In a twist few saw coming, James Franklin, formerly of Penn State, has emerged as the odds-on favorite to become Arkansas’ next head football coach.
Sportsbooks currently list Franklin at +400, narrowly ahead of Memphis’ Ryan Silverfield and Arkansas interim coach Bobby Petrino. While some fans may have expected Franklin’s name to surface in connection with more high-profile openings: such as LSU, Florida, or Auburn, his appearance atop the Arkansas odds board has turned some heads wondering if it could actually happen.
An Underrated Opportunity
For a coach of Franklin’s pedigree, Arkansas might seem like a surprising target.