Penn State's Franklin Takes Responsibility After Disappointing Defeat

Penn State's Franklin Takes Responsibility After Disappointing Defeat

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin addressed the media after his team's disappointing 20-17 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday. Franklin was blunt in his assessment of the game, saying that "we didn't play well enough to win."

"We made too many mistakes, we didn't execute well enough, and we didn't play with enough toughness," Franklin said. "I take full responsibility for that."

Mistakes and Execution

Franklin pointed to several specific mistakes that cost Penn State the game, including a fumble by running back Kaytron Allen late in the first half and a missed field goal by kicker Jake Pinegar early in the fourth quarter. He also said that the offense struggled to execute its game plan, particularly in the passing game.

"We had too many drops, we didn't make enough big plays, and we didn't protect the quarterback well enough," Franklin said. "We have to be better in all of those areas if we want to win games."

Toughness

Franklin also said that his team lacked toughness in some key moments of the game. He pointed to the fact that Iowa was able to run the ball for over 200 yards against Penn State's defense and that the Nittany Lions were unable to stop the Hawkeyes on fourth down late in the game.

"We have to be tougher physically and mentally," Franklin said. "We have to be able to stand up to adversity and make plays when it matters most."

Moving Forward

Franklin said that his team is "going to learn from this experience and move forward." He said that the Nittany Lions will focus on correcting their mistakes and getting better in all areas of the game.

"We have a lot of work to do, but I know that this team is capable of achieving great things," Franklin said. "We're going to work hard to get better and we're going to come back stronger next week."