Penn State football coach James Franklin ignited controversy surrounding the program Wednesday by walking away from reporters when asked about rape allegations against two former players.
“Once again, great work by everyone involved at Penn State to turn a story that no one would have noticed into a national commentary on James Franklin’s inability to handle a simple job responsibility like an adult,” the columnist wrote sarcastically in X from USA Today, Dan Wolken.
The program was already under the microscope when former Nittany Lions players Kaveion Allen Keys and Jameial James Lyons, 19, were accused this week of raping a 17-year-old Penn State student in her campus apartment. during the summer. Another student claims she woke up to Lyons sexually assaulting her, according to the criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press.
Staff told the media not to ask Franklin about the defendants, who are free on bail, but when reporters ignored that directive and questioned his handling of the situation, the coach simply walked away from the podium and stood behind a curtain. background.
Instead of Franklin, the communications staff stepped forward to repeat that “the athletics department will have no further comment.” Franklin then returned to the podium only to retreat once again when asked again about his handling of the situation.
Penn State head coach James Franklin walks onto the field with his players on Oct. 5.
Jameial James Lyons (right) and Kaveion Allen Keys (left) are free on bail after their arrest
USA Today columnist Dan Wolken sarcastically congratulated Penn State.
Both players were mysteriously suspended over the summer to deal with what the school described as a “personal matter.” They were eventually removed from the list in August and Franklin has since refused to speak about their status.
But it was not Keys or Lyons who became the focus of the growing controversy emerging from State College. Instead, Franklin has been criticized by the media and fans for distancing himself from journalists.
“All James Franklin had to do was say he would have no comment or we won’t be able to address this due to pending legal matters,” Newsday’s Evan Barnes wrote in X. “Instead, he seems like a coward and a fool. A professional trainer would be ridiculed acting like that and he should too. Good for the people who do their job putting pressure on him.
“I’m watching the James Franklin deposition reading fiasco live on SportsCenter at 6 pm right now,” Slate’s Alex Kirshner wrote in X. “Just an incredible own goal by the management and relations teams Franklin and Penn State publics. No one would talk about this if JF personally read a statement and wasn’t literally hiding behind a backdrop.’
Many online made a quick connection between Franklin’s handling of this situation and Penn State’s response to the infamous child sex abuse scandal involving former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
Jerry Sandusky, center, is escorted from his sentencing at the Center County Courthouse in Bellefonte on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012.
Joe Paterno expelled from Penn State for his inappropriate handling of claims against Sandusky
The controversy centered on the program and legendary head coach Joe Paterno’s response to child sexual abuse allegations against Sandusky, who remains imprisoned in Pennsylvania. Paterno was fired and died shortly after.
Others referenced Franklin’s history with his previous work at Vanderbilt, where several of his players had been accused of rape. Franklin denied allegations that he encouraged a player to delete graphic images of the rape, adding that he had never seen the images personally despite giving some players the impression that he had.
“James Franklin was the head coach at Vanderbilt when three of his players were sent to prison for a gang rape,” Indy Star reporter Nate Atkins wrote in of the conviction of Jerry Sandusky.
“This is not… the way they should look at this situation,” he added.
‘How can James Franklin and Penn State be so bad at this after the whole Sandusky mess that they should be well versed in crisis management?’ asked one fan online. ‘Yet here we are and they actually look worse than they did during Sandusky. Incredible.’
Much of the criticism against Franklin focused on his salary, which will be at least $7.5 million for the current season.
‘The face of the football program,’ NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on X. ‘The most recognizable person associated with Penn St. He holds athletes accountable.’ He paid millions, some of it taxpayer money.
“Yet he refuses to stand up and make a statement or face important questions from journalists doing their jobs.”
Much of the criticism against Franklin focused on his salary, which will be at least $7.5 million for the current season.
Many critics referenced Franklin’s history with his previous work at Vanderbilt, where several of his players had been accused of rape.
Keys and Lyons were arraigned Wednesday and released on bail of $400,000 and $500,000, respectively. Neither man was required to post bail unless they violated the terms of their release.
They are scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday.
Keys denied knowing ‘Victim 1,’ according to the complaint, and insisted that he did not have any sexual contact that night in question.
Lyons admitted to having sexual relations with Victim 1, but insists it was consensual. However, he said he thought Victim 1 “would likely report the situation to the police,” the complaint said.
The mobile phones of both former players were handed over to the police, who discovered a recorded video showing “indecent contact” with Victim 1.
Those images were found on Keys’ phone, which Lyons admitted to having. However, he denied having recorded the images.
Keys has been charged with first-degree forcible rape, second-degree sexual assault, second-degree aggravated assault without consent, and second-degree indecent assault without consent.
Meanwhile, Lyons faces the same charges, as well as a second-degree felony count of willful deviation of sexual relations and second-degree invasion of privacy.