James Frankin and The Penn State Football Team Up Close In LA (Video)
Above is iFolloSports.com original video of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team departing 2017 Rose Bowl media day, held at the L.A. Hotel Downtown. Located in downtown LA’s financial district, this property is serving as the media headquarters for the 103rd version of the Granddaddy of Them All.
Five years ago, the idyllic State College (PA) school was rocked by the Jerry Sandusky sexual molestation scandal, leading to the dismissal of numerous high-ranking university officials, including iconic football coach Joe Paterno. Two months after his firing, Paterno passed away at the age of 85.
Sandusky, the former longtime Penn St. assistant coach, would later be found guilty of 45 counts of child sexual abuse. The now 72-year-old is currently serving a 30 to 60-year sentence at a Pennsylvania prison.
In the years since the scandal, the PSU football program has rebounded significantly, despite the stigma that still hangs above the school, as well as the bevy of NCAA sanctions that were levied as a result of the case.
After Bill O’Brien (Paterno’s initial full-time replacement) departed for the Houston Texans, the school hired James Franklin away from Vanderbilt. Now in his third season in Happy Valley, the 44-year-old Pennsylvania native (shown in the above video clip), has amassed a 25-14 record, including an 11-2 effort this season.
With his Pennsylvania roots and a clear affinity for the college game, it is likely that Franklin will man the State College sidelines for many years to come.
