Penn State football lost its biggest game of the season against Michigan on Saturday. The Nittany Lions could not keep up with the Wolverines when it mattered most and totaled just 15 points in four quarters.
James Franklin’s ability to win the big game is something of great concern in State College— and he got very sassy with a reporter during his postgame press conference.
Moments prior to meeting with the media, James Franklin left the field to a chorus of negativity. Fans were all over him as he made his way into the tunnel.
Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane did not like what the fans had to say. He came back out of the tunnel to tell them off and cuss them out for chirping his head coach.
Ioane can be heard saying:
Shut the f— up!
If you don’t shut the f— up, get the f— out!
Shut the f— up!
— Vega Ioane
At that point, Franklin came back out toward the field and consoled his big offensive lineman. They eventually made their way back into the tunnel together, with the head coach’s arm around Ioane.
An ugly performance ended with an ugly exchange between fan and player. Ioane stood up for Franklin, which the latter seemed to appreciate. That doesn’t take away from the incredibly awkward moment.
There are a lot of things that went wrong with Penn State. Although the defense allowed Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards to run all over them during the second half, it was the offense that struggled most.
Penn State totaled just 238 yards and converted on just four of 14 third down attempts. Quarterback Drew Allar completed only 10 of his 22 passes for 70 yards.
The Nittany Lions’ offensive coordinator was fired on Sunday after the loss. Franklin’s job is not in jeopardy, but the fanbase was clearly frustrated by his team’s most recent performance. They were displeased!