STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State football coach James Franklin put a quick end to speculation about his potential interest in the Miami job.
Since Al Golden's firing on Sunday, Franklin's name has been floated as a candidate by several analysts. But during his weekly news conference Tuesday, Franklin was adamant he was happy in Happy Valley -- and he vehemently denied any interest in other jobs.
"First of all, let me say this," Franklin said, regarding his name as a candidate. "I don't like it. I don't like it. I think it causes a distraction for our team; I think it's a distraction for Penn State, and I have no idea where it's coming from whatsoever.
"My family has sacrificed. I've worked my ass off to get to Penn State, to get here, and this is where I want to be. We got a lot of work to do on the field. We got a lot of work to do off the field in every aspect, but this is where I want to be."
Golden was fired a day after Miami's 58-0 loss to Clemson on Saturday. That same day, Franklin's name popped up on several candidate lists. But Franklin has consistently said he hopes to remain at Penn State for quite a while.
On his first day on the job -- Jan. 11, 2014 -- Franklin said he planned to be at Penn State for a "very, very long time." And on Saturday, after a 31-30 win over Maryland, he again implied he wasn't going anywhere. When asked, he said he didn't plan to offer details on injuries at Penn State "for the next 35 years."
Franklin reiterated again Tuesday that remains the case, emphasizing he wasn't a big fan of the speculation.
"Stuff like that, I guess some people can look at as a compliment," he said. "I don't. My focus is 100 percent on Penn State."