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Turk steps down as Franklin coach
Matt Turk has stepped down after six seasons as Franklin football coach.
The news first came to light early Monday night via a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Tom Reisenweber of the Erie Times News.
The Knights posted a 10-50 record after Turk succeeded Tom Haynes following the 2019 season.
Franklin hasn't had a winning season since 2006 (6-4), although it "broke even" in 2015 and 2008 -- the last campaign it didn't yield a 50-point game. It has given up 50 or more points 59 times since then, 20 times since 2020. And Franklin's last playoff appearance was 2015 when QB Porter Rembold, RB Zak Lynn and WR Khalil West were the stars of the team.
Turk told Joe Henderson of The News-Herald that he needed a break from the grind of traveling back and forth from his home in Fairview (Erie County) nearly every day for the better part of a year -- every year -- to head the program.
He said he planned to spend more time with family, do some traveling and think about what he wants to do next football-wise.
But Turk said he is optimistic about the future of Franklin's program.
“...I think I’m leaving it in a good spot,” Turk told Henderson. Not only is there some grit on this year’s varsity, but the lower grades appear to be well stocked with talent.
“I’m very happy where the seventh- and eighth-grade program is... There are going to be a lot of really talented ninth-graders that are going to help evolve that program over the next two years,” he told Henderson.
Turk played center for Franklin at the tail end of the Jim McCullough/Joe Stewart/Rich Hancox glory years (184-116-2 from 1958-92). He was an all-leaguer in 1989, blocking for Ian Quarles, the Knights’ all-time leading rusher (since much of Red Law's deeds on the gridiron have been lost.) That 1989 team lost to Cathedral Prep in the first round of the District 10 4A playoffs and finished 8-3-1. Turk later played college ball at Gannon.
One of Franklin's returning players is Caden Mincer, who has a shot at surpassing No. 1 Quarles on Franklin's all-time rushing list -- if he stays healthy.
Franklin is 113-217 since 1993, despite some stellar seasons led by Fred Blackhurst, Tiger LaVerde and Dave Smith -- Nate Byham's coach back in the oughts.
(Photo by Richard Sayer)
Caden Mincer motors for 244 yards against Slippery Rock. (Photo by Richard Sayer)
Getting his kicks
(Photos by Tammy Curry, Christy Fackler and Richard Sayer)
One thing Franklin can do on the football field is kick, thanks to Connor Ritchey. The Rocky Grove senior averaged 37.5 yards on 50 kicks last season. He averaged 34.7 yards in eight of Franklin's 10 football games this season. Ritchey punted at least 80 times for a 36.5 average over the last two years, and finished his career with seven field goals and 36 points. Ritchey also plays soccer for Franklin in the fall and is on the Rocky Grove basketball team during the winter.
Videos from Erie game
Mincer-Marsteller sack
Wilmoth catch
Mincer TD
Tom Reiseweber/Erie Times News
I get emails...
Received a nice email Monday from Mick Harris, who played football for Franklin's early '70s juggernauts (back-to-back 9-0-0 records in 1971 and 1972).He rediscovered this site after losing track when I ditched "the old site" many moons ago (long story). Mick's son Kevin was featured in a story on the old site. He played his high school ball in Florida (where Mick lives now) and then went to Wake Forest. Now he is involved with Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing. "He was a tire carrier for Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he won the Daytona 500, Carl Edwards and Daniel Suarez. He spent nine years on Pit Road and is in sales with FIS Global," Mick wrote. Mick also pointed out that he comes from a long line of FHS gridders -- the Harris football tradition. I sort of knew that, but I did not totally know it.For instance, his grandfather, Leonard "Sykes" Sitkoski played in the 1930s. I did not know that.Next was Carl Harris, Mick's dad, who was on the 1944 team -- the senior captain during that "perfect" 0-9 season.George Harris, his uncle, played at Ole Miss from 1952-54. John Harris played center on the Ted Marchibroda teams of the late 1940s.Bill "Billy" Harris was captain of the 1970 team. Played in the Big 33 game and then starred at Penn.Other cousins have played from then on.Mick was one of many former Knights who played for Thiel (1975-78), and a second team all-conference linebacker in 1978. He once coached at Maplewood before he and his wife moved to Florida in 1982. He continued to coach there.Good hearing from Mick and thanks for the kind words.