Penn State reporter Cory Giger had a heated exchange with former Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin back in 2023.
With the Penn State offense struggling with consistency in the passing game, Giger asked Franklin if Penn State needs to take shots down the field and throw it deep, no matter what coverage the defense is playing.
Franklin made it clear that he disagreed with Giger’s premise.
“I don’t really understand what you’re saying because we would never, like my skin is curling when you say just drop back and chuck it deep no matter what,” James Franklin replied. “I don’t even know what you’re saying. It’s like you’re speaking from Mars.
“… You’re speaking Japanese, like, we have never done that, just throw the ball up and maybe he’ll be open and maybe he’ll catch it.”
After Franklin was fired earlier this month, Giger took to X to share his thoughts on this exchange.
Ultimately, he believes Franklin’s mindset in terms of the passing game is what led to him being fired.
“The whole [expletive] world laughed at me for this,“ Giger posted. ”Some [expletives] said I needed to kill myself because this was so embarrassing. I’ll contend years later that THIS right here is exactly why James Franklin has failed. He NEVER developed Drew Allar, the WRs or downfield passing game.”
To Giger’s point, Penn State ranks No. 110 nationally in passing yards per game this season at 185.4. The Nittany Lions were No. 66 nationally in 2024 and No. 79 nationally in 2023.
Penn State is also No. 120 nationally this year in passing plays of 30-plus yards, after finishing No. 87 in that category in 2024 and No. 110 in 2023.
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