Penn State head football coach James Franklin caught a pretty significant amount of backlash following their final score in their matchup with Maryland; his team scored with just four seconds left in the game, already up 35-7.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley was, needless to say, not happy with Franklin’s decision to keep up the pressure so late in an already decided game.
Bullsh–t. That’s what it was,” Locksley said, (h/t PennLive’s Max Ralph). “I respect the game. I’ve got a lot of respect for James, his program. I think it was bulls–t.”
After something of a heated exchange between the coaches during their post-game handshake, Franklin was quick to respond to the backlash.
My jobs is to put threes and fours in the game, but when the threes and fours get to go in the game, they get to play football,” Franklin told reporters. “Those guys deserve to play football.”
The media world has been quite divided on this mentality. Though many believe Franklin’s decision had merit, others believe that this was Franklin’s shameless way of “stat-padding” and attempt to ensure the Nittany Lions’ chances in the College Football Playoff.
The argument of “stat-padding” is one with little merit. The receiver who caught the controversial touchdown recorded just his second reception on the season with this score.
Whatever the case, Franklin will likely continue to feel a backlash from the fanbase of the now 4-8 Terrapins, though he won’t have time to pay it much mind.
His Nittany Lions will take on No. 1 Oregon next week for the chance for the number one seed in the College Football Playoff.
