Virginia Tech HC James Franklin Criticizes Penn State's 'Cheap' NIL Spending

Franklin claims Penn State only spent big on NIL in his final season before being fired.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 5:20pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a college football game broken down into overlapping planes of navy, green, and orange, representing the competitive pressures of NIL spending.A cubist interpretation of the financial arms race in college football's NIL era.Penn State Erie Today

In an interview, new Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin criticized his former program, Penn State, for only spending big on NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals in his final season before being fired in October 2025. Franklin claimed Penn State's NIL budget was just $7 million in 2024-25, far less than top programs like Ohio State, while the Nittany Lions allegedly increased it to around $30 million under new head coach Matt Campbell.

Why it matters

NIL deals have become a major factor in college football recruiting and roster building, with top programs investing heavily to attract and retain talent. Franklin's comments suggest Penn State may have been at a disadvantage compared to its peers in the NIL arms race, which could have contributed to the program's struggles during his tenure.

The details

According to the report, Franklin said Penn State 'went all-in' on NIL spending in his final season, but that was the only year they did so. In 2024-25, when Franklin nearly led Penn State to the national championship game, the program's NIL budget was just $7 million, while Ohio State and other top programs were spending around $20 million. After Franklin's firing, Penn State allegedly increased its NIL budget to $30 million under new head coach Matt Campbell.

  • In the 2024-25 season, Penn State's NIL budget was $7 million.
  • In Franklin's final season in 2025, Penn State 'went all-in' on NIL spending.
  • Franklin was fired by Penn State in October 2025.

The players

James Franklin

The new head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies, who was previously the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Matt Campbell

The new head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, who allegedly increased the program's NIL budget to around $30 million.

Penn State Nittany Lions

The college football program that James Franklin previously coached, which has been criticized for its NIL spending.

Virginia Tech Hokies

The college football program that James Franklin is now the head coach of, which has reportedly increased its NIL budget to $229 million across all sports.

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What they’re saying

“'I'll give Penn State credit, they went all-in last year. But they went all in for one year.'”

— James Franklin, Head Coach, Virginia Tech Hokies

“'You remember the 2024 season, right? Penn State lost a gut-punch of a game at home to Ohio State — yet another loss in a big game for Franklin — and lost in the Big Ten championship game to Oregon. The Lions played that season, Franklin told USA TODAY Sports, with an NIL budget of $7 million. Seven million.'”

— Matt Hayes, Reporter

What’s next

It remains to be seen how the increased NIL budgets at both Penn State and Virginia Tech will impact their recruiting and on-field performance in the coming seasons.

The takeaway

This story highlights the growing importance of NIL deals in college football and the competitive pressures programs face to invest heavily in order to attract top talent. Franklin's comments suggest Penn State may have been at a disadvantage compared to its peers, which could have contributed to the program's struggles during his tenure.