On Oct. 3, the lights at Jack Ashby Field burned bright as Mission Hills hosted La Costa Canyon in a battle of unbeaten Avocado West rivals.
Among the crowd was Penn State head coach James Franklin — in Southern California to lead the Nittany Lions against UCLA the next day, but making a detour to San Marcos to see his future quarterback, Troy Huhn.
For Huhn, in his senior year at Mission Hills — having committed to Penn State months before his junior season — the future seemed long settled. But uncertainty was beginning to hang in the air.
Two weeks before Mission Hills’ 35-34 win over La Costa Canyon, Grizzlies head coach Chris Hauser was placed on paid administrative leave following a locker-room incident in which established supervision and reporting protocols were not followed.
Nine days after that game, Penn State fired Franklin after a lackluster start to the season — and within days, Huhn decommitted, reopening his recruitment.
“That kind of situation really underscores the need for stability,” Lions247 recruiting analyst Tyler Calvaruso told the Coast News. “It’s not easy to develop as a quarterback at the next level if you’re dealing with coaching changes. Having a consistent voice throughout most of your collegiate career is key. He needs a system that caters to his strengths as a passer and a culture that fits what he’s been looking for.”
Over 12 seasons at Penn State, Franklin compiled a 104-45 record, but a three-game skid, the steady cadence of “Fire Franklin” chants at Beaver Stadium, and a longstanding struggle against AP top-10 opponents compounded to make his dismissal feel inevitable — even with a near $50-million buyout clause.
“We live in a world now where college coaches are being let go earlier,” Calvaruso said. “You’ve got to, one, hang on to what you can in your current recruiting class, and two, gear up for these monster transfer portal windows. I think that played a part in Penn State’s decision. Going out to UCLA and losing in that fashion, followed by another tough loss to Northwestern, where Penn State just looked lifeless on both sides of the ball… the offense sputtered, the defense missed assignments and tackles. It just wasn’t pretty. It was getting uglier by the week. You had to wonder at that point, how much longer the administration could let it go on?”
That upheaval has left Huhn’s future in limbo, as his development and fit at Penn State had been closely tied to Franklin and his staff.
Under quarterback coach Danny O’Brien and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, Huhn, a 6-foot-4, four-star recruit, was viewed as a natural with the program’s pro-style, adaptable offense.
“It’s impossible to miss his arm talent — strong, accurate, able to fit passes into tight windows,” Calvaruso said. “Very solid ball placement downfield. People often think of him as a traditional pocket passer, but he’s more athletic than many give him credit for. He’s not a zone-read type, but he can use his legs to extend plays, move the pocket, and put himself in comfortable positions.”
According to Huhn, he’s open to following Franklin to his next stop but is in no rush to decide, instead focusing on the final stretch of his high school career.
“It’s been a lot — really stressful,” Huhn recently told KUSI. “I only get this opportunity once, so I’m grateful for all of it. Everything happens for a reason. The recruiting process and the love [Franklin] showed me was second to none. I’d love to follow him, but you never know where the chips fall.”
Huhn has played flawlessly this season, leading a hyper-talented MHHS team navigating a midseason coaching shake-up. His best performance came in a 52-0 blowout over Ramona, where he completed 15 of 17 passes for 234 yards and five touchdowns with no turnovers.
“Troy’s obviously a great leader on the field,” Mission Hills wide receiver Josh Gonzales told the Coast News earlier in the season. “What stands out is how he gets the ball into tight spaces — right where only the receiver can catch it. You can see the talent and the effort he puts in.”
With Huhn leading the Grizzlies, Mission Hills heads into its final regular-season game on Oct. 31 at San Marcos, locked in a three-way tie for first place in the Avocado West League with Carlsbad and La Costa Canyon.
“He gets the ball out so fast,” Carlsbad defensive backs coach Lance Thomas told The Coast News. “Obviously, he can throw the ball deep, and he has a knack for picking up 15 yards for a first down when the opportunity opens up. He can run pretty well too. He’s a phenomenal freaking quarterback.”
Since reopening his recruitment, Huhn has already received an offer from Stanford.
“At this point in the cycle, opportunities are limited,” Calvaruso said. “Sometimes kids wind up in places just because they have to go somewhere — it’s not always a true scheme or culture fit. Troy’s a really bright kid, so I think he’s going to put himself in the best position possible. Stanford probably stands out for its stability, but programs like UCLA are less certain long-term. He’s in a tough spot, having to decommit this late in the cycle for reasons beyond his control. It’s not easy, but I have full confidence he’ll make the right choice. Above all, it has to make sense with his arm strength.”
As he looks ahead to the final weeks of his senior season, Huhn said he’s focused on staying grounded and leading his team on the field.
“I’m just going to enjoy the rest of the season,” Huhn said. “Work hard every day, get the guys ready for next week and the following week, take some visits here and there, but just focus on football.”
