Penn State football coach James Franklin apologizes for reaction at news conference

Penn State football coach James Franklin apologized Saturday for his handling of a media availability last week during which he chose not to answer questions about two former players accused of rape.

Franklin said he “didn’t do well” during his post-practice media session last Wednesday when he walked away from the microphone twice after being asked about former players Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys, who face charges multiple cases of rape and indecent assault. The players were removed from the university and the football program before the season, but Franklin was not asked about the situation until the charges were filed last week.

A Penn State spokesman read the following statement before Franklin became available after practice: “Regarding the two former Penn State football players, we issued a statement (Tuesday) that our program and athletics faculty would no longer comment.” When the first question was asked, Franklin handed over to the team’s spokesmanwho read the statement again. Asked about a second question about the timeline for removing players from the team, Franklin waved away media availability at Penn State’s Holuba Hall. He returned to answer questions about the Wisconsin game for another three minutes, and then the session ended.

“The first thing I want to say is that I want to apologize. I didn’t handle Wednesday very well,” Franklin said after the Nittany Lions game 28-13 victory over Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium. “It’s a difficult, difficult situation and I have to admit I didn’t do well. I understand you have a job to do. You have to ask these questions and I respect that. The university has released a statement and the reality is that I don’t think there is much more I can say beyond that statement. This is an ongoing and challenging legal situation. It’s a challenge for everyone.”

James Franklin ends his postgame press conference by apologizing for his behavior during Wednesday’s press conference at Penn State: pic.twitter.com/ntgW7dOqMe

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) October 27, 2024

Franklin’s reaction to media availability briefly became a national story, with ESPN covering it under the headline: “James Franklin Refuses to Comment on Rape Allegations Against Former Penn State Football Players.”

“Ultimately, I did not do a good job of handling this situation and representing the program in an appropriate manner, so I wanted to take a moment and apologize for that,” Franklin said Saturday night in Madison. “I understand you have a job to do, so I didn’t do well there. I’m trying to improve myself, like everyone else in a difficult situation. And I think that’s a big reason for all this. It’s a difficult and challenging situation, so I’m sorry.”

Lyons, 19, of Philadelphia, was charged with one count of felony rape, two counts of aggravated indecent assault without consent and one count of criminal sexual conduct. Lyons was also charged with misdemeanor counts of indecent assault without consent and invasion of privacy. Keys, 19, of Richmond, Virginia, was charged with one count of rape, one count of aggravated indecent assault without consent and one count of sexual assault, all felonies. He was also charged with one misdemeanor count of indecent assault without consent.

According to affidavit of probable causeA 17-year-old Penn State student told police that Lyons and Keys “forcibly raped her” during the alleged July 7 incident. The second victim alleged that Lyons sexually assaulted her that same evening in an on-campus apartment.

In a statement on July 31, Penn State said “temporary suspensions” had been imposed on both players. So, the football program issued a statement prior to the Aug. 3 media season, Lyons and Keys were no longer enrolled at the university or on the football team.

“We are aware of the serious allegations made against Mr. Keys and Mr. Lyons, who are no longer enrolled at the university,” Penn State said in an Oct. 22 statement. “The safety of our community is our highest priority and Penn Stan takes every report of sexual assault or inappropriate behavior very seriously and investigates every report.”

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Penn State on SI is your place to find news, opinions and perspectives on the SI.com network of Penn State. Editor Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, following three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.