The Penn State Nittany Lions announced on Sunday afternoon that, after a brutal three-week stretch that featured three consecutive losses, the university was parting ways with head coach James Franklin.
The decision comes after Penn State’s 22-21 loss to the Northwestern Wildcats at home on Saturday. It was the third-straight loss for the Nittany Lions, and the second-straight loss in a game in which they were favored by more than 20 points to win, marking the first time that’s happened to a team in 30 years.
Now, with Franklin on the outs and a new coaching search beginning, we are undoubtedly going to see some ripple effects, particularly in the recruiting world. That started on Sunday when 4-star linebacker Gabe Jenkins quickly announced his decommitment from the program following the breaking news.
BREAKING: Four-Star LB Gabriel Jenkins has Decommitted from Penn State
He’s ranked as the No. 13 LB in the 2027 Class (per Rivals Industry)https://t.co/az2d3Khl7dpic.twitter.com/BsAZDIG8CH
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 12, 2025
According to 247Sports, Jenkins was rated as the No. 130 player in the 2027 class, and Rivals had him listed as the No. 13 linebacker in the nation. Without Jenkins in the fold, Penn State still has the No. 11-ranked class in the 2027 cycle, but it’s fair to wonder what further fallout could take place on the recruiting front for the Nittany Lions, particularly in the 2026 cycle, where they have the No. 16-ranked class at the moment.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State hit with major recruiting loss after James Franklin firing
