Today was a hectic day for James Franklin and the Penn State program.
Bowl Game
The Lions suffered a 24-17 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the Taxslayer Bowl. The bigger loss was Quaterback Christian Hackenberg who suffered a shoulder injury. Back up Trace McSorley did a gutsy job to spark the comeback, but eventually ran out of time.
The Draft
We knew this would be the final game for seniors Carl Nassib and Anthony Zettel, who will both enter the draft. What we didn’t know, but now know is that juniors Christian Hackenberg and Austin Johnson will also enter.
Hackenberg had this to say after the game:
“I think, right now, I’m going to declare for the draft. I want to thank coach O’brien for bringing me here and his staff. There’s a lot of really good people on that staff. It’s tough to say but, I think without them, I wouldn’t have been here. He’s what this place is all about.”
He went on to say:
“I want to thank the fans, you guys, for always being there- challenging me at times, making me get better. I think the fans and the alumni and the lettermen mean so much to this place, and it’s a really special place.”
Hackenberg went on to say he bleeds blue and white and thanked QB coach Ricky Rhane and former offensive coordinator John Donovan. Oddly enough, James Franklin was not mentioned in his speech, sparking some controversy. Hackenberg leaves Penn State holding every passing record. We will have a tribute to Christian up soon to remember all the great memories and how important he was to this program during its darkest hour.
Commitment
After the game, the Lions picked up a 2016 verbal from 3 star athlete Aaron Mathews. Mathews is from Clairton and picked the Lions over Pitt and West Virginia. Mathews is considered a Swiss Army knife type player as he can play wide receiver, quarterback, linebacker, kick returner, and defensive back. Mathews is the 19 member of the 2016 class. Signing day is a month away.
Stay tuned for more news and updates.
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