James Franklin named Coach of the Year finalist

Penn State head coach James Franklin is getting more recognition for the job he’s done with the Nittany Lions this season.

Franklin, fresh off a Big Ten Championship victory, is among five finalists for the 2016 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award, Penn State announced Tuesday. The award is presented by the Football Writers Association of America.

Along with Franklin, the other finalists are Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck, Colorado’s Mike MacIntyre, Washington’s Chris Petersen and Alabama’s Nick Saban.

The winner of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award will be announced on Jan. 7 in Tampa Bay.

Franklin is out recruiting this week after guiding Penn State to a 38-31 conference title win over Wisconsin on Saturday. The Nittany Lions (11-2, 9-1) captured the program’s fourth Big Ten championship (1994, 2005, 2008).

Franklin was named the Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of Year last week.

The No. 5 Nittany Lions face No. 9 Southern California in the Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. on Jan. 2.

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 2:03 PM with the headline "James Franklin named Coach of the Year finalist."