James Franklin on fan interaction, Jason Kelce incident at Penn State-Ohio State Game

Penn State coach James Franklin addressed two intercations that went viral during the Nittany Lions’ game against Ohio State at Beaver Stadium on Monday. The first involved him with a fan after the Nittany Lions’ 20-13 loss to the Buckeyes. The second involved former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce, who was filmed destroying someone’s cell phone after being confronted by a fan who filmed him asking a provocative question about his brother Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

I walk off the field and follow Penn State’s eighth straight loss for the BuckeyesFranklin was met with boos from the stands above the Beaver Stadium tunnel. One fan approached the railing above the tunnel and said something to Franklin, who was walking with one of his daughters. Franklin responded by asking, “What’s your name?”

During his weekly news conference Monday, Franklin expanded his perspective on that moment.

“I’m really good at it,” Franklin said. “Someone who yelled at me and my daughter within a few yards as we walked off the field, I’m okay with that. That comes with the territory. I asked the young man his name. To me it’s like posting something. If you’re going to post something, post it with your photo and your name and own what you post. And if you’re going to say something, say it. I just asked the gentleman what his name was) started stuttering, backed away and didn’t say his name. So there will be criticisms and opinions, that’s part of it, I understand. I simply asked the young man what his name was.’

Franklin also spoke one viral moment that took place outside Beaver Stadium involving Jason Kelce, the former Eagles center attending a Penn State football game for the first time. Multiple people captured Kelce grabbing someone’s phone and slamming it to the ground after the person made a slur about his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and singer Taylor Swift.

“Jason Kelce came to State College for the first time,” Franklin said. “I wanted him to have a great experience. I didn’t meet him or see him. I saw something that I wasn’t very proud of. I wish that didn’t happen. There’s also in 2024, I love that person, there’s a consequence to his actions So sometimes it can go too far, and we talk about the passion and all those things are great Yeah. But that’s not an excuse for bad behavior with the territory either, but that’s what makes it not good yet.”

Franklin reiterated Monday that he understands fans’ frustration over the Nittany Lions’ eighth straight loss to Ohio State. He repeated that too Penn State (7-1) can still make the College Football Playoff.

“We still have a chance to do the things that we talked about at the beginning of the season, and what our fans want so badly and what the Lettermen want so badly and what the alumni want so badly and what that fan told me shouts who runs away the field wants so much,’ said Franklin. ‘I don’t understand that completely Fill 111,000 seats without passion and dedication, and we all appreciate that. Can things sometimes go too far? Yes. Does it need to be addressed? Yes.”

Penn State hosts Washington on Saturday at Beaver Stadium for the annual White Out. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET on Peacock.

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