Associated Press
December 17, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Vanderbilt confirmed Friday that it hired Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin as the Commodores' new football coach, their third this year.
"Improving our football program is a high priority at Vanderbilt and the first step in the process was to identify just the right person to lead us," Vanderbilt vice chancellor David Williams said in a statement. "Our search was national and we talked to many, many candidates and experts in the college football arena. One name that quickly rose to the top of our list was James Franklin. We are thrilled that he has agreed to become our head coach."
Franklin was scheduled to be introduced at Vanderbilt at a 1 p.m. CST press conference.
He replaces Robbie Caldwell, who resigned Nov. 27. Caldwell took over July 14 when Bobby Johnson unexpectedly retired.
This will be the first head coaching job for Franklin, who turns 39 in February. He also will be the first black coach of any major sport at Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt is coming off consecutive 2-10 seasons. The Commodores went 7-6 in 2008 for their first winning season since 1982.
Franklin spent the past three seasons as Maryland's assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, and since February 2009 had been in line to succeed Ralph Friedgen as the Terrapins' head coach. Franklin first joined Maryland as an assistant in 2000 through 2004, and was promoted to recruiting coordinator in 2003.
"Coach Franklin is a terrific fit for Vanderbilt ... an overachiever who maximizes every opportunity," said former Maryland athletics director Debbie Yow, who now serves the same role at North Carolina State. "He will bring with him a relentless work ethic and a staff that does the same. Working hard and working smart are his trademarks, along with expectations of academic excellence."
Rivals.com named Franklin one of the best 25 recruiters nationally in 2009. Franklin also coached receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey and Josh Freeman. Heyward-Bey was selected seventh overall by Oakland and Freeman was taken 17th by Tampa Bay in 2009 NFL draft.
Franklin also was offensive coordinator at Kansas State in 2006 and 2007 with the Wildcats ranking 20th in passing offense and 21st in scoring offense in his second season. That also was the first time Kansas State had a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,500-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher.
He coached wide receivers with the NFL's Green Bay Packers in 2005 and had NFL minority coaching internships with the Minnesota Vikings (2008), Philadelphia Eagles (1999) and Miami Dolphins (1998).
A quarterback at East Stroudsburg from 1991-1994, Franklin started his coaching career at Kutztown in 1995 before returning to his alma mater as a graduate assistant and secondary coach. He worked at James Madison in 1997 coaching receivers before working with tight ends at Washington State in 1998 and with receivers at Idaho State in 1999.
The Terrapins (8-4) ranked just 85th in total offense this season. But that's still better than what Vanderbilt managed.
The Commodores not only ranked last in the SEC in points scored (16.9) and total offense (298.2 yards per game), but 112th and 110th in those categories out of 120 FBS programs.
It's a different challenge at Vanderbilt, the SEC's only private university where that 7-6 record in 2008 marked only the fourth time in the past 50 years the Commodores had won seven games in a season. The program also features the SEC's smallest stadium, which seats 39,773 and feels like a high school field compared to the rest of the league.
Vanderbilt had talked with Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn before he withdrew his name from consideration and took a pay raise to stay.
