Penn State coach responds to Michigan football sign-stealing scandal

Everyone is well aware of the Michigan football sign-stealing scandal, as it is taking the college football news cycle by storm right now. Today, Penn State coach James Franklin, who is 3-6 against the Wolverines all-time and has his Nittany Lions at 6-1 overall right now, was asked about the scandal during his Tuesday press conference. Here is what the fellow Big Ten head coach had to say.

Penn State coach responds to Michigan football sign-stealing scandal

Here is what Penn State coach James Franklin had to say about the Michigan football sign-stealing scandal and more this afternoon, per Basic Blues Nation.

“You got to have a way to disguise your signals,” Franklin explained. “Everybody does it, whether they do it with sheets, or boards, or whatever it may be. We made some changes after the bye week as well in how we operate on offense and defense (in terms of signaling plays). (But) specific to that, I probably won’t get into what’s going on at that other school.

“But in general, we’re always aware of how we signal (and if) are we disguising it,” he says. “What happens is, you get after games, and you feel like you called something very unpredictable call in a certain situation, and they’re in the perfect defense for it. And you’re like, ‘What would ever make you play cover 2 on 4th and 1, and we’re in the heavy personnel group?’ But they’re in it, and you got a shot called there.

“Those things kind of make you second guess,” James Franklin added. “And you kind of go back and look at those things and what you need to do to disguise it. And if it happens once, that’s one thing. But if it happens over and over, then you’re aware of it. So, for us, it’s something we always are looking at. But obviously, with some of the things going on right now, it magnifies it.”

Penn State and Michigan football are slated to face off in three weeks, when the Wolverines head to Happy Valley in Week 12. It feels pretty safe to assume that this year’s Penn State-Michigan game will be a major battle — one that could decide the Big Ten title and College Football Playoff races this fall.

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