Could Penn State see a raft transfers with James Franklin fired?

In the current era of college football, when the transfer portal has run rampant, it’s common to see players respond to a coach’s firing by sitting out the season, preserving a redshirt and transferring at year’s end.

Now that Penn State has parted with James Franklin, is that something Nittany Lions should be aware of?

The answer is a bit complicated.

Penn State is already six games into its season. Anyone who has played at least five has burned their redshirt, making the pool of potential portal entrants significantly smaller.

The NCAA also changed a rule this season that works in PSU’s favor. Athletes who play for a university with a coach fired in-season must wait for the opening of the new one-time transfer window Jan. 2. If the school fired its coach after Jan. 2, players would have a special 15-day window to enter the portal after a new coach is hired.

Thus, Penn State players will have to wait for Jan. 2 to leave.

By PennLive’s unofficial count, 31 Lions could still redshirt and theoretically choose to sit the rest of the 2025 season. Most of those are freshmen, but there are a few impactful names to watch.

And it’s something interim coach Terry Smith must address on top of a heaping pile of new responsibilities.

“This first week, I want to get my feet grounded underneath me and understand all the roles of being a head coach and a CEO of this program,” Smith said Monday.

When asked about the 31 players in a position to redshirt, Smith quickly joked, “Well, I’m glad to know it’s 31. I have something to look forward to.”

But he also said he has already spoken with a few players and has a consistent message for the new dynamic he must manage.

“You signed up to play football. We love the game of football, and let’s keep the main thing the main thing,” Smith said. “You only earn opportunity through production on the field. If you’re not productive on the field, it doesn’t matter where you go, if you want to sit out or who wants you next. You’re not going to make the money you think you’re supposed. You’re not going to be drafted where you think you’re supposed to be drafted.

“So my message is, we have an opportunity to come together, win the season, shock the world and we all can have success together.”

Here’s the full list of Nittany Lions who have played in four games or fewer this season and have not already redshirted earlier in their careers:

• Junior linebacker Tony Rojas (four games)

• Junior cornerback Zion Tracy (four games)

• Sophomore offensive lineman Cooper Cousins (four games)

• Freshman defensive end Yvan Kemajou (four games)

• Freshman cornerback Jahmir Joseph (three games)

• Freshman wide receiver Koby Howard (two games)

• Freshman defensive tackle Randy Adirika (two games)

• Freshman linebacker Alex Tatsch (one game)

• Freshman defensive end Cortez Harris (one game)

• Freshman linebacker Cam Smith (one game)

• Freshman offensive lineman Owen Aliciene (one game)

• Freshman kicker Matthew Parker (one game)

• Freshman linebacker LaVar Arrington II

• Freshman defensive end Dayshaun Burnett

• Freshman running back Tikey Hayes

• Freshman tight end Brian Kortovich

• Freshman quarterback Bekkem Kritza

• Freshman tight end Andrew Olesh

• Freshman wide receiver Matt Outten

• Freshman wide receiver Lyrick Samuel

• Freshman defensive back Braz Thomas

• Freshman offensive lineman Michael Troutman III

• Freshman wide receiver Jeff Exinor Jr.

• Freshman tight end Matt Henderson

• Freshman offensive lineman Brady O’Hara

• Freshman offensive lineman Malachi Goodman

• Freshman defensive back Joshua Johnson

• Freshman defensive back Xxavier Thomas

• Freshman running back Jabree Coleman

• Freshman defensive end Daniel Jennings

• Freshman defensive back Max Heffner