When Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons was a highly coveted five-star recruit out Harrisburg High School (he was the No. 1-ranked player in the state of Pennsylvania and the No. 5-ranked recruit nationally), it was James Franklin who convinced him to sign with Penn State.
Parsons thrived with the Nittany Lions, racking up 192 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, five passes defensed, and one fumble recovery over a decorated two-year college career that included a first-team All-Big Ten selection, a Big Ten Linebacker of the Year award, a Freshman All-American selection, and a Butkus award win before declaring for the 2021 NFL draft.
Parsons was one of the top recruits in Penn State history, and he very much considers himself a proud alum.
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So when the school parted ways with Franklin after a 3-3 start in his 12th season, Parsons took to social media to make it known he wasn’t thrilled with his alma mater’s decision.
“Regardless of the situation at hand, this one doesn’t feel right to me!” Parsons tweeted. “Coach deserved better! My self and countless others wouldn’t be where we are today without Coach! Thank you. #Weareforever!”
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Penn State went 9-4 and 11-2 in 2018 and 2019, respectively, with Parsons manning its front seven and Franklin calling the shots.
There’s no question Franklin had a successful tenure with the Nittany Lions, leading them to a 104-45 record with five bowl wins and one College Football Playoff appearance.
Franklin also thrived on the recruiting trail, recording top-25 classes in every year with the school, including two top-10 classes in 2018 and 2022.
His 2018 class, which Parsons was a part of, featured plenty of future NFL talent including Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Justin Shorter, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Friermuth, Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker, and Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Odafeh Oweh.
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