James Franklin is in his fifth year as wide receivers coach and second as recruiting coordinator at Maryland. He joined the staff in April 2000 following a one-year stint as wide receivers coach at Idaho State University.

Franklin's wide receiving corps has shown constant improvement since he joined the staff in 2000. In 2003, for the second year in a row, four Terrapin wideouts posted 300 receiving yards or more despite the fact that the unit returned just one starter from the previous year.

A look ahead to 2004 shows that Franklin's unit may be up for its best year in his tenure, as only one player with significant numbers – Latrez Harrison – was lost to graduation, while the competition for playing time will be fierce. Without question, his unit is faster than it has ever been, as six of his players ran 4.5 or better in off-season testing.

The 2003-04 academic year was also Franklin's first as recruiting coordinator, and all the Pennsylvania native did was help Maryland land a consensus top 20 class, one considered the best in school history. For his efforts, Rivals100.com named him one of the nation's 25 best recruiters.

A 1995 graduate of East Stroudsburg, where he was a Harlon Hill nominee for Division II Player of the Year, Franklin also has served on the coaching staffs at Washington State, James Madison, East Stroudsburg and Kutztown. He also coached for the Roskilde Kings in the European League, serving as offensive coordinator in 1996.

In 1999, he coached an Idaho State receiver corps that amassed 29 touchdowns, 258 receptions and more than 3,300 receiving yards. The Bengals, who posted one of their best offensive seasons in school history, finished ninth nationally in total offense, averaging better than 30 points per game.

Franklin, 30, joined the Idaho State staff prior to the 1999 season after serving one year as a graduate assistant coach at Washington State, where he worked primarily with the tight ends.

Prior to his position at Washington State, he spent the 1997 season as the wide receivers coach at James Madison University. In the summer of 1998, he worked as an assistant running backs coach with the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League's minority internship program. In 1996, he served as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, East Stroudsburg, working primarily with the secondary.

In the summer of 1999, Franklin worked with the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff as part of the NFL's minority internship program.

During his career, he has recruited the Maryland-Virginia area, as well as New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and California. He is currently responsible for recruiting in Pennsylvania, Florida, Maryland and Washington D.C.

Franklin was a two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference selection as a quarterback at East Stroudsburg, earning team MVP honors as a senior when he set seven school records, including single-season marks for total offense (3,128), passing yards (2,586) and TD passes (19). He was honored by Sports Illustrated as a national player of the week in October 1994.

He played one season of professional football in the European League, capturing league MVP honors in 1996 for the Danish national champions.

Franklin earned his master's degree in educational leadership from Washington State, posting a 3.74 grade point average while completing his degree requirements in 1999.

Franklin File

Personal
Date of Birth: February 2, 1972
Hometown: Langhorne, Pa.
Alma Mater East Stroudsburg, '95

Coaching Experience
Maryland
2000- Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers
Idaho State
1999 Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers
Washington State
1998 Assistant Coach - Tight Ends
James Madison
1997 Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers
East Stroudsburg
1996 Graduate Assistant - Secondary
Kutztown
1995 Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers

Playing Experience
East Stroudsburg
1991-94 Quarterback

Recruiting Areas
Maryland (Calvert, Charles, Prince George's and St. Mary's counties), Washington D.C., Eastern Pennsylvania, Central Pennsylvania and South Florida.

James Franklin Hometown: Langhorne, Pa. Position: Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator Birthdate: 02/02/1972 Coaching Experience: 5th Year at Maryland (9th overall)