May 27, 2014 12:23 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

By the time James Franklin's 17-stop bus tour kicked off earlier this month, he was already a big deal for Penn State football supporters and the "Coach's Caravan" only exacerbated that hype.

"I was going to the bathroom and someone tapped me on the shoulder and asked me for an autograph," Franklin told ESPN of the bus tour that ended last week. "Literally, I was like, 'Can I finish?' And they took a step back six inches and waited until I finished. So that was unique."

He gave the autograph (after washing his hands, of course), but the exchange only proves how much Penn State football matters to Happy Valley. With the arrival of James Franklin, his clean sweep of the Nittany Lions' coaching staff and the moving on of some senior football players, the team is just about out of the Joe Paterno era.

After that classic fan-in-the-bathroom incident, here are five other signs the hype for Franklin in State College is real.

1.     ESPN ranks Penn State's incoming recruiting class second overall to the Alabama Crimson Tide, moving up two places to pass Texas A&M and Auburn.

2.     Penn State's 16 commits for the class of 2015 is only matched by Alabama and Clemson, but they have done something no other team in ESPN's top 10 has done. Penn State has eight recruits ranked within the ESPN 300, even more than Alabama's five.

3.     Franklin always has a backup plan and he keeps a list of 15 candidates he would reach out to replace a staff member should they leave. Franklin said his list is not a ranking and it is updated "constantly." The coach has also recruited four-star quarterback Brandon Wimbush from New Jersey to back up Christian Hackenburg, a five-star recruit who just finished his freshman season.

4.     Franklin wants to give Beaver Stadium a fresh, technological makeover, because why not?

"Do we have one of the nicest, most impressive stadiums in the country? Yes," Franklin said. "Do we have one of the nicest and most impressive weight rooms? Yes. Do I think there are other areas we've fallen behind? I do."

He proposed interactive exhibits for the stadium, cellphone chargers for the players' lockers, fresh carpeting and new coats of paint.

5.     Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Franklin understands how important football is to the Penn State community. One small mistake he made reminded himself of that. He reportedly wore a gold tie early in his tenure and caught some flack for it, but he now owns about 35-40 ties in blue, the only acceptable color for work functions in Happy Valley.

The Penn State Nittany Lions start their season against the UCF Knights in Dublin, Ireland (which Franklin does not care for too much) on Saturday, Aug. 30. One week later, on Saturday, Sept. 6, they host Akron in Beaver Stadium. 

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit