James Franklin may be in some trouble at Penn State. College Football head coaches are under a lot of pressure to win immediately. There was a time just a decade or so ago when fans and administrators were content to let a head coach have 2 to 3 years to build up his team with the players that he wanted. During these three years, as long as some progress was made, most coaches could feel comfortable about keeping their jobs.
That is no longer the case.
In today’s game, the coach has to win immediately. If the past five seasons, coaches have a winning record to get let go because they don’t need the very high expectations that fans in school administrators have. Additionally, a great coach with multiple winning seasons can have one bad season and suddenly find himself in the hot seat.
James Franklin Accused of Interfering With Penn State Medical Decisions
James Franklin is one of the most successful college football coaches, but even he feels the pressure to have to wait to be successful immediately. According to Dr. Pete Seidenberg, the former PSU physician, Franklin, along with the former Penn State athletic Director Sandy Barber, tried to have the player medically disqualified from the team after attempting to commit suicide despite receiving psychiatric care. This is significant because a player that is medically disqualified loses their scholarship which would open it out for another player.
Side Bird also says that there were numerous meetings where Franklin pressured him and other athletic trainers to change medical decisions and recovery times. They already have a player, so they could be available sooner rather than later to play. He also says he was ultimately fired because he didn’t agree with what the coach wanted.
What Could Happen With James Franklin?
We live in a football world where players safety trams everything. This can be seen at all levels or quarterbacks are now being protected more than ever, rules are being changed to protect vulnerable players, and equipment is being created to be safer for players. With that, it feels like there could be a very easy lawsuit against former doctors and other players who may have been influenced to continue to play despite not being healthy.
If this were to happen, or if the story continues to grow, Franklin may ultimately find himself fired from the Penn State program. The Big Ten conference has had a recent surge in coaching controversies, which has also shortened the patience and leniency of the conference or school administrators. In the past few years, major investigations have occurred at Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, and now Penn State. The conference likely doesn’t want another extended and drawn-out case to put the conference in a bad light.
Even though it was more than a decade ago, there are still some leftover feelings and drama around the Penn State program and the Sandusky scandal that, in some ways, almost got the Penn State football program dismantled. If more news comes out, don’t be shocked if the Nitty Lions are looking for a new coach very soon.
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