The James Franklin era at Penn State was one that was needed during one of the most tumultuous periods in school history. He stabilized the program, but the two sides just reached a point where they were better off apart after a memorable 11-year partnership.
Franklin’s impact is already being felt at Virginia Tech as the team made a statement with a 73-3 blowout win in Week 1. Penn State coach Matt Campbell was no slouch in the season opener either, orchestrating a 45-0 win against Marshall on Saturday.
Unsurprisingly, the two coaches were compared over the weekend, with a notable college football account saying, “This ain’t James Franklin’s Penn State.” Former Nittany Lions linebacker Jason Cabinda responded to the post saying that he was happy
the team won, but “they played Marshall.”
I’m happy they looked good too but bro, they played Marshall…. https://t.co/uX9LTzNQ6x
— Jason Cabinda (@jasoncabinda) September 6, 2026
Cabinda explained in the comments that it wasn’t a slight to his old school, but his judgment could be clouded by the fact that he played for Franklin. He would like to see Penn State go against better competition before making a determination of how good they are.
There’s no arguing with the idea that a game against Marshall isn’t the measuring stick for how this team compares to contenders around the country. However, Saturday’s game was a noticeable improvement from how the Nittany Lions played in recent years.
There were countless times when they came out flat and uninspiring against an opponent they should crush. This led to wins that looked comfortable on the scoreboard but were more of a struggle than the naked eye could see.
The new-look Penn State team came out looking to send a message, and they did exactly that. Campbell seems like a no-nonsense guy who is focused on nothing but winning games and looking fundamentally sound doing it. Nobody knows how his tenure with the Nittany Lions will end up compared to Franklin’s, but it’s off to a better start than most anticipated.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State alum pumps breaks on hype train after Week 1 shutout
