Well, Maryland was my my first 293 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: big break. Maryland was my first big break in the profession, 294 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: big time football. Um. Again, you know, it's like a 295 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: lot of things, you know, I was. I was lucky 296 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: in some ways. So my buddy coach there, and he 297 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 1: called me and said, hey, the receiver's coach, Craig Johnson 298 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: was leaving to go to the Titans, I think at 299 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: the time, and UM said, you know, um, I'm gonna 300 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: try to get you involved in this job. Well, I 301 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: happened to be home, and I think it was spring break, 302 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: and I happened to be home in Philly because they're 303 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: probably not gonna fly a guy in from pocatah idah. 304 00:14:58,120 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: So I talked to the head coach and he said, hey, 305 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: why don't you why don't you drive up and spend 306 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: the day with us, And um, it was able to 307 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: get the job. Ron vander Linden was the head coach 308 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: at the time. I got my first big break, went really, 309 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: you know, went really well. Was excited about it. Well, 310 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: at the end of that season, I'm driving across um 311 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: a bridge from Pennsylvania into New Jersey. My phone rings 312 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: and it's one of my players and he said, hey, coach. 313 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: Are you okay? His name is Jeffar Williams and now 314 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: coaches at Virginia Tech. He's like, are you okay? And 315 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: I'm like, what do you mean? I'm like okay. He's like, 316 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: you guys just got fired. I'm like, what. Pull over 317 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: to the side of the road. That's how I found 318 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: out about it, and then I was fortunate Ralph Regan 319 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: came in uh and retained me, and we went on 320 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 1: a pretty historic run there at Maryland went three games, 321 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: uh three years, we won ten games or more, one 322 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 1: a SEC championship, played in the BCS Orange Bowl, and 323 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: and my my kind of career prop propelled from there. 324 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: So I'm very appreciative of my time that Maryland and 325 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: Ralph region had a huge impact on my career. The 326 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: funny thing is Ron Vanderlin, who was the head coach 327 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: at Maryland. He retired here in State College, Pennsylvania day 328 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 1: speaking at our clinic next week. Fox Sports Radio has 329 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all 330 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and 331 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 1: within the I Heart radio apps. Search f s R 332 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: to listen live. So we're talking to penn State football 333 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: coach James Franklin, I'm Clay Travis is wins and losses. 334 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: When you're at Maryland and you start recruiting a higher 335 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 1: level of player, I think it's probably fair to say 336 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: did your recruiting methods change? And and one thing I'm 337 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 1: kind of fascinated by is how do you develop your 338 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: recruiting pitch? For lack of a better term, Right, Like 339 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: you're basically in the sales business. You have to be 340 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 1: able to go out and convince sixteen seventeen, eighteen year 341 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: olds that you can take them to another level in football, 342 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: academics and everything else. Did it come naturally? Did you 343 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: watch the way other people recruited? How do you become 344 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: a good recruiter? Well? I think, first of all, I 345 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: have a very curious personality. I'm very curious about a 346 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 1: lot of different things. Um, I'm a sponge in terms 347 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: of trying to gain as much information as I cancel. Yeah, 348 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: it's it's like you described. I think, in any business, 349 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: what do you do? You get your foot in the door, 350 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: and then you try to find who are the guys 351 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: on that staff or within that industry that are really good? 352 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: Um at it? So you know I was coaching receivers. 353 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: You're gonna find the best receivers coaches in the country, 354 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: and you know you're gonna go visit those guys. Jerry 355 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: Sullivan was one of the top receivers coaches in the 356 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: country's time in NFL. I went and visited him. Um 357 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: in Arizona the Cardinals. Um on my staff a guy 358 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: by named Mike Locksley is now the head coach at Maryland. Uh, 359 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,679 Speaker 1: he was a great recruiter. So I kind of, you know, 360 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: watched him and studied him and other guys, and then 361 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: you know, and then when you're on the road, the 362 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: same thing when you when you see another college coach 363 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: in a high school and how he's interacting with the 364 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 1: high school coaches and how he is with it with 365 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: the players, and you're learning and asking a lot of questions. 366 00:17:57,600 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 1: And I think at the end of the day, all 367 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: those things are great. Ultimately, you better be authentic and 368 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: you better be true to who you are, because um, 369 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: that's what people want, you know, they want they want 370 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: people that are comfortable in their own skin and authentic 371 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: and gonna be honest and transparent. So um, that's that's 372 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: what I tried to do, and I was able to 373 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: learn a lot in a in a short period of tone. 374 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,360 Speaker 1: How many hours on an average week do you think 375 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 1: you spend either recruiting, preparing for recruiting, watching film. I 376 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: know it probably varies based on the time of the year, 377 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 1: but what percentage of your day to day is focused 378 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: on recruiting As a head football coach at Penn State, 379 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,920 Speaker 1: I think it's it's probably fifty percent of my time. So, 380 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 1: you know, fifty percent of my time is some form 381 00:18:40,359 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: of recruiting UM, you know, and then you got you know, 382 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: the rest of your time is on football. But then 383 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: both of those situations you kind of get pulled in 384 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: a bunch of different directions. So you know, if there's 385 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 1: an issue that comes up that you have to deal with, 386 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: you're getting pulled out, you know, whatever the situation maybe 387 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 1: that you're having to deal with UM players. You know, 388 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: a player's girlfriend breaks up with him and he's heartbroken 389 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: over that, or or you know, parents are getting divorced 390 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,159 Speaker 1: or whatever it may be. You know, as a you know, 391 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,680 Speaker 1: college is very different than the NFL. NFL is football 392 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: and football UM scheme and fundamentals and technique and things 393 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 1: like that. Where in college you wear you wear a 394 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,239 Speaker 1: lot more hats. You know, you're a fundraiser. Um, you 395 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: know you're a recruiter. You know you're a schemer, you're 396 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: a fundamentalists as well. Um, you're doing a lot of 397 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: different things. You're a mentor, you're a big brother, your 398 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,880 Speaker 1: father figure to these guys. Um, you're just you're You're 399 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: wearing a lot more hats than you do it than 400 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: you do in the NFL. What's the best recruit tape 401 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 1: you ever saw a player that you saw and you said, 402 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: oh my god, I've got to get him on the phone. 403 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: Is there one that you remember seeing and thinking this 404 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,919 Speaker 1: guy is unbelievable? Because I know everybody sends you the 405 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: best tape that they've ever had, right, the twenty best plays, 406 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:56,719 Speaker 1: whatever it is. Is there one that you remember watching 407 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: and thinking, oh my god, who is this kid? We 408 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: got to find him? Well, I think what you're asking 409 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: me is is a guy that that we actually recruited, 410 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:06,040 Speaker 1: you know, because I don't want to get into just 411 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:07,880 Speaker 1: some guy that you know, when I was in high 412 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 1: school or college or or you know, did recruit. But 413 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:14,120 Speaker 1: the guy, the guy to me that that we recruited 414 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: that just still um was electric. Um, you know, obviously 415 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 1: was Tavon Austin. You know, when I was early in 416 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: my career at Maryland, he was from Baltimore. I was 417 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: responsible for Baltimore recruited heck at him. If you haven't 418 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: watched Tavon's high school highlight tape, you should watch it, 419 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: as well as his college tape at West Virginia, which 420 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: which was really dynamic. Um. But you know, obviously, now 421 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: becoming a head coach, I've been a part of so 422 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: many you know, great players. Um, that he's a guy 423 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 1: that first jumps into my mind right away because he 424 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: just was so dynamic. Was the undersized guy but so 425 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:52,399 Speaker 1: quick and exposed. I still talked to Tavon, Um, you know, 426 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 1: so it's it's interesting. But he's a guy that if 427 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: you haven't watched his high school and college tape before, 428 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: you should watch it because it's pretty special. I remember 429 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 1: when you go to Vanderbilt, and I think I'm correcting this, 430 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: you started taking helicopters around to watch multiple high school 431 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: football games. If I'm not mistaken, and I love I've 432 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 1: always said, and you know, because you listen to the 433 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 1: show back in the day in Nashville that you and 434 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: Bruce Pearl had a lot in common, and I always 435 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: liked the way that both of you carried yourselves because 436 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: there's a big showman element to what you do. Do 437 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: you remember how the idea I think I'm correct in 438 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: the in the helicopter idea. You remember how the idea 439 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 1: came to you? And does it? I mean it has 440 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 1: to write like you land in the field next to 441 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: a next to a football stadium. Everybody's looking over and 442 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: they may not know who Vanderbilt's football coaches at the time, 443 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: but suddenly you started to get a lot of buzz 444 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: from doing that. Right, Well, it serves two purposes. So 445 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: it started when we were at the University of Maryland 446 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 1: and you're trying to go see two kids on one night. 447 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: And the problem is if you if you have two 448 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 1: kids in the area and you only go see one recruit, 449 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: you don't write the other, you're out because you've offended 450 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: that guy. So so say we're on going out on 451 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: Friday night in the Maryland d C, d MV area 452 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: and you've got a kid in Baltimore and you've got 453 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: a kid in d C. Well that's only like a 454 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 1: half hour apart. But when you're trying to go see 455 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: a first half of one game and then fight traffic 456 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: and get top. You're not gonna make it. So that's 457 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: where it really started. So it does two things. Yeah, 458 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: you get the efficiency to make make sure you can 459 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: maximize a half at one game and then be able 460 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 1: to go see it at the second half of another. 461 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 1: That's that's the first reason, and then the SEC second reason. Yeah, 462 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 1: there's no doubt about it that there's some sex appeal 463 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: to it. There's no doubt that makes that kid feel special. 464 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: But here the helicopter's coming over the stadium, landing on 465 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: the field. Um, and and everybody in the town and 466 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 1: everybody school knows you're coming to see him. So it 467 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 1: definitely does both of those things. Um. Obviously, you know 468 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: those things are probably more important at that time at 469 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,400 Speaker 1: a place like Vanderbilt, when you know no one had 470 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 1: ever done that before. Um and UM you know, uh, 471 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: we we tried to push the limit, says much as 472 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: we possibly could, um, so that we could be a 473 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 1: part of some of those battles. But it's funny because 474 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: everybody else in the in the in the SEC had 475 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 1: private planes and we didn't. And I'll never forget, I'll 476 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: never forget being at SEC head coaches meetings and that 477 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: was you know, Saban and that was less Miles and 478 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:18,920 Speaker 1: that was Spurrier at that time. And I'm sitting in 479 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 1: there as the first time head coach and they're all 480 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,880 Speaker 1: talking about private planes and how this new a D 481 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: came in and put this policy that on the private 482 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: plane there's got to be two pilots, you know, to 483 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: make sure you know, something happens with one, there's another pilot. 484 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: What a great idea that was. And I was like, 485 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: it's funny because because Avandabilt we always have two pilots. 486 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: And they're like, are you seriously go yeah, Southwest? You 487 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: know there's only pilots in Southwest behind that locked door. 488 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: Because we didn't have any of that. So the helicopters 489 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:47,120 Speaker 1: were really valuable, and being right in Nashville, you could 490 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: get them and they land right there on the practice field. 491 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: Be sure to catch live editions about kicked the coverage 492 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 1: with Clay Travis week days at six am Eastern, three 493 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: am Pacific. We're talking to James Franklin pin State football 494 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 1: coaches wins and losses. I'm Clay Travis. Oh you mentioned that, uh, 495 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 1: and I want to go to it. You get your 496 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: first head coaching job at Vanderbilt. And I've talked on 497 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,199 Speaker 1: my radio showing on this program about how when I 498 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: got the job at Fox, the first big event we had, 499 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: I remember looking around and being like, holy crap, that's 500 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 1: Troy Aikman, that's Jimmy Johnson, that's Terry Bradshaw, you know, 501 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: all of the luminescent superstars that I had watched do Fox. 502 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 1: You know, Joe Buck, all the guys who've been calling 503 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 1: the big games for years and years, and suddenly I'm 504 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,119 Speaker 1: one of them. And it's like a pinch yourself moment 505 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: when you walk in as a head coach for the 506 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: first time and you see Nick Saban and I think 507 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: at the time it was Less Miles and uh and 508 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 1: and a lot of guys who have had tremendous success 509 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: that probably you've been watching from afar. What does that 510 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 1: feel like to suddenly be in the same room and 511 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,400 Speaker 1: have the same job and suddenly be competing against him? 512 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:51,360 Speaker 1: Steve Steve Spurrier was another way, you know, like we're 513 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 1: talking about iconic and legendary coaches, not just coaches. Yeah, 514 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: the SEC was loaded at that time, not not that 515 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: it isn't always, but it was out at that time 516 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 1: with some some really you know, um, like you're saying, 517 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 1: iconic coaches. So I used to always try to find 518 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: a way to sit, you know, right between Les Miles 519 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: and Steve Spurrier because it was like straight comedy show 520 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:17,440 Speaker 1: the whole time. And then the other thing is Spurry 521 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 1: was the only one that would mess with Saban, so 522 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 1: he would kind of jab and poke it at, poke 523 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: at Saban, uh during the meetings. So I'm just sitting 524 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: there kind of a young ball coach trying to kind 525 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: of take it all in and figure it out. Um 526 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: and everybody, you know, everybody was great, you know, Um, 527 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,120 Speaker 1: I learned a lot. You know. Mike's live was a commissioner, 528 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: and I just thought he was magical in that room. 529 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 1: How he could manage all those personalities and manage all 530 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 1: those egos, and you'd leave the room and everybody was 531 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: on the same page. And it may have not have 532 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: been in everybody's best interest, but it was in the 533 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 1: best interest of the SEC. I just thought he was 534 00:25:55,320 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: magical in that room in terms of managing all those personalities. So, uh, 535 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: it was, it was, it was pretty it was pretty amazing. 536 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: You get hired by David Williams, who was my law 537 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:11,959 Speaker 1: professor at Vanderbilt, an absolutely phenomenal guy. What did he 538 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 1: mean to Vanderbilt and a Vanderbilt athletics and what did 539 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: he mean to you? David is like a father figure 540 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: to me. Was was like a father figure to me. 541 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,120 Speaker 1: Um obviously was someone that took a chance on me. Um. 542 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 1: You know, I wasn't a hot sexy name when when 543 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:33,119 Speaker 1: I got offered a Vanderbilt job. Um, and David was great. 544 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: The first year, Um, David, David was tough. I'd go 545 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 1: to David with things that we wanted to do, and 546 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: you know, I'd find out what other schools were doing 547 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 1: and we wanted to do it as well, and you know, Um, 548 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: David would ask me, well, what about this? What about this? 549 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:50,919 Speaker 1: What about this? You couldn't go with Dave to David 550 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: with things unless you were really thorough. And after a 551 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: year he realized that every time that I went to 552 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: him with something, it was well thought out, it was detailed, 553 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: that it was organized. So from that point on, UM, 554 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: it was basically, you're the expert of football. I'm the 555 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 1: expert at Vanderbilt, and let's work together to get this 556 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:11,920 Speaker 1: thing done, and we were able to get a lot 557 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 1: done in a very short period of time. John Ingram 558 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:17,639 Speaker 1: was a big part of that as well. Um, you know, 559 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 1: the Ingram family there in Nashville and on the board. Um, 560 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:23,280 Speaker 1: and we were able to get a lot done in 561 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 1: a short period of time. But David was like a 562 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: father figure for me. He was a mentor professionally. UM 563 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:33,440 Speaker 1: and um you know him and Gail, his wife. Um. 564 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,439 Speaker 1: You know, I'm still very close with Gal. I went 565 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:38,920 Speaker 1: to the funeral when David passed. Um, you know, so, 566 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: but I still get kind of emotional thinking about it 567 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 1: because because David. David was a giant, and David always 568 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,720 Speaker 1: amazed me because you'd see David and be wearing sweats, 569 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:50,640 Speaker 1: and you know, people wouldn't know what to expect. Then 570 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:54,360 Speaker 1: David would open his mouth and just blow people away. 571 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 1: And he wouldn't say a whole lot, but then when 572 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 1: he did, he would just blow people away. People don't realize. 573 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: You know, he was not only the athletic director, but 574 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,439 Speaker 1: he was to the chief legal counsel for the university 575 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: as well. And you know, I don't know if there's 576 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 1: anybody in the country that could wear those two hats 577 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: on college campus. Look, I said before, but he was 578 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 1: my taxation of nonprofit entities professor in law school. And 579 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,440 Speaker 1: that sounds like the most boring topic of magic. Like 580 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 1: your your eyes probably rolled back in your head. Everybody 581 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: who's listening right now is like, my god, of all 582 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 1: the law classes you could have, the guy was brilliant 583 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: and he could play the tax code like it was 584 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 1: a piano, like he was, you know, one of the 585 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 1: like he was Elton John or Stevie Wonder right. Like 586 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 1: it opened my eyes so much to how much creativity 587 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 1: there can be in oftentimes what seems to be a 588 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 1: very dry and uninteresting topic. And a big part of 589 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:47,479 Speaker 1: the way he would talk was he had done things 590 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 1: at Ohio State and at Vanderbilt, which are five oh 591 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 1: one c three institutions nonprofit entities. But I just remember 592 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: being blown away by how good that class was, and 593 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: then I actually got there. You know, he would bring 594 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: me back and occasionally I would speak to sports law class, 595 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: and what always amazed me. And I'm sure you you 596 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 1: see this too, because it becomes such an important part 597 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: of coaching. You have to know something so well in 598 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 1: order to instruct someone that you can make it simple. 599 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: And there are a lot of people who are smart 600 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: that can't explain complex things in ways that are easily 601 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: able to be digested, and he could. And I think 602 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: that's always the most impressive thing about intelligence to me, 603 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: is functional intelligence as opposed to just intelligence. Yeah, that 604 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 1: that's the most powerful tool that they're the most successful 605 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: people that are able to do that. Take a complex, 606 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: challenging subject and make it, like you're saying, make it 607 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: manageable and make it easily understandable. Uh. And David David 608 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 1: was unbelievable with that and in so many different ways, 609 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 1: he really was. And uh, if you've never if you 610 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: never had the opportunity. David was a huge Motown guy, 611 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: and he had a motown presentation that he would do 612 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: sometimes in different settings, and that was that was unbelievable. 613 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 1: His presentation in his history and his understanding emote town 614 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: and the roots of it were phenomenal. So David was great. 615 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: And then obviously being there, you know, in Nashville and 616 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 1: you know, um, you know, being able to open a 617 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 1: lot of different you know, um, you know doors in 618 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: that community for me as well, UM, was was powerful. 619 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: So David David's a huge mentor in my life. You 620 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:28,840 Speaker 1: win back to back nine games, which hadn't been done 621 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: since before women got the right to vote at Vanderbilt, 622 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: I think, which is a way of putting it in context. 623 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: And then you get an opportunity. I'm sure I know 624 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: you had opportunities before, but Penn State comes open. How 625 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 1: hard was it to move to Penn State, UH and 626 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 1: make that decision to leave? Well, I think obviously if 627 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: you just take the relationship aspect out of it, you 628 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 1: take the emotional aspect out of it, then a lot 629 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:58,080 Speaker 1: of people, and I don't mean this to to to 630 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,239 Speaker 1: offend anybody, but a lot of people say it's an 631 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: easy decision. It was not. Um. I actually had a 632 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 1: you know, interview uh with Penn State. I interviewed with 633 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: the Houston Texans. I interviewed with the University of Texas, 634 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 1: and I had interviews with the Detroit Lions and the 635 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 1: Washington Redskins, UM and you know, then I get offered 636 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: the Penn State job, and I struggled. I struggled with 637 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: whether to take the job because I cared so much 638 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: about that place. I cared so much about the players 639 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 1: on the team. We had invested so much. We had 640 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: poured our hearts and soul into that place that it's 641 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 1: hard to walk away. And you know, people are advising 642 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 1: me that I needed to do it, but um, I remember, 643 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 1: you know, we had a team meeting that I was 644 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: going to bring the whole team in and I was 645 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:49,480 Speaker 1: gonna get up in front of them and say goodbye. 646 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: And and I remember being on the phone, you know, 647 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 1: with my wife, um and and struggling on you know, 648 00:31:57,880 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: what to do, and not sure if I wanted to 649 00:31:59,880 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 1: do it. So you know, it's hard. I know a 650 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 1: lot of times coaches get criticized for these decisions they make, 651 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 1: and you know, the money that's in it. I I 652 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: get all those these I get all those things, but 653 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 1: these are these are very difficult decisions because I do 654 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: believe that most coaches are in this for the right reasons. 655 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 1: And it's about it's about the players, and it's about education, 656 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: and it's about developing. It's also about winning. I get 657 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 1: that too, but I think most guys are in it 658 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 1: for the right reasons. Um uh, you know, and obviously 659 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: the opportunities and the finances are a factor too, but 660 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: it's also about where can you go where you have 661 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: the opportunity to be able to win because this is 662 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 1: a cutthroat business and if you don't win, um, you're 663 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 1: gonna be out. So it's hard to balance all those 664 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: feelings and those emotions. But um, it's not as easy 665 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: as maybe it appears. To be your wife foomy you 666 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: just mentioned. You didn't say her name, but she's fantastic. 667 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:59,200 Speaker 1: She's very similar in many ways to my wife. Really smart, 668 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 1: but also totally unwilling to let you get a pass 669 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 1: on anything, i e. She calls you on your bullshit 670 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:12,120 Speaker 1: like my wife calls me on my bullshit. Right, Um, 671 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 1: why is that important? Like in general, because when you 672 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: work as many hours as you do, Uh, it can 673 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: be a challenge. I know, you've got kids and everything else. 674 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: What is you know, A big part of success, I 675 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: really believe is the environment that's not just at work 676 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: but also is at home. How instrumental is she to 677 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,960 Speaker 1: allowing you to be as successful as you are? Well, 678 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: I think it's it's two parts, not number one. It's 679 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 1: someone that's gonna ground you, you know, someone that's always 680 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 1: going to tell you the truth, never gonna allow you. 681 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,000 Speaker 1: Because there's a lot of people when you have some 682 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: success and this is wins and losses. Who will tell 683 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:50,959 Speaker 1: you you're great, right that they will, they will, they 684 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:54,720 Speaker 1: will pump you up, and they're not necessarily being honest. Yes, funny, 685 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: laugh at all, You're not funny all of it. So 686 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 1: having someone at home that's gonna be your truth teller, 687 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: someone that's always going to tell you the truth, that 688 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 1: ultimately cares about you, and and and make sure that 689 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: you know every single day this is what you do. 690 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 1: It's not it's not who you are. It doesn't define you. 691 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:16,759 Speaker 1: So I think that is that is critical. Um, And 692 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:19,680 Speaker 1: then I think it's also you better have someone that's 693 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:24,280 Speaker 1: not only smart and strong but also independent because, um, 694 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 1: you know, the reality is there's a lot of nights 695 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:28,759 Speaker 1: where I'm not home to tuck the girls in bed, 696 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: and and they don't see me when I go to 697 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 1: when I go to work in the morning. So so 698 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 1: not only someone that's gonna be, you know, a foundation 699 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 1: for me and someone that grounds me, and someone's going 700 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:42,040 Speaker 1: to be my truth teller, but also someone that's strong 701 00:34:42,160 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 1: enough and independent enough to to be to be a 702 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 1: single mom. Sometimes I hate to describe it that way, 703 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:50,279 Speaker 1: but there's times a year where it is like that 704 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:53,880 Speaker 1: you know, so, Um, you know, having that person is 705 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: I think critical behind the scenes, because we all know 706 00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 1: if you're if you're healthy and happy at home, then 707 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 1: you've got a chance to be healthy and happy at work. 708 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,760 Speaker 1: You mentioned a bunch of NFL interviews there you coached 709 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:07,800 Speaker 1: one year in Green Bay. What's the biggest difference between 710 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:11,839 Speaker 1: coaching and the NFL and coaching in college. Well, for 711 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:15,200 Speaker 1: me that there's things that I really liked about the NFL. 712 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:17,360 Speaker 1: There was things that I did, There's things I like 713 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,920 Speaker 1: about college, and there's things that that I that I don't. Um, 714 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:23,040 Speaker 1: you know, one of the things that I would, I'd 715 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 1: say the big difference about the NFL is when when 716 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,080 Speaker 1: you're off in the NFL, you're off, like those guys 717 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:30,400 Speaker 1: go on vacation who turn their phones off. They're gone, 718 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:35,200 Speaker 1: you know. Um, in college, you're never really off. Um. 719 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 1: You know, the end of the day, they go home 720 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:39,279 Speaker 1: to NFL guys go home to their families. You go 721 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 1: home to yours. Your phone is not ringing, where in college, 722 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:46,480 Speaker 1: recruits are calling you, players are calling you with issues 723 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 1: that you're trying to mentor and help them through. You're 724 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 1: never really off in college. So I think that's the 725 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:54,880 Speaker 1: biggest difference. But the other end of it is you 726 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 1: don't have the impact. I think it comes back to 727 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:00,160 Speaker 1: your why, like it does in any business. Why you 728 00:36:00,239 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 1: do it, What motivates you, what drives you to get 729 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: out of bed in the morning and and try to 730 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,560 Speaker 1: be the best version of yourself. You're possibly ken. So 731 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 1: for me, I got into this profession. Um, I love football, 732 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 1: but I got in this profession because I wanted to 733 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:17,799 Speaker 1: help help young men. I wanted to use the game 734 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:22,200 Speaker 1: of football to teach life, life, life lessons, championship habits 735 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:24,399 Speaker 1: that are going to allow to be successful football, yes, 736 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:27,600 Speaker 1: but more importantly in life. And the NFL that's not 737 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:30,920 Speaker 1: what it was. It was football and football only and 738 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: you weren't having that type of impact on their on 739 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:38,040 Speaker 1: their development as people. Um. So I loved it. It 740 00:36:38,120 --> 00:36:40,359 Speaker 1: was awesome, had a great experience. I was in you know, 741 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 1: I was in Green Bay and um you know, Brett 742 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 1: farg was our quarterback. We drafted Aaron Rodgers that year. 743 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:47,840 Speaker 1: He was a rookie. You know, with us that that 744 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:51,880 Speaker 1: entire year. Donald Driver, who I still talked to, Um 745 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:54,279 Speaker 1: it was was was my wide out, was one of 746 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:56,439 Speaker 1: my whiteouts. Was kind of the leader of the room 747 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 1: for me. But I had a great experience at a 748 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:01,400 Speaker 1: great experience Green Bay a little bit like a college 749 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 1: you know, feel anyway, But I had a great experience. 750 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:06,840 Speaker 1: Does any part of you, let's say you win a 751 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 1: national championship or two at Penn State and you've been close, 752 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 1: you've been in the mix. I think I've got you 753 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,040 Speaker 1: probably know the data because I know, uh, I know 754 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:16,000 Speaker 1: Penn States tweeted out, but I think it's something like 755 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:19,280 Speaker 1: the last five years, the three winning coaches in college 756 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 1: football are Nick Saban, Davo Sweeney, and you. Uh so 757 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 1: you're in obviously high high company there for current college 758 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,839 Speaker 1: football coaches. Does any part of you think at some 759 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 1: point I'd like to be a head coach in the NFL, 760 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:34,120 Speaker 1: might be fifteen years from now, you know you coached, 761 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 1: or your seventy if you wanted to. Does any part 762 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 1: of you think that that would be a challenge you 763 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 1: would like to explore At this point right now, I'm 764 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 1: so consumed on Penn State. I'm so consumed on our 765 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:50,120 Speaker 1: players here and what we're building. And again when it 766 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:54,200 Speaker 1: goes back to my why and why I do this? Yeah, um, 767 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: you know it's I'm totally entrenched in this, But is 768 00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: there an aspect where in the off seas is in 769 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:03,520 Speaker 1: you know, people call or reach out and there's interest, 770 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 1: and you kind of take a minute and you think 771 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 1: about those things. Um, it's hard for me to say, 772 00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 1: you know, how I'll feel ten years from now, or 773 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: how how I'll feel fifteen years from now. But right now, 774 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 1: my focus is completely on Penn State. UM. You know, 775 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,319 Speaker 1: I have a little personal goal of you know, being 776 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: the first African American coach to win a national championship. UM. 777 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:25,960 Speaker 1: You know, So you know, right now all of our 778 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 1: energy and and UM focuses on that, you know, So 779 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 1: it's not a whole lot of room left for anything 780 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 1: else at this point? Do you feel more pressure as 781 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:37,000 Speaker 1: a black head coach to try to open the door? 782 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 1: And look, I'm a white guy, so I don't understand 783 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: the experience. But if you talk to black head coaches, 784 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:45,280 Speaker 1: you can say, hey, it's not only that I feel 785 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 1: like the standard is maybe more difficult. It's that if 786 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:50,400 Speaker 1: I fail, the door doesn't stay open as wide for 787 00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 1: the next guy who might come up. Is that an 788 00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 1: accurate thought in your mind? Now, you said you want 789 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:57,920 Speaker 1: to be the first black head coach to win a 790 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:01,400 Speaker 1: college football national championship. Is that partly for kicking the 791 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,200 Speaker 1: door more open to provide more opportunity to the next 792 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:07,919 Speaker 1: James Franklin, Well, yeah, I think that's that's all. That's 793 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:09,960 Speaker 1: that's in all of the back of our minds is 794 00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:13,520 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's critical that that I'm successful. It's 795 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:17,320 Speaker 1: critical that we're successful because it will create more opportunities. 796 00:39:17,640 --> 00:39:19,560 Speaker 1: You know, if you look at the numbers right now 797 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: and the hundreds and thirty two Division one schools, there's 798 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,360 Speaker 1: there's not a whole lot um. And you know, I 799 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:29,239 Speaker 1: remember sitting back at that Super Bowl UM when it 800 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:31,560 Speaker 1: was love E Smith and herm I think it was, 801 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:33,640 Speaker 1: And I remember everybody saying, well, this is a pretty 802 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,239 Speaker 1: special moment. I think, sorry to cut you off. I 803 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:39,000 Speaker 1: think it was a lovely Smith and and uh Tony 804 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:42,879 Speaker 1: Dungee because I think that was the one that yeah, 805 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:46,120 Speaker 1: you're yeah, you're exactly right, I misspoke. UM. But I 806 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:48,000 Speaker 1: remember by kind of sitting back and saying, hey, this 807 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:50,960 Speaker 1: is a historical moment here, and this is going to 808 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:53,160 Speaker 1: open the doors. I don't know if it necessarily has 809 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 1: done that. You look at the NFL. I don't know 810 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 1: if that's necessarily done that, but but obviously when people 811 00:39:57,440 --> 00:39:59,880 Speaker 1: can sit back and see people, um, you know, in 812 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:02,840 Speaker 1: that job and in that role, um, you know, I 813 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:05,600 Speaker 1: think it helps. So yeah, I think, you know, I've 814 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:08,319 Speaker 1: always kind of had the mentality that, you know, I 815 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:10,400 Speaker 1: want to do it not only for Penn State, and 816 00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:12,400 Speaker 1: I want to do it not only for our players 817 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 1: and our assistant coaches and and and and for James Franklin, 818 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:18,520 Speaker 1: but also for the for the young guys that are 819 00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:21,440 Speaker 1: coming up. Hopefully it will create more opportunities. I do 820 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:25,040 Speaker 1: think there's a little bit more pressure, um, you know, 821 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:28,320 Speaker 1: because you feel like you're carrying that extra weight. Fox 822 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:31,480 Speaker 1: Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. 823 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:34,719 Speaker 1: Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot 824 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,759 Speaker 1: com and within the I Heart Radio app. Search f 825 00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 1: s R to listen live. We're talking to James Franklin, 826 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,480 Speaker 1: Penn State football coach. I'm Clay Travis Wins and Losses. 827 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 1: I mentioned that I've been up to Penn State seen 828 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:49,160 Speaker 1: the experience you guys have created a phenomenal situation there. 829 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:51,640 Speaker 1: Uh the game that I was up for most recently, 830 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:53,120 Speaker 1: I think I've only been up for one, my wife 831 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:55,680 Speaker 1: has been up for a few You guys lost late 832 00:40:55,880 --> 00:41:00,200 Speaker 1: to Ohio State. Uh, when you lose a game that 833 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:03,399 Speaker 1: is very close and is is right on the hit 834 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 1: the edge of victory or defeat, how long does it take? 835 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 1: This is a wins and Losses podcast. How long does 836 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:12,640 Speaker 1: it take you to get over that loss? And how 837 00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:15,480 Speaker 1: do you distill something from it? Do you think you 838 00:41:15,640 --> 00:41:20,239 Speaker 1: learn more from wins or defeat? Well? I think I 839 00:41:20,239 --> 00:41:22,920 Speaker 1: think that's a that's a great subject and we could 840 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:25,279 Speaker 1: probably talk about that for a while. That that's an 841 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:28,560 Speaker 1: area really the last couple of years that I knew 842 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:30,960 Speaker 1: I had to get better because I think as a 843 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:35,120 Speaker 1: head coach, um, if you don't get over it, then 844 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:38,320 Speaker 1: nobody does. The assistant coaches don't get over the players 845 00:41:38,360 --> 00:41:41,280 Speaker 1: don't get over it. And that's after wins or losses. 846 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:43,600 Speaker 1: You gotta move on, You gotta you gotta flush it, 847 00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:46,359 Speaker 1: and you gotta move on. It's poison to get caught 848 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,360 Speaker 1: up in either either either one the praise, you know, 849 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:52,520 Speaker 1: or the criticism. Um, and I probably didn't do a 850 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:55,759 Speaker 1: good enough job of that in my past of how 851 00:41:55,800 --> 00:41:58,359 Speaker 1: to manage the loss is how to move on from 852 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:02,160 Speaker 1: the losses the real it is. Um, you know, you 853 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:04,480 Speaker 1: can learn a lot from them, There's no doubt about 854 00:42:04,520 --> 00:42:07,120 Speaker 1: it if you're handled the right way. The problem is 855 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:11,759 Speaker 1: is everybody gets defensive and sensitive after losses, and what 856 00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:14,479 Speaker 1: you hope you can do is you can grow through 857 00:42:14,520 --> 00:42:19,120 Speaker 1: wins and you know, make sure everybody in your organization realizes, Okay, 858 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:21,279 Speaker 1: we won these games, but these are still things that 859 00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:24,440 Speaker 1: we have to get corrected so we can continue this. 860 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:27,120 Speaker 1: And I think in a lot of ways, the winning 861 00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:32,440 Speaker 1: is harder to handle for college aged kids, um than 862 00:42:32,640 --> 00:42:36,640 Speaker 1: than the losses are. Sometimes sometimes they're more resilient, um, 863 00:42:36,719 --> 00:42:40,000 Speaker 1: you know after the losses, but the wins you've got 864 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:42,719 Speaker 1: to make sure you're staying grounded. So uh, it's hard 865 00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 1: to go. And that's something I really focused on the 866 00:42:44,760 --> 00:42:48,160 Speaker 1: last couple of years that I can't ask everybody else 867 00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:52,640 Speaker 1: to move on and attack the next objective. Um, if 868 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:55,560 Speaker 1: I haven't done that. This is a ridiculous comparison, But 869 00:42:55,680 --> 00:42:58,200 Speaker 1: I'm coaching eight nine year old basketball. We've lost a 870 00:42:58,280 --> 00:42:59,880 Speaker 1: game that we should have won to win that you 871 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:03,560 Speaker 1: caampionship eight nine year old basketball, James. I couldn't sleep 872 00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:06,160 Speaker 1: that night. I was going over every play in my head. 873 00:43:06,480 --> 00:43:08,160 Speaker 1: I didn't even want to confess to my wife that 874 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:10,600 Speaker 1: I couldn't sleep because it was eight nine year old basketball. 875 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:13,200 Speaker 1: But as the coach, I felt like we had blown it, 876 00:43:13,239 --> 00:43:15,040 Speaker 1: and maybe I should We should have won the game, right, 877 00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:18,120 Speaker 1: we were the more talented team. When you lose a game, 878 00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:20,720 Speaker 1: are it has to be the case that it's almost 879 00:43:20,719 --> 00:43:23,879 Speaker 1: impossible to go to sleep afterwards, because for a game 880 00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:26,719 Speaker 1: like that, your your intensity level has to be so 881 00:43:26,840 --> 00:43:29,600 Speaker 1: high that it's almost impossible to come back down right. 882 00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:32,319 Speaker 1: Yet you have to do it because six days later 883 00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:34,759 Speaker 1: the same things happening all over again. How do you 884 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:39,400 Speaker 1: control your emotions and do it? And Sundays are a grind. 885 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:42,880 Speaker 1: Sundays are like Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, there are the heaviest 886 00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:45,880 Speaker 1: days of our week. So that's a problem because after 887 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,600 Speaker 1: the big wins, it's hard to get to sleep. And 888 00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:52,239 Speaker 1: after the losses, Uh, it's really challenging for me. I'm 889 00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:55,640 Speaker 1: gonna hit the bed. Don't remember getting in the bed. 890 00:43:55,840 --> 00:43:58,120 Speaker 1: Ball you're out because you're working so many hours. You 891 00:43:58,160 --> 00:44:00,840 Speaker 1: just hit the bed and you're out. Correct. Like my wife, 892 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:04,799 Speaker 1: it really pisces her off because we'll go in, I'll 893 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:08,440 Speaker 1: brush my teeth, she brushes her teeth, she washes her face, 894 00:44:08,520 --> 00:44:10,959 Speaker 1: or jumps in the shower. By time she gets out, 895 00:44:11,480 --> 00:44:15,080 Speaker 1: I'm gone, like I'm out, you know. But then the 896 00:44:15,120 --> 00:44:16,920 Speaker 1: problem is I'll wake up in the middle of the 897 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:19,560 Speaker 1: night to go to bathroom or something like that, like 898 00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:21,919 Speaker 1: like we do once you get over forty five years old, 899 00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:24,960 Speaker 1: and then my mind starts spinning and I start thinking 900 00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:27,960 Speaker 1: about all the things, and then I can't go back 901 00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:30,040 Speaker 1: to sleep. So then I'll just I'll come into office 902 00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:32,759 Speaker 1: because just laying there in the bed it doesn't make 903 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:34,640 Speaker 1: a whole lot of sense. But then it puts you behind, 904 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:38,880 Speaker 1: put you behind on sleep, and then all of a sudden, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. 905 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:41,080 Speaker 1: You know, by the time that next you know, Thursday 906 00:44:41,200 --> 00:44:44,480 Speaker 1: night comes, you're you're you're pretty war out. So that's 907 00:44:44,520 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 1: the challenge. How can you Because for most coaches and me, 908 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:50,960 Speaker 1: I can really operate at a pretty high level with 909 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:53,760 Speaker 1: five hours of sleep at night. But if I start 910 00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:57,520 Speaker 1: getting under that um and those days add up, then 911 00:44:57,719 --> 00:45:00,359 Speaker 1: then it can be challenging. And then I'll us you're 912 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:02,799 Speaker 1: less effective and you're not as productive, and you're not 913 00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:06,120 Speaker 1: making as good as decisions. So if you're not careful 914 00:45:06,239 --> 00:45:09,560 Speaker 1: those things. Can those things conspiral? You know those things conspiral? 915 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:12,440 Speaker 1: Be sure to catch live editions about kicked the coverage 916 00:45:12,440 --> 00:45:15,319 Speaker 1: with Clay Travis week days at six am Eastern, three 917 00:45:15,400 --> 00:45:17,920 Speaker 1: am Pacific. When you self assess and I know you 918 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:19,959 Speaker 1: just signed a new contract to stay at Penn State 919 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:23,160 Speaker 1: for many more years, congratulations on that. How close do 920 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:25,920 Speaker 1: you think you are You've already won a Big ten championship. 921 00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:28,440 Speaker 1: How close do you think the program is to taking 922 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:31,560 Speaker 1: the proverbial next step making a playoff, being able to 923 00:45:31,560 --> 00:45:35,440 Speaker 1: contend for a national championship. Well, we're close, you know. 924 00:45:35,480 --> 00:45:38,200 Speaker 1: Obviously we've been. We've been very close. I mean you 925 00:45:38,239 --> 00:45:41,120 Speaker 1: look at us. We've played in three We've played in 926 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:44,360 Speaker 1: three New Year's six Bowl games in the last four years. 927 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:46,839 Speaker 1: You know, we've been ranked as high as number two 928 00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:49,880 Speaker 1: in the country. Um, you know, so we're close. You 929 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:53,200 Speaker 1: know the our conference, um, you know, the Big Tennis 930 00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:58,239 Speaker 1: a little bit like the SEC West. You got Ohio State, Michigan, 931 00:45:58,480 --> 00:46:01,520 Speaker 1: Michigan State, and Penn's Date all in the same side 932 00:46:01,520 --> 00:46:05,040 Speaker 1: of the conference. Um. So it's it's challenging and it 933 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:08,520 Speaker 1: and it is a battle, There's no doubt about it. So, um, 934 00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:10,799 Speaker 1: you know, it's hard to get into the top twenty five. 935 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:12,960 Speaker 1: It's hard to go from the top twenty five into 936 00:46:12,960 --> 00:46:16,759 Speaker 1: the top fifteen. And I would make the argument it's 937 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:21,160 Speaker 1: even more challenging to get into that top four because 938 00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:24,080 Speaker 1: the top four to five programs in the country. That 939 00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:28,040 Speaker 1: drop off to the to the top ten is significant, 940 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:32,239 Speaker 1: probably much more significant than anywhere else. So, uh, you 941 00:46:32,280 --> 00:46:35,200 Speaker 1: know those things are really really important that you keep 942 00:46:35,239 --> 00:46:39,440 Speaker 1: battling and scratching and clawing for all those little all 943 00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:43,120 Speaker 1: those little margins of error that you're trying to close 944 00:46:43,120 --> 00:46:45,480 Speaker 1: the gap. I only have a couple more questions for 945 00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:47,800 Speaker 1: you when you sit back and think about your career 946 00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:51,399 Speaker 1: so far. What loss, what, what when are you most 947 00:46:51,440 --> 00:46:54,960 Speaker 1: proud of? And what loss sticks with you the most. 948 00:46:56,760 --> 00:47:00,440 Speaker 1: So I'm not a favorite guy, and that's what anything 949 00:47:00,480 --> 00:47:04,360 Speaker 1: that's with games, that's with food, debts with music. So 950 00:47:04,400 --> 00:47:07,120 Speaker 1: it's hard for me to say, like, who's my favorite player. 951 00:47:07,120 --> 00:47:09,560 Speaker 1: It's hard for me to say what's my favorite win? 952 00:47:10,440 --> 00:47:14,200 Speaker 1: Um or toughest loss? That that's hard to say. Um. 953 00:47:14,280 --> 00:47:17,360 Speaker 1: The one thing I would probably say, and not necessarily 954 00:47:17,440 --> 00:47:20,239 Speaker 1: because of the game, but but something else. But we 955 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:24,840 Speaker 1: beat Ohio State at our place a few years back. Um, 956 00:47:24,880 --> 00:47:27,440 Speaker 1: you know, blocked the field goal, ran back for touchdown, 957 00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:30,279 Speaker 1: you know, played really well. Um. And one that it 958 00:47:30,360 --> 00:47:32,080 Speaker 1: was a white out. If you haven't, if you've never 959 00:47:32,080 --> 00:47:34,080 Speaker 1: been to a Penn State white out game, you need 960 00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:37,160 Speaker 1: to do that. It's it's tremendous. But what made it 961 00:47:37,239 --> 00:47:40,520 Speaker 1: special for me is the young man who blocked the 962 00:47:40,640 --> 00:47:42,640 Speaker 1: field goal and the other guy who picked up the 963 00:47:42,640 --> 00:47:46,040 Speaker 1: ball up and ran in for touchdown. His there, his 964 00:47:46,200 --> 00:47:49,799 Speaker 1: dad took those two gloves, had him autograph it, had 965 00:47:49,800 --> 00:47:51,560 Speaker 1: a picture of it, and put all that in a 966 00:47:51,640 --> 00:47:53,719 Speaker 1: frame for me and gave it to me. So that's 967 00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:56,760 Speaker 1: one of my prize prize possessions because it's so personal. 968 00:47:57,480 --> 00:48:00,440 Speaker 1: Last question for you, how do you balance being a 969 00:48:00,480 --> 00:48:03,279 Speaker 1: good dad, being a good husband, and also being incredibly 970 00:48:03,320 --> 00:48:05,760 Speaker 1: successful Because there's a lot of people out there listening, 971 00:48:05,760 --> 00:48:08,440 Speaker 1: regardless of what they do for a living, they struggle 972 00:48:08,520 --> 00:48:13,080 Speaker 1: with that. What have you found that works for you? Again, 973 00:48:13,120 --> 00:48:15,920 Speaker 1: I think it goes back to that micro managing deal 974 00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:18,000 Speaker 1: where I think you gotta be honest and you've got 975 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:20,640 Speaker 1: to be transparent. So for me to sit here and 976 00:48:20,680 --> 00:48:23,320 Speaker 1: tell you right now that I have balanced in my life, 977 00:48:23,640 --> 00:48:27,759 Speaker 1: I do not. UM. I struggle every single day. I 978 00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:32,840 Speaker 1: have I have UM football coach guilt. I have guilt 979 00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:35,400 Speaker 1: about it about the time that I spend with my wife, 980 00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:38,839 Speaker 1: the time that I spend with my daughters. UM. For 981 00:48:38,880 --> 00:48:40,760 Speaker 1: me to sit here and say I have balanced, I don't, 982 00:48:40,800 --> 00:48:43,399 Speaker 1: you know. So I struggle with that every single day, 983 00:48:43,880 --> 00:48:46,759 Speaker 1: trying to be the best dad I possibly can be, 984 00:48:46,760 --> 00:48:48,680 Speaker 1: be the best husband I possibly could be, be the 985 00:48:48,719 --> 00:48:51,560 Speaker 1: best football coach I possibly can be. UM. And the 986 00:48:51,640 --> 00:48:55,719 Speaker 1: reality there's times where I'm able to pour everything into 987 00:48:55,760 --> 00:48:58,719 Speaker 1: the dad role or the husband role and the coach role, 988 00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:01,800 Speaker 1: but it's not balanced. UM, you know. And I just 989 00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:04,359 Speaker 1: try to do the best I possibly can every single day. 990 00:49:04,400 --> 00:49:07,000 Speaker 1: But I think being upfront and honest about that helps. 991 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:09,160 Speaker 1: I think the other thing that helps is being the 992 00:49:09,160 --> 00:49:13,000 Speaker 1: head coach. I've created an environment here where my wife 993 00:49:13,160 --> 00:49:16,319 Speaker 1: and kids as well as as well as the other 994 00:49:16,360 --> 00:49:19,320 Speaker 1: coaches and their kids. UM, they come in that office 995 00:49:19,320 --> 00:49:21,359 Speaker 1: all the time. So you know, the other day, my 996 00:49:21,440 --> 00:49:24,319 Speaker 1: daughter Sola was in here in the office with me 997 00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:26,919 Speaker 1: for nine hours. They had a day off. She spent 998 00:49:26,960 --> 00:49:29,880 Speaker 1: the entire day with me. Um. She's running around the 999 00:49:29,920 --> 00:49:32,840 Speaker 1: office kind of seeing all her uncles, and down in 1000 00:49:32,880 --> 00:49:35,680 Speaker 1: this in the nutrition bar, making smoothies for the players 1001 00:49:35,719 --> 00:49:38,439 Speaker 1: and things like that. You know, so that that's how 1002 00:49:38,480 --> 00:49:41,360 Speaker 1: we do it, and it you know, probably isn't um 1003 00:49:41,440 --> 00:49:45,200 Speaker 1: you know, probably isn't ideal, but it's how we maximize 1004 00:49:45,200 --> 00:49:47,840 Speaker 1: it the best we possibly can. Outstanding stuff. I know 1005 00:49:47,880 --> 00:49:49,960 Speaker 1: you're a busy man. Appreciate the time. It's James Franklin, 1006 00:49:49,960 --> 00:49:52,240 Speaker 1: Pin State football coach. This has been wins and losses 1007 00:49:52,280 --> 00:49:54,600 Speaker 1: with Clay Travis. Thanks my man, Thank you very much. 1008 00:49:54,600 --> 00:49:57,279 Speaker 1: How a going buddy. Fox Sports Radio has the best 1009 00:49:57,280 --> 00:50:00,160 Speaker 1: sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our 1010 00:50:00,200 --> 00:50:03,640 Speaker 1: shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the 1011 00:50:03,640 --> 00:50:06,840 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio app. Search f s R to listen live.