re: Tubs Names Franklin to OC Job

Here's his Troy bio. He's well thought of in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky. Supposed to be a great recruiter with all his HS connections.

Courtesy: Troy Athletics
Release: 07/30/2007
Tony Franklin joined the Troy football staff in 2006 with a diversified background that includes experiences in football, writing and business. He serves as the Trojans’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

In his first season at Troy, in addition to helping the Trojans to their first Sun Belt Conference title and a victory in the New Orleans Bowl, Franklin also helped engineer the second ranked offensive unit in the Sun Belt just one year after the team ranked last in the league in total offense. The Trojans ranked first in the league in passing offense, again one year after ranking last, despite having faced three of the top 20 ranked passing defense teams in the country during the season.

The Trojans also improved where it matters most, from 12 points per game in 2005 to 25 points per game in 2006, ranking second in the league in scoring. That increased scoring helped Troy improve from three league wins to six and from four overall victories to eight in 2006.

Franklin also recruited 2006 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Omar Haugabook to power the Troy offense. In addition to sweeping the top conference honors for the season, Haugabook also led the league in passing yards per game, completions and passing efficiency.

Nationally, the Trojans ranked 21st in quarterback passing completions, 31st in receiver receptions and ninth in fourth down conversions. The team improved 42 slots in scoring offense (from 111 to 69), 32 slots in total offense (from 109 to 77) and moved out of the bottom 10 in the nation in total offense for the first time in five seasons.

The improved offensive production under Franklin, in addition to producing more victories, also helped produce an increase of 1,385 fans per game at Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium.

Other notes from Franklin’s first season at Troy include:

• The Trojans held a 17-10 lead over Florida State late in fourth quarter at FSU. Troy more than doubled the total offense produced by the University of Miami’s offense versus FSU the previous week.

• Troy scored 20 points versus Georgia Tech one week after Notre Dame managed only 14.

• Troy improved its conference scoring offense by 13 points per game.

• Troy’s summer football camp increased from only 125 campers in 2005 to more than 1,500 campers from 20 states attending Tony Franklin’s summer camp.

Franklin joined the University of Kentucky football staff in 1997 following 16 years as a high school football coach. During his four year tenure at UK, the Wildcats enjoyed unprecedented success on the offensive side of the ball, including setting several NCAA, SEC and school records.

After coaching running backs for three seasons, Franklin was named offensive coordinator for the 2000 season and led the Wildcats to the nation’s second best passing offense, as well as the nation’s 11th best team in total offense.

Franklin was also named one of the top 10 recruiters in the South during his four years at Kentucky as 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.

In 2001, Franklin authored a nationally acclaimed book, Fourth Down and Life To Go, which chronicled the good, bad and ugly experiences of his college football journey.

In 2003, Franklin was chosen to lead the expansion franchise Lexington Horsemen football team in their inaugural season in the NIFL. The Horsemen exceeded expectations for an expansion franchise and earned a birth in the playoffs with a 9 5 record, while setting records for attendance and leading the Atlantic Division in scoring, at more than 50 points per game, and passing offense.

USA Today took notice of Franklin’s football coaching and teaching abilities in a feature story in 2005 which detailed his consulting successes as a nationally sought after offensive football coach.

Franklin also received rave reviews for his second book, Victor’s Victory, which chronicled the tragic death and spectacular life of 15 year old Hoover High football player, Victor Dionte Hill. Hill died from sudden cardiac arrest on the football practice field during one of Franklin’s consulting sessions. The book has helped to continue the mission of Cheryl Hill, Victor’s mother, to make teachers, coaches, and parents aware of the need for automatic external defibrillators (AED’s) in every school and youth organization in Alabama.

Franklin’s wide open offensive attack spreads the ball to players in an unusually fast paced, no huddle scheme. The offensive philosophy also features the running backs by getting the ball to them in several methods.

Franklin’s two back combinations at Kentucky out gained any two back combinations in the SEC in total yards from scrimmage for three straight seasons. Quarterbacks Tim Couch, Dusty Bonner, and Jared Lorenzen each led the SEC in passing during their tenure as UK’s quarterback and Couch was the first player selected in the 1999 NFL draft. Several other UK players reached their goals in making NFL teams after their experience in the high powered offense.

Franklin achieved both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education from Murray State University where he was a two year starter as a running back. He is married to Laura Franklin and they have three girls: Chelsea (22), Caroline (19), and Caitlin (18).