The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 2: Penn State Is Missing James Franklin Already, Chris Fowler

December 3, 2025 – Hour 2 Summary

Episode Overview

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show centers on the current drama and movement in college football, with a particular focus on the consequences of Penn State’s job opening, the coaching carousel (notably Lane Kiffin’s high-profile switch), and the state of the NFL’s coaching market—especially speculation around Mike Tomlin’s future. Dan and the Danettes also welcome ESPN’s Chris Fowler, who provides insider insight into the evolving landscape of college athletics, the College Football Playoff rankings, and coaching changes. Throughout, the show balances analysis, wit, and listener engagement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Penn State's Football Coaching Turmoil

• Context: Penn State’s post-James Franklin era is creating unease, especially with signing day here and other schools filling openings quickly.
  • Dan notes: “It’s a national signing day. Great day for BYU keeping their coach, not so good of a day with Penn State.” (03:06)
• ESPN’s Chris Fowler discusses the unique challenges and risks Penn State faces by moving slowly, referencing Nebraska’s similar mistakes in the early 2000s.
  • “If you’re a Penn State fan waiting, like 53 days after firing your coach, then I have another one in place when all the teams around you are going boom, boom, boom… I don’t know what they’re doing.” (Chris Fowler, 26:55)
  • Caller Rich in South Dakota: “I think Penn State really needs to be careful with their next hire on there because they could be the next Nebraska football program.” (14:35)

2. College Football Playoff Rankings and Selection Drama

• Compare and Contrast: The crew discusses Notre Dame vs. BYU resumes, using data on schedule strength, best wins, and losses.
  • Dan recites the metrics—BYU (11-1, Strength of Schedule 35) vs. Notre Dame (10-2, Strength of Schedule 42), making the Playoff selection “potential for... concern for some schools.” (04:53)
• Chris Fowler offers insight into the committee’s logic and the limits of institutional "brand" power:
  • “People just sort of assume that Notre Dame is an elite program when they have 10 wins... but I think you’d have to go member by member and really get them to give them some truth serum, and ask them if [brand value] matters.” (25:24)
  • “You’re never gonna, like, dissuade the conspiracy theorists... But that’s just my view.” (25:33)

3. The Coaching Carousel: Lane Kiffin, LSU & College Football’s New Reality

• Lane Kiffin's Move: Discussion of Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss for LSU, with both pragmatic and emotional fallout examined.
  • Fowler: “Lane is not the villain who’s symbolic of everything wrong with the sport… he did what most coaches would do... The old narrative about ripping players or coaches for making business decisions... that’s outdated, tired, and lazy.” (29:46)
  • Dan and Fowler agree most of the fan ire is misplaced, given the business-first nature of modern college football.
  • “Lane talked about Nick Saban advising him... Should Saban on College GameDay...acknowledge that he was guiding him or told him to leave Ole Miss?” (33:55)
  • Fowler clarifies: “He just laid out for him what his opinion was of the opportunity to win a national championship... but you can’t say that he’s the reason Lane made his decision.” (35:36)

4. The Mike Tomlin Sweepstakes?

• Speculation Over Mike Tomlin’s Future: After facing boos in Pittsburgh, the panel wonders: What happens if the Steelers and Tomlin part ways?
  • Dan: “There would be a line of teams that would say, hey, we got our coach, but we can get that coach.” (09:06)
  • Discussion covers Browns, Giants, Bengals as potential fits, with consensus that Tomlin would be highly sought after.
  • Paulie: “If the Bengals job with a healthy Joe Burrow becomes available, I would make my pick based off the quarterback.” (11:43)
  • Dan: “If you’re always 9 and 8, or... 8 and 8, you can keep your job. But... not winning in the playoffs is unacceptable.” (09:43)

5. Callers' Perspectives: Loyalty, Coaches, and NIL Era

• On Lane Kiffin and College Coaching Loyalty:
  • “Maybe 40 years ago, I’d buy into that. Maybe 30 years ago, maybe 20 years ago... not now. These kids... want their NIL... can that guy get me to the next level, get me to the pros? I don’t think there’s any loyalty.” (Dan, 16:53)
  • Seaton: “If the only way to build character is through being a perfect person, then no one’s building any character, you know?” (17:26)
  • Discussion acknowledges the mercenary nature of today’s college football, for both players and coaches.

6. Inside Look: College Roster Construction and Economics

• Fowler’s Explains “The Roster is the Asset”:
  • “It’s really the roster that is the asset for the program... assembling this roster and paying what we’ve invested... you think the coaches are well paid. These rosters are like 20, 25, 30 million bucks... The roster is really bigger than the coach.” (Chris Fowler, 27:31)

7. Other Notable Segments

• State of Football in Pennsylvania: Both Penn State and the Steelers are, per Paulie, “a real mess this week.” (14:12)
• Hall of Fame Finalists Announced: Brief coverage of Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft, Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and LC Greenwood as senior Hall of Fame finalists. Dan advocates for Anderson’s inclusion. (44:57)
• Georgia’s Title Contention: Fowler assesses Georgia—“Not as talented as those teams that won championships...[but] they find ways... Kirby knows how to get a team to hit its stride.” (38:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Notre Dame Playoff Chances
  • “People just sort of assume that Notre Dame is an elite program when they have 10 wins. It must be a really great team. ...You’re never gonna dissuade the conspiracy theorists.”
    — Chris Fowler (25:33)
• On Penn State’s Search
  • “Waiting, like, 53 days after firing your coach... when all the teams around you are going boom, boom, boom, deal, done, deal, done... I don’t know what they’re doing.”
    — Chris Fowler (26:55)
• On Lane Kiffin’s Departure
  • “That’s why I think—I hope they make a nice run. It’d be a great story if Ole Miss could say, ‘hell with Kiffin, we’re gonna rally around Pete Golding.’”
    — Chris Fowler (32:44)
• On Fans’ Expectations of Loyalty
  • “I don’t think there’s any loyalty. I don’t think there’s any allegiance... I mean, this all sounds good from yesteryear... It’s just not applicable now.”
    — Dan Patrick (16:53)
• On College Football’s Modern Structure
  • “It’s very, very close to the structure of pro sports.”
    — Chris Fowler (31:48)

Highlight Timestamps

• 03:06 — Dan introduces national signing day; speculates on Penn State’s struggles.
• 07:56 — Mike Tomlin addresses Steelers fans booing after a loss.
• 09:01–12:20 — Speculation about Tomlin’s future, possible suitors (Browns, Giants, Bengals).
• 14:35 — Caller Rich draws Nebraska–Penn State coaching history parallels.
• 16:53 — Dan’s take on loyalty and character in modern college football.
• 25:24–26:51 — Fowler’s analysis of playoff committee, brand influence, Notre Dame vs. BYU.
• 26:55 — Fowler on Penn State’s slow hiring process and its implications.
• 27:31 — Fowler: Roster as the key asset in modern college sports.
• 29:46 — Fowler on Lane Kiffin's move and the wider state of the coaching carousel.
• 35:36 — Fowler clarifies Nick Saban’s “advice” to Lane Kiffin.
• 38:03 — Fowler’s take on Georgia and playoff danger level.
• 44:57 — Hall of Fame senior category discusses Ken Anderson and others.
• 48:07 — Poll results on playoff committee rationale; resume vs. ratings.
• 49:14 — Seaton’s comparison of college football to judged Olympic sports for playoff selection.

Tone & Style

The show maintains Dan Patrick’s trademark blend of deep sports knowledge, irreverence, listener engagement, and a bit of friendly joshing among the Danettes. Both the host and Fowler provide nuanced but candid takes; callers and crew provide grounded, sometimes skeptical, perspective on the way college and pro sports are evolving.

Summary for Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This hour dives into college football’s shifting power dynamics—on the field and in the athletic departments. Dan and the Danettes analyze Penn State’s post-Franklin conundrum, the growing mercenary culture around players and coaches, and Lane Kiffin’s controversial (but not unusual) hop to LSU. Chris Fowler gives a reality check: brands don’t guarantee playoff inclusion, the roster is now king, and today’s college football is as business-minded and transactional as the pros. NFL talk revolves around Mike Tomlin’s job security—should he leave Pittsburgh, the line of interested teams would be long. The hour paints a vivid, sometimes critical picture of the new era in college football, with sharp quips and moments of nostalgia sprinkled throughout.