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.