Lack of communication, transparency from B1G still bothersome to Penn State's James Franklin
The lack of communication and transparency from the B1G to the players, coaches and parents has been a major topic of conversation over the last month. Sure, they say time heals all wounds, but Penn State head coach James Franklin isn’t quite over that aspect of the conference’s decision to postpone the fall football season.
Thursday morning on ESPN Radio’s Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin, Franklin talked about the frustration regarding the B1G’s handling of the postponement. He says the lack of answers from the conference, and the presidents and chancellors, has been difficult.
“I think the big challenge as the head football coach (is) your players and parents think that you have all the answers to what’s going on,” Franklin said. “But the reality is, we’re dependent on the B1G to drive this thing forward. It’s been challenging. It truly has.
“We just haven’t gotten great communication from the beginning. We’ve never really fully been told or understood why this season was shut down in the first place. And then there hasn’t been a whole lot of communication since. … When I say communication, we’ve had meetings but I’m talking about really understanding why and what and how we got here.”
Conversations about when the B1G could start up again have been the new talking point for the conference. Anywhere from Oct. 10 to post-Super Bowl weekend has been discussed as potential restart dates, but nothing has been confirmed by the league.
Franklin isn’t sure of where things stand, either.
“In terms of where we’re at, I’m not really sure — and I think that’s part of the problem,” Franklin said. “I’ve said this from the beginning — I don’t necessarily have an issue with the decision. I’ve got an issue with the process and I’ve got an issue with the timing.”
“To stand up in front of your team and tell them and the parents that the season is canceled/postponed but not have any answers of how that affects their futures (or) when we will be playing football, and still (not knowing) a month later, that’s the hard part that’s been really, really challenging. I think a big part of leadership is to be able to deliver answers to people’s questions, and also to be able to drive people toward a vision and drive people toward the plan. And right now we don’t have those things.”
Franklin and the rest of the B1G could receive some answers soon. On KLIN 1400 AM, Nebraska President Ted Carter said that he expected a vote among the Council of Presidents/Chancellors (COP/C) on a return to play plan “very soon.” Shortly after, Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune reported that the vote could come this weekend, potentially as early as Sunday or Monday.
It’s been a frustrating process, but perhaps some answers are coming to Franklin and the other 13 B1G head coaches soon.