James Franklin praises players, issues apology after Penn State football win at Wisconsin

Posted by Admin October 27, 2024 Football

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James Franklin had definitive words to describe Penn State football’s second straight come-from-behind victory.

He also issued an apology of sorts in Saturday night’s postgame interview room in Madison, Wisconsin.

Franklin started by calling the Nittany Lions’ 28-13 victory a “gutsy, culture win, from my perspective.”

“You lose your starting quarterback, you lose your starting d-end, you lose your starting offensive tackle. Next man up. No excuses,” Franklin said.

“Sometimes we’re too close to it as coaches and fans, and I know we want all the wins to be pretty. That was one of the prettiest and ugliest wins we’ve had.”

Franklin praised backup quarterback Beau Pribula, senior safety Jaylen Reed, running back Nick Singleton and tight end Khalil Dinkins for taking advantage of game-turning opportunities.

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Penn State footall coach James Franklin’s praises Drew Allar

He also talked up starting QB Drew Allar, who left the game late in the second quarter after injuring his knee while being sacked. Allar returned to the field before the third quarter began wearing a knee brace but never re-entered the game.

Pribula played the rest of the way, completing 11 of 13 passes and leading two fourth-quarter touchdown drives.

“It was, ‘Is (Allar) going to be mobile enough to give us a chance to run the offense the way we want to run the offense?’ And it really came down to Drew, once he came out. I asked him to be very honest, and he just didn’t feel like he was (able) … Even at the end of the (first) half you saw (that) even throwing was challenging.”

Allar, though, according to Franklin, stayed true to his leadership role while not playing.

“I think that’s the important thing again, that goes back to that unselfishness, right? Like, Drew, you’re, a leader for us, and although you’re not having the role that you imagined having, we need you, and how you carry yourself, how you conduct yourself, how you interact with your teammates, how you help Beau, all that is going to be critical. We’re not going to be able to do this without you. So really, really cool to see.”

Penn State football coach James Franklin issues apology

Franklin ended his postgame question-and-answer session by offering an apology for how he handled a midweek press conference situation concerning two of his former players.

Last Wednesday evening, Franklin was twice asked about Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys, former defensive players who were charged last week with multiple felony sex crimes in Centre County Court. The crimes they are alleged to have committed occurred during a July incident while members of the Penn State team.

They were dismissed from the team and the university by the first week in August.

Franklin refused to answer, in any way, questions regarding Lyons and Keys last week, twice stepping away from the interview podium. This came after a Penn State spokesperson had read a brief statement saying that university officials would not comment on the matter.

On Saturday night, Franklin offered this:

“I didn’t do a great job of handling Wednesday. Difficult, difficult situation and I got to own that I did not do a good job of that. I understand you guys got a job to do. You got to ask those questions and I respect that. The university put out a statement and the reality is, I think there’s not a whole lot more I can say other than that statement. It’s an ongoing legal situation and it’s challenging. It’s challenging on everybody.

“At the end of the day, I did not do a good job of handling that situation and representing this program the right way, so I wanted to take a minute and apologize for that and understand you guys got a job to do. I didn’t do a good job there. I’m trying to get better, like everybody else, in a difficult situation. And I think that is a big reason for all of this, right. It’s a difficult situation, a challenging situation. I apologize.”

Arraignments last week for Lyons and Keys ended with both being released on unsecured bail. Preliminary hearings for both are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30.

Both players are charged with felony rape, aggravated assault without consent and other crimes for their alleged involvement with a 17-year-old girl in their apartment on July 7.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.