Tony Franklin (coach)
Encyclopedia
Tony Franklin is an American
college football
coach, currently serving as the offensive coordinator
for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
of Western Athletic Conference
.
Franklin was previously the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator
of the Auburn University
football team
, before being fired from that position on October 8, 2008. Franklin is known for his expertise in the spread offense and for developing quarterback
s. Under his guidance, quarterbacks Tim Couch
, Dusty Bonner
, and Jared Lorenzen
each led the SEC
in passing, with Couch becoming the first player selected in the 1999 NFL Draft
.
While a running back
in college at Murray State in 1977, Franklin was a teammate of fellow future coach Bud Foster
, who later came to prominence as the Virginia Tech defensive coordinator.
where he coached Mr. Football in Kentucky Pookie Jones who went to play at Kentucky
. He continued coaching in the high school ranks at other schools including perennial state championship contender Mayfield High School
winning 2 state titles, until he was hired by Hal Mumme
in 1997 to coach running backs at Kentucky
. After Mike Leach was hired away by Oklahoma
, Franklin was named offensive coordinator for the 2000 season and led the Wildcats
to the nation’s 2nd best passing offense, as well as the nation’s 11th best team in total offense (445 yards per game). He helped lead the Wildcats to their first back-to-back bowl appearances in 15 years and their first New Year’s bowl game appearance in 50 seasons. During his tenure at Kentucky, Franklin was named one of the top 10 recruiters in the South.
In 2003, Franklin was chosen as general manager and head coach of the expansion franchise Lexington Horsemen
of the National Indoor Football League
, successfully leading the team to the playoffs in their inaugural season. The team led the Atlantic Division in scoring, averaging 53.1 points per game.
to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Troy University
. In his first season at Troy, Franklin turned the teams stuttering offense around from the last placed offensive unit in the Sun Belt Conference
prior to his arrival, to leading the league in passing and ranking second in overall offense. This remarkable turnaround helped the Trojans
earn their first Sun Belt Conference title as well as the school's first bowl win, with a victory in the New Orleans Bowl
. Prior to Franklin's arrival, Troy hadn't ranked better than 109th nationally in total offense in the previous four seasons. In 2007, the Trojans ranked 16th nationally in total offense (453 yards per game) and 25th nationally in scoring offense (34 points per game), helping the team win back to back Sun Belt Conference titles.
to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn University
. Franklin implemented his new spread offense with only 8 days of practice, prior to the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl
. The new system proved quite effective as Auburn bested their season average in all offensive categories, posting 423 yards of offense (233 passing / 190 rushing), had 24 first downs and ran an 11-year high 93 offensive plays, all despite playing against the #6 defense in the nation.
The Tigers' offense was much less impressive at the start of the 2008 season
. Auburn started the season with a somewhat disappointing 4-2 record, losing to LSU
and Vanderbilt
and having close calls against two struggling teams in Mississippi State
and Tennessee
. After the first six games, Auburn ranked 104th in total offense out of all FBS teams.
On Wednesday, October 8, 2008, Auburn head coach Tuberville fired Franklin, citing a lack of offensive production from Franklin's spread offense, and noting Auburn's diminishing rank in most of the offensive categories in the FBS. Auburn went on to win only one of the final six games, finishing with a 5–7 record. Some saw this as proof that even though Franklin was able to use his offense in lesser conferences and against lesser defenses, in the SEC where defense reigns, his version of the spread could not work.
. He replaced G.A. Mangus, who left MTSU to become the quarterbacks coach
at South Carolina under his college coach Steve Spurrier
.
Under Franklin's tutelage, the Blue Raiders offense improved from 7th in the conference in scoring before his arrival (and 84th in the nation) to 2nd in the conference his first season (and 23rd in the nation). Despite a losing record the year prior, MTSU finished the regular season with a 9-3 record including a win over the Maryland from the Atlantic Coast Conference (the lone conference loss came at Troy). The press characterized the year as redemption for Franklin after the difficulties at Auburn the prior year. Franklin's offense helped the Blue Raiders finish with 10 wins (after beating Southern Mississippi 42-32 in the New Orleans Bowl
), the program's best record since it entered the Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) in 1999, with the offense averaging over 420 yards per game. Franklin's 2009 unit set MTSU records in total yards, passing yards, and total points. Quarterback Dwight Dasher finished the season ranked 7th in the nation in total offense, threw for a school record 23 TD passes, and was named the SBC Player of the Week three times.
head coach Sonny Dykes
announced the hiring of Franklin as offensive coordinator. The two had previously worked together on Hal Mumme's staff at Kentucky.
at Arizona
, Chris Hatcher
formerly of Georgia Southern
and Ed Argast at Fordham
consult with Franklin about their offenses. Pro Football Hall of Fame
r John Hannah says of the system "If both teams have players who are equal in talent, this offense is impossible to stop".
After taking the Offensive Coordinator job at Auburn, Franklin was forced to sell the ownership of his football consulting business to partners because of a SEC
rule prohibiting coaches from participating in a clinic not on the institution's premises. The system became known as The System Seminars . Since his departure from Auburn, he has again taken control of the business and gone back to the title "The Tony Franklin System".
Besides his offensive consulting work, Franklin has written a pair of football related books. In 2001, Franklin authored a nationally acclaimed book titled Fourth Down and Life To Go (ISBN 9780971428003), which chronicled his experiences with coaching football in Kentucky. The book detailed the inner workings of the Kentucky football program and effectively blacklisted him from coaching from 2001-2005 until he was hired at Troy. He authored a second book in 2005 titled Victor’s Victory (ISBN 9780971428010), which dealt with the sudden death of 15 year old Hoover High School
football player Victor Dionte Hill, who died from a cardiac arrest during one of Franklin’s consulting sessions. The book has helped bring awareness of the need for automated external defibrillator
s in every school and youth organization.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach, currently serving as the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...
of Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
.
Franklin was previously the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
of the Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
football team
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, before being fired from that position on October 8, 2008. Franklin is known for his expertise in the spread offense and for developing quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
s. Under his guidance, quarterbacks Tim Couch
Tim Couch
Timothy Scott "Tim" Couch is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at the University of Kentucky...
, Dusty Bonner
Dusty Bonner
Dusty Bonner is a former American football quarterback.He was a standout Harlon Hill Trophy winner in 2000 and 2001 while playing for Valdosta State University, and was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002 by the Atlanta Falcons.-University of Kentucky:At Kentucky, Bonner was the backup...
, and Jared Lorenzen
Jared Lorenzen
Jared Raymond Lorenzen is a former professional football quarterback, who is currently the commissioner of the Ultimate Indoor Football League. He most recently played for the Northern Kentucky River Monsters. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
each led the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
in passing, with Couch becoming the first player selected in the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
.
While a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in college at Murray State in 1977, Franklin was a teammate of fellow future coach Bud Foster
Bud Foster
Bud Foster is a college football assistant coach. He went to high school in Nokomis, Illinois. He is the current defensive coordinator for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. Following the 2006 season, he received the Frank Broyles Award, which is annually given to the top assistant coach in...
, who later came to prominence as the Virginia Tech defensive coordinator.
Coaching career
Franklin began his career as a high school coach in 1979, including a stint at Calloway County High SchoolCalloway County High School
Calloway County High School is a public high school located in Murray, Kentucky. The school was formed from the consolidation of six high schools from around the county.-Recent news:...
where he coached Mr. Football in Kentucky Pookie Jones who went to play at Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
. He continued coaching in the high school ranks at other schools including perennial state championship contender Mayfield High School
Mayfield High School (Kentucky)
Mayfield High School is a public secondary school in Mayfield, Kentucky, and is the only high school of the Mayfield Independent School District.- History :...
winning 2 state titles, until he was hired by Hal Mumme
Hal Mumme
Hal Clay Mumme is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at McMurry University.- Playing career :...
in 1997 to coach running backs at Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. After Mike Leach was hired away by Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, Franklin was named offensive coordinator for the 2000 season and led the Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
to the nation’s 2nd best passing offense, as well as the nation’s 11th best team in total offense (445 yards per game). He helped lead the Wildcats to their first back-to-back bowl appearances in 15 years and their first New Year’s bowl game appearance in 50 seasons. During his tenure at Kentucky, Franklin was named one of the top 10 recruiters in the South.
In 2003, Franklin was chosen as general manager and head coach of the expansion franchise Lexington Horsemen
Lexington Horsemen
The Kentucky Horsemen were an indoor football team based in Lexington, Kentucky. The team played its home games at Rupp Arena. The organization began as a 2003 expansion member of the National Indoor Football League, where they were successful...
of the National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...
, successfully leading the team to the playoffs in their inaugural season. The team led the Atlantic Division in scoring, averaging 53.1 points per game.
Troy
In 2006, Franklin was hired by Larry BlakeneyLarry Blakeney
Larry Blakeney is the football head coach of the Troy Trojans at Troy University. He is currently in his 20th season as Troy's head football coach...
to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Troy University
Troy University
Troy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
. In his first season at Troy, Franklin turned the teams stuttering offense around from the last placed offensive unit in the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
prior to his arrival, to leading the league in passing and ranking second in overall offense. This remarkable turnaround helped the Trojans
Troy Trojans
The Troy Trojans were a Major League Baseball team in the National League for four seasons from 1879 to 1882. Their home games were played at Putnam Grounds , Haymakers' Grounds , and Troy Ball Clubs Grounds , all in the upstate New York city of Troy. Overall, the franchise won 131 games and lost...
earn their first Sun Belt Conference title as well as the school's first bowl win, with a victory in the New Orleans Bowl
New Orleans Bowl
The New Orleans Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana since 2001. The game was sponsored by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts from 2002 to 2004 and was officially called the Wyndham New...
. Prior to Franklin's arrival, Troy hadn't ranked better than 109th nationally in total offense in the previous four seasons. In 2007, the Trojans ranked 16th nationally in total offense (453 yards per game) and 25th nationally in scoring offense (34 points per game), helping the team win back to back Sun Belt Conference titles.
Auburn
After spending two seasons with the Trojans, Franklin was hired on December 12, 2007 by Tommy TubervilleTommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
. Franklin implemented his new spread offense with only 8 days of practice, prior to the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl
2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl was an edition of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly known as the Peach Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. It pitted the Auburn Tigers against the Clemson Tigers in a postseason American college football game in Atlanta, Georgia...
. The new system proved quite effective as Auburn bested their season average in all offensive categories, posting 423 yards of offense (233 passing / 190 rushing), had 24 first downs and ran an 11-year high 93 offensive plays, all despite playing against the #6 defense in the nation.
The Tigers' offense was much less impressive at the start of the 2008 season
2008 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2008 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Tommy Tuberville served his tenth season as head coach at Auburn...
. Auburn started the season with a somewhat disappointing 4-2 record, losing to LSU
2008 LSU Tigers football team
The 2008 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach was Les Miles who entered his fourth year at the helm of LSU Football. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
and Vanderbilt
2008 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
The 2008 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 2008–09 college football season. The team's head coach was Bobby Johnson, who served his seventh season in the position...
and having close calls against two struggling teams in Mississippi State
2008 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
The 2008 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University during the 2008 college football season. The team's head coach was Sylvester Croom. The Bulldogs played their six home games in 2008 at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi...
and Tennessee
2008 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2008 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team was coached by head football coach Phillip Fulmer, in his 16th and final season as head coach. The Vols played their home games in Neyland Stadium and competed...
. After the first six games, Auburn ranked 104th in total offense out of all FBS teams.
On Wednesday, October 8, 2008, Auburn head coach Tuberville fired Franklin, citing a lack of offensive production from Franklin's spread offense, and noting Auburn's diminishing rank in most of the offensive categories in the FBS. Auburn went on to win only one of the final six games, finishing with a 5–7 record. Some saw this as proof that even though Franklin was able to use his offense in lesser conferences and against lesser defenses, in the SEC where defense reigns, his version of the spread could not work.
Middle Tennessee
On February 5, 2009, Franklin was hired to fill the vacant position of offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee State UniversityMiddle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University, commonly abbreviated as MTSU, is a public university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States....
. He replaced G.A. Mangus, who left MTSU to become the quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
at South Carolina under his college coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
.
Under Franklin's tutelage, the Blue Raiders offense improved from 7th in the conference in scoring before his arrival (and 84th in the nation) to 2nd in the conference his first season (and 23rd in the nation). Despite a losing record the year prior, MTSU finished the regular season with a 9-3 record including a win over the Maryland from the Atlantic Coast Conference (the lone conference loss came at Troy). The press characterized the year as redemption for Franklin after the difficulties at Auburn the prior year. Franklin's offense helped the Blue Raiders finish with 10 wins (after beating Southern Mississippi 42-32 in the New Orleans Bowl
2009 New Orleans Bowl
The 2009 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl was the ninth edition of the bowl. The game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, December 20, 2009. The game was televised live on ESPN...
), the program's best record since it entered the Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) in 1999, with the offense averaging over 420 yards per game. Franklin's 2009 unit set MTSU records in total yards, passing yards, and total points. Quarterback Dwight Dasher finished the season ranked 7th in the nation in total offense, threw for a school record 23 TD passes, and was named the SBC Player of the Week three times.
Louisiana Tech
On February 17, 2010, Louisiana TechLouisiana Tech Bulldogs football
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...
head coach Sonny Dykes
Sonny Dykes
Sonny Dykes is an American football coach and former college baseball player. He is currently the head football coach at the Louisiana Tech University, a position he has held since 2010. Dykes has served as offensive coordinator under Mike Stoops, Mike Leach and Hal Mumme...
announced the hiring of Franklin as offensive coordinator. The two had previously worked together on Hal Mumme's staff at Kentucky.
Instruction
Tony Franklin is well known for owning and operating The Tony Franklin System Seminar. His copyrighted offensive system has been implemented by over 351 high school and college programs in 44 states across the nation, grossing over $170,000 annually from his consulting services. Several college coaches including Sonny DykesSonny Dykes
Sonny Dykes is an American football coach and former college baseball player. He is currently the head football coach at the Louisiana Tech University, a position he has held since 2010. Dykes has served as offensive coordinator under Mike Stoops, Mike Leach and Hal Mumme...
at Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...
, Chris Hatcher
Chris Hatcher
Chris Hatcher is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Murray State University, a position he has held since the 2010 season. Previsouly, Hatcher served as the head coach at Valdosta State University from 2000 to 2006 and at Georgia Southern University...
formerly of Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern Eagles football
The Georgia Southern Eagles represent Georgia Southern University in football as part of the Southern Conference under head coach Jeff Monken. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six FCS national championships and eight Southern Conference championships and have produced two Walter Payton Award...
and Ed Argast at Fordham
Fordham Rams
The 22 Fordham University varsity sports teams are known as the Fordham Rams. Their colors are maroon and white. The Fordham Rams are members of NCAA Division I and compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football. In football, the Rams play in the Patriot League of NCAA...
consult with Franklin about their offenses. Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
r John Hannah says of the system "If both teams have players who are equal in talent, this offense is impossible to stop".
After taking the Offensive Coordinator job at Auburn, Franklin was forced to sell the ownership of his football consulting business to partners because of a SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
rule prohibiting coaches from participating in a clinic not on the institution's premises. The system became known as The System Seminars . Since his departure from Auburn, he has again taken control of the business and gone back to the title "The Tony Franklin System".
Besides his offensive consulting work, Franklin has written a pair of football related books. In 2001, Franklin authored a nationally acclaimed book titled Fourth Down and Life To Go (ISBN 9780971428003), which chronicled his experiences with coaching football in Kentucky. The book detailed the inner workings of the Kentucky football program and effectively blacklisted him from coaching from 2001-2005 until he was hired at Troy. He authored a second book in 2005 titled Victor’s Victory (ISBN 9780971428010), which dealt with the sudden death of 15 year old Hoover High School
Hoover High School (Alabama)
Hoover High School is a public high school in Hoover, Alabama, USA, serving grades 9-12. It was built as a replacement for W. A. Berry High School. It is currently one of the two International Baccalaureate schools in the Greater Birmingham Area...
football player Victor Dionte Hill, who died from a cardiac arrest during one of Franklin’s consulting sessions. The book has helped bring awareness of the need for automated external defibrillator
Automated external defibrillator
An automated external defibrillator or AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of...
s in every school and youth organization.