There’s no hiding from the absence of the US men qualifying for the world cup in Russia. Compare that to the US women taking the 3 out of the last 4 cups. If the US men are going to make it further into the tournament something’s got to change.
With college program that’s consistently sitting on top of the national standings D1 head coach, Jamie Franks, sits down with our host, Richie English to talk about the specific development that goes into the 18 - 23 age range, college academics, and overall athletic training to determine how the US is improving its plan to compete and win at the next world cup.

Jamie Franks completed his fifth season as Denver's head men's soccer coach and his eighth with the program overall in 2019 after being named the program's 10th head coach in January of 2015.

In five seasons, the head coach of the 2016 National Coaching Staff of the Year has put together a record of 67-24-13, improving Denver's record since Franks joined the staff as an assistant in 2012 to 102-41-21. Combined as a player and coach, Franks is 201-68-38 in college soccer, having reached five of the last 13 College Cups and winning a national championship at Wake Forest as a player in that span.

The four-time Summit League Coach of the Year and the head coach of the 2016 NSCAA West Regional Staff of the Year was the youngest head coach in Division I in 2015 and the second youngest in 2016, earning the promotion from his assistant coaching role following the departure of Bobby Muuss to Wake Forest.

In just his second season in charge, Franks led the Pioneers to their first College Cup appearance in program history after picking up multiple wins (three) in the NCAA Tournament for the first time and earning their first postseason victory since 1970.

Franks ended his second season at 35-2-6, having not lost in the regular season and have not suffered a defeat in regulation in his coaching tenure through two seasons. Under the Wake Forest alum, the Pioneers became the first program since Clemson in 1977-78 to finish consecutive regular seasons unbeaten.

In five seasons in charge, Franks has been to the NCAA Tournament four times and has received byes as one of the top-16 seeds in three of those campaigns.

Franks tenure has also produced the top grade point average in the country in three-straight seasons (2015-17), the second-best grade point average in the country once (2018), three University of Denver Gold Vest awards (2015, 2016, 2018), the first four MLS First Round picks in program history (Dunk – 2017, Hamilton, 2017, Smith, 2018, Shinyashiki, 2019) and 2017 Colorado Rapids Homegrown signing Kortne Ford, who would have likely gone in the top-5 of the 2017 MLS Super Draft. Shinyashiki was named the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2019 following his 28-goal season with the Pioneers in 2018.

Franks Year-By-Year
2015 – 15-1-3 – NCAA Second Round – Summit League Coach of the Year
2016 – 20-1-3 – NCAA College Cup – National Coaching Staff of the Year – Summit League Coach of the Year
2017 – 11-6-2 – Summit League Coach of the Year
2018 – 15-4-2 – NCAA Second Round – Summit League Coach of the Year
2019 - 6-12-3 - NCAA First Round