Franks served as an assistant under Steve Spurrier for 12 years. He served as Spurrier's running backs coach at Duke from 1987 to 1989 and in the same capacity at the University of Florida from 1990 to 1992 and again from 1995 to 1998, serving as the position coach for future Pro Bowler Fred Taylor. He was Florida's tight ends coach in 1993 and inside linebackers coach in 1994. Franks is currently the running backs coach at the University of South Florida. He was the Bulls' interim head coach for six days in January 2010 between the firing of Jim Leavitt and the hiring of Skip Holtz.