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James Franklin postgame press conference quotes after Penn State lost to Michigan are depressing

ByEthan Lee|
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 13: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts before the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Beaver Stadium on November 13, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 13: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts before the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Beaver Stadium on November 13, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin spoke out after disappointing fans in a loss to the Michigan Wolverines.

The Penn State Nittany Lions underachieved yet again. While they were in a position to snag an upset win against the Michigan Wolverines, James Franklin’s team fell short and ultimately wasn’t able to beat the Wolverines at home.

Penn State started the season off hot with a solid 5-0 record, but the Nittany Lions have now lost four of their last five games. 10 games into a year, a 6-4 record is respectable for most programs, but Penn State should be competing for a Big Ten Championship Game appearance. That won’t be happening this year.

Here’s what Franklin had to say after the 21-17 loss to Michigan.

James Franklin press conference: Penn State Nittany Lions coach speaks after losing to Michigan Wolverines

When discussing Penn State’s struggles in the red zone and its general lack of explosiveness, Franklin had this to say:

Franklin spoke about Penn State’s fairly controversial decision making late in the game:

And apparently, despite the way the play unfolded, Franklin is confident in the play call. He’s willing to make that choice again:

Franklin isn’t necessarily wrong here, the Nittany Lions do need more players to step up moving forward:

Penn State can’t afford to make mistakes against a team like Michigan. Unfortunately for Nittany Lions fans, that’s what happened Saturday:

This should seem obvious, but the Nittany Lions can’t afford to settle for field goals. Not against a team as good and well-rounded as Michigan:

Franklin is going to get plenty of criticism for the way Penn State played. While many thought he’d be a good fit for the USC Trojans, his team has failed to be consistent all season, and it’s not clear that he should really move up to a more prominent program that has even higher standards than Penn State does.

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