It’s finally official. After more than a week of speculation that James Franklin would be hired, Vanderbilt has named the Maryland offensive coordinator its new head coach. Franklin, 38, will be the first African-American in the job’s history. He will be Vandy’s 27th football coach.
The hire got a stamp of approval from former Maryland athletic director Debbie Yow, now at N.C. State. While at Maryland, Yow designated Franklin the Terps’ head coach-in-waiting, guaranteeing him $1 million if he was not named to the post by January, 2012.
“Coach Franklin is a terrific fit for Vanderbilt…an over achiever who maximizes every opportunity,” Yow said in a Vanderbilt press release. “ 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.”
Franklin turned down an NFL offer to assist Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris. The two served together at Kansas State.
“He is a first class coach, and a perfect fit for a university like Vanderbilt,” Morris told the school. “He’s a tremendous motivator of men, and inspires character in each of his players. He works really hard to be the best that he can be as a coach, and has the toughness to build up a program in the SEC. He will no doubt be a great representative of Vanderbilt University.”
A live stream of Franklin’s 1 p.m. press conference will be available at the official Vanderbilt Athletics website, vucommodores.com.
