James Franklin Tweets Supporting 2020 College Football Season
Penn State football head coach James Franklin posted a tweet Monday afternoon supporting student-athletes’ campaign to play football this fall.
“I love our players & believe it is my responsibility to help them chase their dreams, both collectively & individually,” Franklin wrote. “I am willing to fight WITH them & for our program!”
Franklin’s message follows a number of similar statements from Big Ten coaches and notable figures, including Ohio State’s Ryan Day and President Donald Trump. Both published comparable posts encouraging conferences to hold out on canceling college football this fall.
Earlier Monday, rumors began swirling after radio personality Dan Patrick and Stadium’s Brett McMurphy reported the Big Ten’s presidents had allegedly voted 12-2 in favor of canceling the college football season. According to their report, Nebraska and Iowa were the lone programs who voted against shuttering the season. However, thee rumored decision isn’t final or official yet.
This weekend, a number of Penn State football student-athletes tweeted in support of the season themselves. They touted the efforts of Penn State’s staff members and made it clear they’re prepared to play this fall. Late Sunday night, the Penn State Football Parents Association published a letter echoing that sentiment and encouraging the team to play this fall.
The Big Ten announced Saturday it wouldn’t allow teams to move forward with fully padded practices for the time being, although Penn State football continued practicing Monday with no interruption. The conference said it wants to continue evaluating the pandemic before moving forward, even though the season is scheduled to kick off in just under four weeks.
To date, eight Penn State student-athletes have tested positive for the coronavirus since testing began earlier this summer. However, it’s unclear how many, if any, were a part of Penn State football. Penn State should release its next biweekly testing update on Wednesday, August 12.
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