The James Franklin era at Penn State ended Oct. 12 after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern, ending his 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley. Thirty-eight days later, he walked into Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum with “Enter Sandman” blaring on the speakers, the song that plays when the Hokies enter each home game at Lane Stadium.
On Wednesday, two days after making the move official, Virginia Tech introduced Franklin as its new football coach.
“Been in this profession for over 30 years, and I’ve learned a ton of lessons,” Franklin said at the news conference. “… Got my first big break in the ACC, been a head coach in the SEC, been a head coach in the Big Ten, and now obviously fortunate to have this unbelievable opportunity in the ACC at Virginia Tech.
“All these experiences, all these lessons that I’ve learned, we’re going to pour them into Virginia Tech.”
Before he spoke at the podium, Franklin received glowing reviews from Virginia Tech’s board of visitors member, John Rocovich, president Tim Sands, and athletic director Whit Babcock. Babcock called Franklin “a proven program builder, a winner, an elite recruiter, a strong developer of men, and a relentless competitor.” Rocovich said “Blacksburg, Va., and Virginia Tech will be the best place he ever lived.”
Franklin, 53, has a 128-60 record in 15 years as a head coach at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
Franklin mostly discussed his vision for the program. He did not talk much about Penn State, where he went 104-45, but he did use a moment in his opening statement to show appreciation for his former school.
“I want to thank Penn State. I had 12 years there,” Franklin said. “It’s very unusual in college football, to get 12 years at a place, most importantly, the relationships, the staff, the players. The players here at Virginia Tech are going to find out I’m a players’ coach. That’s what it’s all about for me. That’s what it always will be.”
Franklin also thanked several people at Virginia Tech, including former longtime coach Frank Beamer, whom he called for his blessing the night before he took the job. But Franklin got choked up talking about Brent Pry, the Hokies’ former head coach, alongside whom Franklin worked for 11 seasons at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
Pry was Penn State’s defensive coordinator from 2014 to 2021. Franklin wanted to make sure his former colleague and his family “got the respect they deserve.”
Penn State coach James Franklin (right) with defensive coordinator Brent Pry in 2021.
“Brent’s dad was my offensive coordinator in college. I’ve known Brent for over 30 years,” Franklin said, holding back tears. “I’ve got a ton of respect for Brent and his family. I know he poured his heart and soul into this place. I know this place is better today because of Brent and the commitment that he made.”
For the first time in a long time, Franklin said he had time to reflect and “take a deep breath” in the month in between jobs.
“Me and my family, to take a take a minute to recharge our battery was very important,” he said.
Virginia Tech was aggressive in its pursuit of him, Franklin said. “The very first time we met — I don’t want to speak for them, but I feel like they were ready for me to say yes that night,” he said. As the talks played out, the former Penn State coach said he used the notes app on his phone, compiling “next staff” and “things that I learned through the process.”
“Some of those things are for public consumption. Some of those things are private for me and my family but areas that I know we need to grow and get better,” Franklin said. “People that have been following my career and the things that we did at Penn State, what I’m talking about is what you see right now, the leadership, the commitment, and the alignment. And the nice thing for me is I’m walking in here, and that alignment already exists.”
Franklin already has hit the recruiting trail, he said, and has spoken with more than 40 Virginia Tech pledges and most of the top players in Virginia. He even sent offers to former and current Penn State pledges, including Timber Creek’s Roseby Lubintus, an offensive tackle.
Franklin’s recruiting philosophy largely will remain the same and rely on high school recruiting with the transfer portal supplementing the roster. Now he has the task of leading a program that hasn’t won the ACC since 2010 and has played for the national championship just once in school history (1999).
“You could not have found a coach that’s going to pour his heart and soul into this place more than me and my family,” Franklin said. “I give you my word on that.”
Last summer, K.C. Keeler and his wife, Janice, began building a house in Wilmington. This would not have been notable if Keeler were coaching at an SEC dynasty or a Big 10 stalwart.
But he works for Temple, where head football coaches have long been transient.
The Owls have shuffled through 11, including interims, in 15 years. Some were fired because they weren’t winning; some were poached to fill higher-paying jobs.
One coach, Manny Diaz, stayed for 17 days before running off to the University of Miami. Another, Geoff Collins, led Temple to a 15-10 record, only to leave for Georgia Tech after two years.
Collins took over for Matt Rhule, who went 28-23 over four seasons before departing for Baylor. Rod Carey came next, and was fired after three seasons, during which he posted a 12-20 record.
Stan Drayton, who won only nine games in parts of three seasons, didn’t even make it to the end of the 2024 campaign.
This dynamic — being a smaller Division I program with fewer resources — has led Temple to a difficult balancing act. The school is established enough to hire good coaches but not always to keep them.
Temple coach K.C. Keeler looks on during practice at the Edberg-Olson Hall football facility in July 30.
Keeler, whom the Owls hired on Dec. 1, appears to be different. He has an established track record of building winning programs, and the 66-year-old won’t likely use Temple as a stepping stone.
He’s deeply invested in the Owls and has genuine belief in his team’s ability. He also has local ties: The coach grew up in Emmaus, Lehigh County, 50 miles north of Philadelphia, and has a daughter and grandchildren who live in Delaware.
Which is why he built a home in the area. Keeler is the first Temple head coach since Bruce Arians in the mid-1980s to do so.
“It’s incredible what he’s done,” said senior quarterback Evan Simon, “and it’s only his first year. I wish I had a couple more with him.”
A winning legacy
Keeler’s first memory of Temple dates to the late 1970s, when he was a starting linebacker at the University of Delaware.
The Blue Hens were a strong team but consistently struggled against the Division I Owls. In 1978, they won 10 games but were soundly beaten by Temple, 38-7.
In 1979, when it won a Division II national championship, Delaware lost only one game. It was to Temple, at home, 31-14, on Sept. 22.
Keeler graduated in 1981, and was hired as an assistant coach at Amherst College in Massachusetts that year. Rowan added him to its staff in 1986 (when it was known as Glassboro State College) and named Keeler head coach in 1993.
Over nine seasons, he led the Profs to an 88-21-1 record, with seven Division III playoff appearances. Delaware brought him on as head coach in 2002 (succeeding Tubby Raymond after 36 seasons) and Keeler went 86-52 with the Blue Hens, reaching the Division I-AA national title game three times and winning a championship in 2003.
He joined Sam Houston State as head coach in 2014, and posted a 97-39 record through 11 seasons, making the FCS playoffs six times and winning a second national title in 2020.
Temple, meanwhile, notched only 11 winning seasons between 1981 and 2024. The Owls had suffered an especially tough stretch of late, failing to win more than three games in a season since 2019.
K.C. Keeler won the NCAA Division I-AA Championship at Delaware in 2003.
But for Keeler, the shine of those 1970s-era teams never wore off. He still saw a winner. So, when Temple approached him last year after firing Drayton, he took the opportunity.
Things got off to a slow start. Some players were worried that they wouldn’t be welcomed back.
Others were unsure of how they’d jell with Keeler and his staff.
The head coach held a team meeting in December, before his introductory news conference. He tried to tell a couple of jokes, to lighten the mood.
No one laughed. Keeler turned to his special teams coordinator, Brian Ginn.
“Boy, these guys are serious,” he said.
“Yeah,” Ginn responded. “They just went 3-9. I can see why they’re serious.”
A few hours later, Keeler told the media what he told his team: that there would be no rebuild. That he was here to win a bowl or a conference championship.
Simon, the senior quarterback, was standing in the back of the room, listening acutely.
“It was a little scary [at first],” he said. “I mean, this place hasn’t won more than three games since, who knows? I don’t even know.”
Over the next few days, Keeler held one-on-one meetings with all 114 players on Temple’s roster.
He asked what they liked — and disliked — about the program, and what changes they wanted to see.
The coach quickly showed a willingness to listen, even to seemingly mundane concerns. Many players lived off-campus and mentioned that they had to pay for a meal plan that they didn’t use.
Keeler talked toa few higher-ups, and was able to make a change, putting $500 worth of meal money back into players’ pockets. Temple now provides grab-and-go lunches and snacks, available outside the locker room.
The head coach continued to encourage his team to communicate, and gradually, the players began to feel more comfortable.
From left, Temple athletic director Arthur Johnson, newly-hired football head coach K.C. Keeler, and university president John Fry at a news conference on Dec. 3.
In February, Keeler got word that a former Temple defensive tackle, Demerick Morris, would be leaving Oklahoma State. He had transferred there in December 2024 but had a change of heart, and was eager to return to Philly.
Keeler wanted to bring him back, too, but decided to ask his defensive line coach, Cedric Calhoun, to check with rest of the linemen first.
They were not on board.
“Coach Calhoun goes, ‘They said, [expletive] no. There’s no way they’re taking him back,’” Keeler said. “And he was in a panic. I’m like, ‘It’s OK, let me handle this.’”
The three defensive linemen — Allan Haye, K.J. Miles, and Sekou Kromah — shuffled into Keeler’s office and sat shoulder-to-shoulder on his cherry-red couch.
Before Keeler explained his side, he made sure the players knew it was their decision.
Then, he asked for their perspective. They said that years ago, the four linemen had made a pact not to enter the transfer portal. To stay at Temple and “fix” the program.
When Morris left for Oklahoma State, Haye, Miles, and Kromah felt betrayed.
“[To them], it was ‘Demerick broke the pact,’” Keeler recounted. “‘Demerick took the money.’”
The head coach laid out the situation in more pragmatic terms. Temple needed to bring in another defensive tackle, regardless. Why not go with the familiar option?
K.C. Keeler directing Temple against Howard on Sept. 6.
“I know Demerick is a great player,” Keeler told them. “I can’t guarantee the [other] guy we’re going to bring in is going to be a great player.
“I know Demerick is a great person. The guy we bring in … I don’t know a lot about him. I know Demerick loves Philadelphia. He’s living here now. He’s from Chicago.”
The linemen changed their minds.
“Again, the key was, this is still your call,” Keeler said. “I am not going to overrule your decision.”
Poor push-ups and ‘terrible’ dance moves
When Simon showed up to practice last summer, he could tell things were going to be different.
At 66, Keeler was doing push-ups in the middle of the field. He was running sprints and stretching alongside his team.
He even took control of the stereo sometimes, playing the music of his adolescence: Bruce Springsteen, Bananarama, and, of course, KC and the Sunshine Band.
The quarterback compared it to being around your fun “uncle.”
“They’re the world’s worst push-ups,” Simon said. “But his energy, it lifts the program. You’re allowed to have fun at practice.”
Keeler strikes a balance. There are times when practice is not fun. The head coach has high standards and pushes his team hard.
But he also tries to foster human connection wherever he can, whether it’s sending a birthday text to a player, hosting team dinners, or organizing trivia nights at Temple’s Liacouras Center.
One of Keeler’s biggest assets is his humor. He isn’t afraid to laugh at himself.
On Oct. 4, in Temple’s fifth game of the season, the Owls trailed Texas-San Antonio, 14-3, at the half.
Keeler reamed his players out in the locker room. He told them that it was the first time he’d been embarrassed to be their coach.
“I said, ‘This the first time I’ve ever even thought this, in my 10 months here,’” Keeler recalled.
“A lot of comments like ‘I dance like an old white guy,’” he said. “Well, yeah, I am an old white guy. But, you know, winning is hard. So when you win? You celebrate.”
The post-win dance quickly became a team tradition, and Keeler began to get creative with which guys he’d single out.
On Oct. 18, in the final seconds of Temple’s victory over Charlotte, he looked to the sideline to find three of his players — Cam Stewart, Khalil Poteat, and Mausa Palu — dancing.
“Giakoby, come on down!” Keeler said. “Birthday boy is going to lead the dance.”
This may seem like a silly custom, but for a team that couldn’t muster a laugh back in December, it’s progress.
Temple quarterback Evan Simon has 22 touchdowns with 1,847 passing yards and only one interception through 10 games this season.
And for players like Simon, it has made a difference. The quarterback is in the midst of a career season. He has 22 touchdowns with 1,847 passing yards and only one interception through 10 games.
He credits a lot to “Uncle” Keeler.
“He’s so easy to talk to,” Simon said. “And that’s important as a player. Not being nervous all the time. Because I’ve experienced that, where there’s tension, [and you’re] afraid to mess up. But he’s super easygoing.”
‘Not afraid to fail’
There are plenty of young players who have thrived under Keeler’s quirky coaching style.
But none as successful as Bengals quarterback and 18-year NFL veteran Joe Flacco, who played at Delaware in 2006 and 2007.
Keeler brought the same enthusiasm back then that he does now (with fewer dance moves, to which Flacco responded: “Thank God”).
When Flacco transferred from Pittsburgh to Delaware, he was a backup quarterback, sorely in need of a good spring.
K.C. Keeler coached Joe Flacco at Delaware.
He contemplated playing collegiate baseball, an idea the coach quickly put an end to. Keeler told his pupil that he needed to focus on football. He reiterated, time and time again, that Flacco would be drafted by an NFL team.
It was helpful for the young quarterback to hear.
“I was honestly happy,” Flacco said. “I thought I wanted to pursue [baseball], but deep down, I really didn’t. And he didn’t want me to do it. So, I was like, ‘Good, I don’t really want to do it.’”
After Flacco was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft, he met with his former coach.
Keeler asked him a question.
“I’m going to be talking to another team [someday], and they’re going to want to know,” he said, “what makes Joe Flacco great?”
The quarterback answered without hesitation.
“I’m not afraid to fail,” he responded.
Keeler might have this quality, too. He was not afraid to loudly proclaim that he wanted Temple to become bowl-eligible this season, and his team is close to meeting that threshold.
The Owls have lost their last two games, in part because of mounting injuries. Despite that setback, they sit at 5-5, the most wins since 2019.
Temple needs to win one of its remaining two games — Saturday against Tulane or Nov. 28 at North Texas — to qualify for a bowl game.
But regardless of what happens, Keeler won’t be afraid of the outcome. And if the Owls win, he certainly won’t be afraid to dance.
“[He has] a belief and ability to make [a program] bigger than what everybody thinks it is,” Flacco said of his former coach. “It’s not only that he says it, and preaches it, but he also gets you to believe it. And that’s huge.”
Shayla Smith mingled on the Hagan Arena court Sunday afternoon, posing for a photo with St. Joseph’s guard Kaylinn Bethea.
The brief reunion with a former Philly Rise EYBL teammate was one reason Smith said it felt like “a breath of fresh air” to be back in her hometown. It was her first trip as a Penn State player, after becoming the city’s all-time scoring leader for high school boys’ and girls’ basketball last spring.
“It definitely feels good to be back here,” Smith told The Inquirer. “ … Just coming back home, seeing everybody, all my people.”
An undisclosed injury kept Smith from playing in the Nittany Lions’ 89-77 victory over St Joe’s. Yet the former Audenried superstar is embracing the beginning of her college career, and coach Carolyn Kieger expects Smith to “drastically” help a 4-0 Penn State this season.
“I wish she was 100% to play in her hometown today,” Kieger said postgame. “ … I’ve been really impressed with her work ethic and how she’s kind of been just soaking up learning and growing.
“It’s an unfortunate injury there, but she’ll be back healthy and ready to rock here in no time.”
Smith has played 19 total minutes during two of Penn State’s first four games, going 3-of-7 from the floor for six points along with four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.
But the 5-foot-9 freshman guard believes she has already improved since arriving on campus for summer workouts. Physically, Smith feels stronger and faster. Mentally, she feels more decisive, a necessity in Kieger’s “0.5” offensive system that requires players to begin to shoot, pass, or dribble in less than a second.
Penn State freshman Shayla Smith (center) has played 19 total minutes this season.
Smith also has concentrated on being a more vocal teammate, a noticeable emphasis while she watched Sunday’s game from the bench. She emphatically clapped when the Nittany Lions surrendered a layup on their opening possession, clearly aiming to motivate those on the floor. She stood up, lifted three fingers, and hollered “Yeah!” when Vitória Santana buried a three-pointer that gave Penn State an 86-74 lead with 1 minute, 37 seconds remaining. Smith applauded as her team dribbled out the final seconds of a game often played at a frenetic pace.
Kieger said she envisions utilizing Smith’s frame and skills on both ends of the floor. She is an obvious three-level scorer who can shoot from beyond the arc and muscle her way inside. Those attributes fueled a decorated high school career in which she amassed a record-breaking 2,691 career points and averaged 27.5 points as a senior. Smith also has the capability to guard multiple positions, Kieger said.
“I’m going to bring my physicality as a guard,” Smith said. “Just my attack mindset. Just embracing my role. Trying to be the best at what they need me to do. … When I get my chances, just do what I can do. Play my game when I get the chance.”
Heading to Happy Valley also has meant adapting to college life. Though Smith quipped that she enjoys “just being able to do whatever I want and nobody saying anything,” these early months have been a test in time management. A diligent gym rat, Smith has been learning when to squeeze her individual workout time in between classes, practices, and other team obligations such as alumni events.
“There’s always something to do,” Smith said. “ … I’ve just got to find the time to work on my craft and still be on top of everything else.”
While recovering from this injury, Smith said she has been trying to make the best of observing how the game unfolds from a pulled-back perspective. That was a rarity when the offense flowed through her as a record-breaking high school player, who was a three-time All-State honoree and anchored Audenried’s three-peat as Public League champions.
Shayla Smith, the former Audenried standout, did not play in Penn State’s win over St. Joseph’s on Sunday because of an injury.
And spending Sunday’s return to Philly on the bench has made her “eager” to truly get her college career underway.
“I just want to be a great teammate [and] master my role,” Smith said. “Bring my physicality. Bring everything that I can. I want to contribute, and help the team make it to the NCAA Tournament and Big Ten championship.”
Penn spoiled former coach Steve Donahue’s return to the Palestra on Monday as the Quakers beat St. Joseph’s for the first time since 2019.
Penn kept the pressure on St. Joe’s to secure an 83-74 victory, the first big win of the Fran McCaffery era. Led by Ethan Roberts’ 31 points, with 22 coming in the second half, Penn moved one win away from earning a spot in the Big 5 Classic championship.
“I mean, amazing,” Roberts said after the Quakers improved to 2-2. “I don’t really know the words to [describe] it yet, but I’m grateful I did it with this group and Coach McCaffery.”
Penn forward TJ Power (12) is interviewed alongside Ethan Roberts after the win against St. Joseph’s.
With the Quakers leading by four, point guard AJ Levine forced two air balls from St. Joe’s guard Deuce Jones II, who led the Hawks (2-2) with 24 points. On the final possession, Levine drew a technical foul against Jones to seal the win before a packed crowd at the Palestra.
“Let’s … go,” Levine said to the fans. “I can’t hear you.”
Taking the emotions out
Penn snapped St. Joe’s seven-game Big 5 winning streak, as the Hawks had not lost in pod play since the inception of the Big 5 Classic in 2023.
The hiring of Donahue by St. Joe’s added a new twist to the rivalry. However, Donahue, who spent nine seasons as Quakers coach before his firing in March, said he didn’t plan on letting his emotions affect the game.
St. Joe’s coach Steve Donahue directing the Hawks during the first half Monday.
“I tried to work on the emotional side of this and take it out,” Donahue said. “I told myself, it’s just a blue and white scrimmage, no other guys coaching this group — took the emotion out of it.”
McCaffery also discounted any rumblings.
“We have tremendous respect for anybody in the Big 5,” the Quakers coach said. “The respect I have for Steve, and for some of the guys on that team — you knew it was going to be this kind of game.”
Power up
After scoring a career-high 15 points against Providence last week, TJ Power had 23 points — 18 in the first half — and 15 rebounds to help lead the Quakers. He made 7 of 15 shots, including 4 of 8 three-pointers. The former Duke and Virginia forward took a moment to appreciate his first 20-point performance since high school.
TJ Power shoots a three-pointer against the Hawks on Monday.
“Each game, I feel I’ve been getting more comfortable,” Power said. “Coach just stayed on me to stay confident and shooting, playing the way I know how to play.”
Power also contained Jones and Derek Simpson (16 points).
“I hugged him after the game,” McCaffery said. “I said, ‘This is what I’m talking about — you can be the best player in the league, and I love you.’”
The starting center position is still up in the air for Penn.
Augustus Gerhart, who struggled last week, underperformed against St. Joe’s — while freshman Dalton Scantlebury scored eight points in 17 minutes off the bench.
The Hawks’ Anthony Finkley shoots a three-pointer against the Quakers’ Augustus Gerhart.
“I think Auggie is better than he’s played in the last two games,” McCaffery said. “I really believe that.”
Up next
Penn will play for a chance to secure its first berth in the Big 5 championship when it visits Drexel on Friday (7 p.m., NBC Sports Philadelphia). St. Joe’s will play at UNLV on Thursday at 10 p.m.
After two straight losses and a bye week, Temple will try again to win one more game and clinch its first bowl berth since 2019.
The next opportunity for the Owls to pick up that win comes against No. 24 Tulane (8-2, 5-1 American) on Saturday (3:45 p.m., ESPNU) at Lincoln Financial Field. The Green Wave have been a part of the last three American Conference championship games, winning in 2022.
“We’re two one-point games away from being tied for first in this league,” Temple coach K.C. Keeler said at his Monday news conference.
The last loss was a gut-wrenching 14-13 defeat to Army on Nov. 8. The Black Knights held the ball for the last nine minutes of the game, spoiling a chance for the Owls’ sixth win.
“One of those games where it was a death by a thousand cuts,” Keeler said. “They had five fourth downs … and a lot of those spots could have gone either way. … So that’s a tough way to lose.”
The bye week gave Temple (5-5, 3-3) a chance to retool an ailing defense. The Owls missed safety Dontae Pollard against Army as well as defensive tackles Demerick Morris and Sekou Kromah.
The status of Pollard (knee) is not clear. Morris (leg) was back in uniform at practice. Kromah (shoulder) dressed for practice but did not take part in drills.
K.C. Keeler has coached Temple to a 5-5 record in his first season.
“So he’s going to be a kind of a game-time decision,” Keeler said of Kromah. “He’s still battling through some injuries. It’s been disappointing because not having your best defensive lineman against Army because Demerick didn’t play either and that’s not a team you can be shy defensive linemen. You need to be rolling guys in.”
Linebacker Eric Stuart and safety Avery Powell also returned to practice after being limited by injuries.
Tulane is still one of the best in the American, but it has been vulnerable at times. The Green Wave have beaten Northwestern and Duke along with two schools that topped Temple, Army and East Carolina.
However, Tulane lost to Texas-San Antonio on Oct. 30 when the Roadrunners had 391 passing yards in a 48-26 rout. Memphis also nearly pulled out a comeback victory against the Green Wave after falling behind 35-17 at halftime.
”They’re a team that if you get them down, they’re going to fight their way back,” Keeler said of the Green Wave. “They’ve been very inconsistent, and I think that probably frustrates their coaching staff.”
The Owls offense has the ability to turn the game into a shootout. Tulane is ranked last in the conference in pass defense, giving up 269 yards per game. The Green Wave also allow 412 yards per game, third-worst in the American. The Owls offense has been dormant the last two games, but quarterback Evan Simon is tied for second in the American with 22 passing touchdowns.
Simon is among 27 players who will be honored Saturday on Senior Day.
“Thank God we had him during this transition,” Keeler said. “It’s tough when you’re a senior and all of a sudden a new guy comes in … I think we came to respect each other and like each other. They’ve been a really good senior class for me. It’s been rewarding having them go through this journey with me.”
Just over five weeks after being dismissed by Penn State, James Franklin has landed his next coaching job.
Franklin finalized a deal on Monday to become football coach at Virginia Tech, succeeding Brent Pry, who was fired in September. Franklin will become the program’s 36th head coach.
“Laura and I enthusiastically welcome Coach Franklin and his family to Virginia Tech and Hokie Nation. His experience, passion, and record of success embody our commitment to compete at the highest level,” Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said in a news release. ” … James will provide the leadership and inspiration our student-athletes need, and the performance on the field that our university community, alumni, and fans expect and deserve. I can’t wait to be in Lane Stadium when he leads the team out of the tunnel for the first time, the crowd starts jumping, and we launch this winning journey together.”
Franklin spent more than 12 seasons with the Nittany Lions, compiling a 104-45 record. He won a Big Ten title in 2016, earned a College Football Playoff berth last year, and had six seasons with 10 or more wins.
His buyout with the Nittany Lions, once valued at $49 million, reportedly will be reduced to $9 million after negotiations with Penn State.
Since longtime Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer retired after the 2015 season, the Hokies’ program has struggled to find consistency, with just four winning seasons over the last decade. Justin Fuente followed Beamer, had a strong start with 10 and nine wins in 2016 and 2017, respectively, but mutually agreed to part ways with the school in 2021 after compiling a 43-31 record.
Pry, the former Penn State defensive coordinator, took over in 2022 but had just one winning season and was fired after a blowout loss to Old Dominion earlier this year.
Virginia Tech’s football team is 3-7 this season.
Virginia Tech is 3-7 this season and hasn’t won the ACC since 2010.
Franklin was an active recruiter in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area while he was at Penn State, and that ability should aid him in Blacksburg, Va. At Penn State, he finished with a top-10 recruiting class twice (2018, 2022).
Franklin took Penn State the furthest it has been in the College Football Playoff era last season, losing to Notre Dame in the semifinals. With minimal roster turnover, Penn State was ranked No. 2 to start the 2025 season and was expected to be a serious title contender.
Instead, the Nittany Lions lost to Oregon on Sept. 27 in overtime, then followed it up with losses to UCLA and Northwestern, prompting Franklin’s dismissal on Oct. 12.
Less than a week after his firing, Franklin appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay and spoke publicly for the first time since he was fired. He said the decision was a “shock” to him but chose to focus on the “unbelievable moments” he had in State College.
“I had a great run there. Twelve years. Penn State was good to me and my family,” Franklin said. “I’m a players’ coach, so walking away from all those young men in that locker room, the recruits that were committed to us, that’s the challenging part. It’s [about] the people at the end of the day.”
Now Franklin gets a fresh start with a program desperate to compete again for conference titles and a playoff spot. He’ll be introduced at the university on Wednesday.
“I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said in a news release. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this university, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Terry Smith has two phones. Each received more than 500 messages after Penn State’s 28-10 victory over Michigan State on Saturday, the first in the career of the interim head coach.
Those texts came from former players, fellow coaches, family members and “nearly everyone” Smith has known throughout his life, he said. That support meant the world to Smith, who fought back tears and took several pauses to collect his emotions as he reflected on his journey.
“There are so many people in my life that speak life into me,” Smith said Monday. “I’ve had the opportunity to be the head coach at Penn State. I don’t think anything has made me or my family happier than this opportunity.”
After the team’s third straight loss and the dismissal of coach James Franklin, Smith took over as the program’s interim coach on Oct. 12. A longtime Nittany Lion, he said Penn State is all his family knows.
Smith played wide receiver for the Nittany from 1987-91 and has served as a coach for the last 12 years. His father graduated from Penn State in 1968. He said nine of his family members have Penn State degrees, and three more are current students at the university.
Bottom line: Smith bleeds blue and white. And the opportunity to lead the university’s football program has been a “dream.”
“This place has done so much for me and my family. This place is special. It’s amazing,” Smith said. “I just want to give back to it. I just want to make sure that we are putting out a team that everyone can be proud of.”
Penn State linebacker Keon Wylie sacks Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic on Saturday.
In an era of college football dominated by the transfer portal, and at a point in the season when players begin to opt out as the bowls approach, Smith said Penn State “could have easily packed it in.” But despite a six-game losing streak, a head-coaching change, and several key injuries, the players are still with him, the coach said.
It is a testament to the respect Smith garners within the Lasch Building, Penn State’s training facility. It is the reason his players doused him with purple Gatorade and hoisted him into the air after the victory in East Lansing, Mich.
And it is the reason the Nittany Lions are still fighting for bowl eligibility at the end of an adversity-filled season.
“The buy-in has been awesome,” Smith said. “One of our older guys has something going on in December, and he asked me, ‘Coach, when we win these two games, will we have practice that weekend?’ We’re in a time of opt-out. We’re in a time where guys can easily walk away. This is one of our veteran guys, which speaks volumes to this locker room.”
Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer runs for a first down in the fourth quarter against Michigan State.
The anonymous senior is correct. If Penn State (4-6, 1-6 Big Ten) wins its remaining two games, it becomes bowl eligible. The first of those tests comes against Nebraska (7-3, 4-3) at Beaver Stadium on Saturday (7 p.m., NBC10).
Smith said he gave his players four keys to success before Saturday’s win: dominate the line of scrimmage, play with passion and pride, get Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen a combined 30 touches, and pressure the quarterback. The Nittany Lions achieved those goals against the Spartans and intend to do so on Senior Day against the Cornhuskers.
“These guys are dialed in,” Smith said. “They’re playing their hearts out. There is no dissension, no guys looking the other way. They got their first taste of victory in a long time, they enjoyed it, and they want to experience it again.”
NEW YORK — As a group of Columbia women’s basketball players struggled to break a press defense and advance the ball up the court, Megan Griffith’s voice rang through the gym.
“I need more active participation with your voice!” the coach said. “Can you please get back to playing like us?”
That is one of the go-to phrases that Griffith, a King of Prussia native, reinforces during this October preseason practice. They are all designed to “make things sticky” and keep the team process-focused, Griffith said.
“How you do anything, is how you do everything,” Griffith and standout guard Perri Page will both rattle off within the same hour.
Those callbacks have fueled a remarkable turnaround as Griffith enters her 10th season as the head coach at her alma mater.
Columbia was one of women’s college basketball’s worst programs for decades before clinching at least a share of three consecutive Ivy League regular-season championships and winning its first NCAA Tournament game in school history last season.
And it received an at-large bid to the Big Dance in each of the past two seasons, typically unheard of for Ivy League programs. The Lions are 2-0 to begin the 2025-26 season, heading into a marquee home opener against reigning Atlantic 10 regular-season champion Richmond Saturday night.
Griffith, a finalist last season for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year award, has displayed her Philly roots while making breakthrough after breakthrough during this rebuild.
There’s the influence of her high school coach, Villa Maria Academy’s Kathy McCartney, whose motivational style Griffith describes in a way that her current players now talk about her. And her childhood being raised by a father from Delaware County and a mother who immigrated from Hong Kong, before they met at Villanova. The emphasis on running a high-powered offensive system spearheaded by dynamic guard play? A no-brainer for a 40-year-old who grew up watching the Allen Iverson Sixers era.
That culture has already elevated Columbia to historic heights, and a stability Griffith and players now strive to protect. Now, the coach has the Lions believing they can — again — become the best team in program history.
“She’s a force,” Page said. “Honestly, do not mess with her. She is going to go out and get whatever she wants. … I can’t see myself playing for any other coach in the country.”
‘A determined little bugger’
Diane and Bob Griffith still are in awe when they watch their daughter coach, or when she speaks during news conferences. She actually was a shy kid in everyday life, taking hold of Dad’s pant leg whenever the family was out in public.
But as soon as there were competitive stakes, Megan turned into “a determined little bugger,” Bob said. Diane remembers a T-ball game when a young Megan rounded third base, and the umpire told Bob, who coached Megan’s youth sports teams, that “this kid can slide better than most adult men can.”
“Once that light turned on or that game clock started, she was tenacious, even as a small kid,” Bob said. “ … When you look back on it, she was probably one of the most aggressive kids out there on the court.”
Megan concedes today that she probably should have pursued soccer (“Look at me. I’m 5-5,” she quips). But she gravitated toward the intimacy of smaller basketball rosters and how the game never stops moving.
Neither did she, because she was fast. When Griffith first arrived at Villa Maria, McCartney remembers the teenage point guard could not always control her dribble in transition … because she literally outran the ball.
King of Prussia native Megan Griffith played her high school ball at Villa Maria Academy.
So McCartney told a steely eyed Griffith that she was not ready to play on the varsity team as a freshman. She needed to learn how to mold those natural athletic gifts into a ballhandler who could anticipate the defense’s next move. Griffith clocked that, while being coached by a woman for the first time, she was receiving a similar combination of intensity and care that her father provided in those settings.
“When I started getting [that tough love] from somebody else, it was like, ‘Oh, this is also how other people do this,’” Griffith said. “And it just really resonated with me. … That allowed me to really gain the confidence as a young woman, to then take that next step in my career and play college.”
By her senior high school season, Griffith was the point guard and defensive menace for a team that won its first 21 games. She had chosen to play for Columbia, which does not offer athletic scholarships, over an offer from LIU-Brooklyn.
And the hug McCartney and Griffith shared as she walked off the court for the final time as a high schooler has “stuck with me for years,” the coach said.
“It kind of solidified in my head the difference a coach can make,” McCartney said. “And I think — I hope — it has helped her in some way. I remember whispering in her ear, ‘You’ve got big things ahead of you, girl.’”
A clipping from the Philadelphia Inquirer sports section of February 2, 2003, showing Megan Griffith driving to the basket for Villa Maria Academy high school. Griffith is now the head women’s basketball coach at Columbia University.
‘I can go prove everybody wrong’
Columbia’s program was in a tumultuous state during Griffith’s playing career, from 2003 to 2007. She had four coaches in four seasons. The Lions’ record during that span was 38-70.
But that is where Griffith learned how to “stack days,” not just with her on-court training but in daily habits such as nutrition and sleep. Bob watched his daughter morph from a “very predictable” freshman who was “trying to please her coach too much,” to a 1,000-point scorer and two-time all-Ivy League selection.
“I was like, ‘Wow, I’ve had it the complete wrong way,’” Megan said. “I was so focused on the results all the time. Starting. Trying to come in as a freshman and change the program. I was like, ‘Wow, if I can just focus on what I can control …’”
Megan Griffith was an 1,000-point scorer at Columbia. The King of Prussia native now coaches her alma mater.
She also had an Ivy League education and a job lined up at Lincoln Financial in Philly upon graduating with an economics degree. She turned that offer down to continue playing overseas in Finland and then the Netherlands.
Griffith called that experience “transformational.” She leaned into exploring her new surroundings and connecting with her local teammates. An assistant coach began involving her in game-planning and strategizing, which she said “channeled my competitive energy very differently.” She learned enough Dutch to help coach kids. When she came home during off-seasons, she held youth skills clinics.
“I could see just how these kids just looked up to her,” Diane said. “ … I think that was probably the first glimpse of her maybe, possibly becoming a coach.”
When Megan no longer found as much satisfaction in that daily grind, she knew it was time to pivot from playing. She was hired as the director of basketball operations at Princeton, and was intrigued by then-coach Courtney Banghart, who led the program to its first Ivy League title.
Banghart, now the coach at 11th-ranked North Carolina, quickly made Griffith the Tigers’ recruiting coordinator. Griffith was hesitant at first, instead wanting more tactical responsibilities. But she was organized and a people person.
“What I learned there is that, actually, the most important thing is relationships,” Griffith said. “You have to know things and be smart. But at the end of the day, everybody can learn an offense. But what do you do with talent? How do you get talent? How do you get people that are bought into a common language, and an ethos, and a culture?”
In 2016, Columbia’s head-coaching job came open. Griffith, then 30, went to athletic director Peter Pilling with a detailed plan on how she would run her alma mater. And she thought back to conversation in the car with her father, while she was still playing overseas.
“[I said], ‘Dad, I feel I’m meant for something, like, big and different,’” she said. “I didn’t know what that meant at that time. So when this opportunity came up it was like, ‘Wow, I can go prove everybody wrong.’
“And I love that. I love the underdog. That’s who I am at my core.”
Megan Griffith played professional basketball in Finland.
‘It’s why you do it’
Tyler Cordell was “a little intimidated” the first time she spoke to Griffith. While interviewing for a job as Princeton’s director of basketball operations when Griffith was promoted to assistant coach, Cordell left the phone conversation thinking, “I don’t know if I’m smart enough to follow up in her footsteps.”
Now, Griffith and Cordell have worked together for 14 years. Cordell said it was a “no-brainer” to join Griffith’s staff at Columbia. Griffith calls Cordell an example of the “builders” the program needed.
“You start with the people,” Griffith said.
That meant thorough — and unconventional — recruiting.
The coaching staff went into southern states, such as Florida and Georgia. And internationally, to Spain and Australia. Today, nine players on Columbia’s 2025-26 roster are from outside the United States.
And there was perhaps nobody better to pitch Columbia than Griffith, who experienced the top-tier academics, limited athletic resources, and basketball struggles firsthand.
“It’s not like we’re in the same sandbox as a lot of schools,” Griffith said. ” … But we’ve never been.”
Griffith needed to power through the early on-court woes as a coach, including back-to-back eight-win seasons from 2017 to 2019 that left Diane worried about Megan’s health. Still, accolades began to surface. Their first victories over programs from the Atlantic Coast Conference (Boston College) and Big East (Providence). Their first Ivy League Rookie of the Year in Sienna Durr. The commitments of Abbey Hsu and Kaitlyn Davis, who became “young, hungry freshmen” and, eventually, conference champions and WNBA draft picks.
Those players could emulate an on-court style — with athletic, guard-heavy rosters that could pressure defensively and get out in transition — that led to sustained success for other mid-majors. It evolved into a system that, from 2022 to 2025, averaged more than 70 points per game.
King of Prussia native Megan Griffith has built Columbia women’s basketball into an Ivy League power.
Griffith, meanwhile, strives to make people feel important, even when demands are high. She will get on a player’s case during practice, but then help them make their first resumé or ask about their dog. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Columbia’s 2020-21 season was canceled, the staff created a space for players to talk. Page actually took her recruiting “visit” on Zoom and was blown away by the staff’s energy and attention to detail in less-than-ideal circumstances.
“That’s what made me say, ‘Wow, they put a lot of thought and effort into everything that they do,’” she said. “ … I was like, ‘If you can make this look good, imagine what it looks like on the court, too.’”
Once the Lions returned to to play, the avalanche of checkpoints continued.
A 2021 signature comeback win at Clemson? Check.
Qualifying for the four-team Ivy League tournament for the first time? Check.
Four consecutive 20-win seasons? Check.
Advancing to the WNIT quarterfinals in 2021, then the championship game the following season? Check.
First Ivy League regular-season titles, as co-champions in 2023 and 2024 and then as the outright winner last season? Check.
First NCAA tournament appearance in 2024, when they lost a tight First Four matchup against Vanderbilt? Check.
“That’s what’s been so cool about our journey,” Cordell said. “Because we haven’t skipped one step.”
The most recent: Last season’s NCAA First Four. The Lions at halftime flipped how they were guarding Washington’s post players, and rallied from 13 points down to win and advance to the round of 64.
“It was just the next thing we had to do in our journey,” Griffith said. “I feel like we manifested it, but at the same time, it was supposed to happen. …
“When the buzzer sounded, it’s why you do it. It’s why I’ve coached the last nine years — to be in that moment and be able to share that with my staff and this team.”
Columbia head coach Megan Griffith (right) celebrates with assistant coach Cy Lippold after beating Washington in a First Four game in last season’s NCAA Tournament.
‘Coach-led, player-fed’
Those back home also have relished in Griffith’s rise.
McCartney still texts Megan and her parents, and loves telling friends “that’s one of my kids” while watching Columbia play. Megan’s godmother, who lives in Australia, wakes up at 4 a.m. to tune in to games. Supporters are in the stands whenever Columbia plays Penn in Philly, where Griffith takes pride in those who knew her as a player recognizing similar qualities in her teams.
And Diane and Bob are regular visitors to campus. While watching a recent scrimmage, they noticed Megan being “really tough” on the freshmen. Up in the coach’s offices, a veteran told one of those first-year players, “She’s tough, but you have to listen to Coach. She knows what she’s talking about.”
“Yes, she yells at you a lot,” Diane said. “She screams in your face. You think she hates you. But she really does care about you, and she wants to make you a better player and person.”
Columbia women’s basketball coach and King of Prussia native Megan Griffith (left) high-fives her niece, Carmen, who calls her Titi.
Like during that October practice, when new assistant coach Kizmahr Grell needed to tell Griffith to take a deep breath. The Lions have a taller roster and fewer ballhandlers this season, forcing some tweaks to their on-court identity. That was particularly apparent with Page sitting out this practice, prompting a direct challenge from Griffith to be a better leader from the sideline.
“It just gets me so fired up, too,” Page said of those interactions. “ … I take it, like, this is my program. This is my baby. When she gives a task, I am ready to attack it, always. Because I want to do right for her, but I want to do right for this program, as well.”
Columbia coach Megan Griffith talks to her team at practice last season.
That’s an example of another Griffith callback: “Coach-led, player-fed.” It’s why a practice that began with harsh words ended with everybody gathering at midcourt for a calm circle, where players individually spoke up to encourage and hold each other accountable. They snapped in agreement of each player’s input. When Griffith asked who got better today, every player raised their hand.
Those mantras have become sticky, establishing Columbia’s foundational culture. They have fueled the Lions’ historic rise.
So what is the next breakthrough, with Griffith’s 10th season underway?
“That’s my big challenge right now, is just continue to teach when the expectations are higher — and self-imposed,” Griffith said. “Nobody here is like, ‘Hey, you need to win more.’ Everybody is like, ‘Look at everything you’ve done,’ but that’s just not who I am.
“I don’t just think we can continue to win Ivy League championships. I think we can make deep runs into March. As long as we keep getting the right people here, why couldn’t we go to the Elite Eight?”
Although the Eagles are on their bye week, Lincoln Financial Field was put to good use on Thursday night. Delaware State, coached by former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, hosted Norfolk State, coached by former Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.
The two former teammates made a return to their former home for their first battle as college football head coaches in a primetime HBCU matchup. From the halftime show to special appearances from mainstream stars, HBCU excellence was on full display.
Here are the highlights of what took place on Thursday night…
Norfolk State head coach Michael Vick watches in the waning moments of his team’s loss to Delaware State in Thursday night’s HBCU showdown at Lincoln Financial Field.
Stars were out at the Linc
In addition to the action on the field, the star power on the sideline was worth the admission. The easiest one to spot was former quarterback Cam Newton.
At halftime, wearing an all-tan fit with a massive fedora decorated in pins, the three-time Pro Bowler danced and posed with fans just moments before North Philly rapper Meek Mill walked along the sideline.
Plenty of fans made their way through the main concourse excited to watch both HBCU teams play at Lincoln Financial Field. Whether they were representing the colors of Delaware State or Norfolk State, wearing vintage Eagles’ Jackson and Vick jerseys, or showing off their Greek letters, they gathered together with pride of belonging to an HBCU.
Anthony, 68, and Brigette Washington, 67, made the trip from Florida on Thursday morning to attend the game despite the stormy weather. Anthony attended Florida A&M University. Meanwhile, Brigette attended Morgan University. Although neither have connections to Delaware State or Norfolk State, they wanted to show support to all HBCUs.
Former Eagles players in now Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson, center, and Norfolk State head coach Michael Vick, right, hug after Delaware State beat Norfolk State 27-20 at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday.
“[HBCU’s] are family oriented,” Anthony said. “Once you step foot and you become an HBCU alumnus, you’ll always go back. Like what we’re doing now. We’re 70 and we’re still going back to the games. We just want to support both schools.”
Plenty of alumnus repped their colors, including 59-year-old Delaware native John Robinson. Robinson graduated from Delaware State in 1990 and is proud to see two HBCU teams getting to display their talents on such a big stage.
“What I’m looking forward to seeing tonight is HBCU excellence and the opportunity to show that to the entire world,” Robinson said. “I’m just thrilled that we have this opportunity and this platform to show who we are, how we support our schools and how necessary they are and also to show the world the top of NFL elite talent is willing to invest in HBCUs as we see with the coaching platforms of DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick.”
Norfolk State’s drum major dresses as Mickey Mouse during halftime of their game against Delaware State at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday.
‘Approaching Storm’ stuns at halftime
When it comes to HBCU games, there are no bathroom breaks at halftime. For many fans, halftime is the real show. HBCU’s are known for their electric marching bands and Delaware State’s ‘Approaching Storm’ did not disappoint.
As soon as the band was introduced, fans reacted with one of the loudest cheers of the night. And as soon as silence rang through the stadium, the sounds of Boyz II Men’s “Motown Philly” echoed throughout the Linc followed by Danity Kane’s “Damaged.”
“That’s a tradition that’s been engraved in HBCUs going back as far as you want to look,” Robinson said. “The band and the drumline, that’s the fabric. That’s how we express who we are. That’s how we tell our story through song during sporting events and it’s heritage. It’s black pride. It’s culture.”
Delaware state representative, and Cheney graduate, Franklin Cooke Jr. added: “[Halftime shows are] very important. They’re just like athletes, you know doing all the steps, doing all the routines. It’s very, very important.”
Earlier in the week, 45-year-old West Philadelphia native Will Abbamont discussed the significance of attending an HBCU. Growing up on 46th and Fairmount, he didn’t see college as an option. Eventually, the Cheney graduate, and leader of the Sixers drumline, the Stixers, used percussion as a way to save his life.
“For me to get accepted to Cheney, it changed my life,” Abbamont said. “[My grandma] said you can either take these drumsticks, the jail cell or a graveyard. I picked the drumsticks. Didn’t know what to do with them. I asked her what to do with them and she said you will figure it out. That right there led me on the road to my goal to go to an HBCU.”
Norfolk State’s band plays during halftime of Thursday’s game against Delaware State at Lincoln Financial Field.
Abbamont graduated from Cheney in 2001, where he majored in accounting and minored in computer programming. During his tenure at the school, he was part of Cheney’s drumline.
“The drumline is the culture,” Abbamont said. “The drumline sets the tone. To be honest with you, I know our HBCUs really weren’t known for their sports. For example, I went to Cheney. My Cheney football team wasn’t really that good. But everyone came to see the band.
“The band is the culture of the HBCU. The band is the heartbeat, the band is the lifeline, the band is what draws the attention. The sports team being good is a bonus when it comes to an HBCU…Halftime for us is when the game starts.”
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — In August, Penn State’s midseason matchup against Ohio State on Saturday looked like a sure-fire clash between two schools fighting for the title of college football’s best team.
Two months later, the fight seems one-sided.
The Nittany Lions went from No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason poll to unranked in just six weeks. Now they are 3-4 (0-4 in the Big Ten) while the No. 1 Buckeyes are undefeated at 7-0, 4-0.
The stakes are different, but the rivalry remains. And one thing is certain: The Nittany Lions will play hard, no matter the opponent, no matter the stadium, no matter their record.
“[My players] don’t have a choice [but to play with fight] if they’re going to play for me,” interim head coach Terry Smith said. “Things aren’t going our way right now, but the only way to get out of the storm is to run through the storm. And we’re going to run through the storm.”
Embracing the underdog role
Penn State is listed as a 20.5-point underdog by DraftKings Sportsbook, the program’s largest spread as an underdog since 2013, when it was a 24-point underdog against Wisconsin.
The Nittany Lions won that game, 31-24, at Camp Randall Stadium to shock the Badgers, a feat they hope to replicate this Saturday in Columbus (noon, Fox29).
“No one is giving us a chance, and I’m going to emphasize that to our team,” Smith said. “I don’t think we’ve ever been a 20-point underdog since I’ve been here, but it’s motivation. We’re going to come out and fight like we did at Iowa.”
Penn State hopes to get running back Nick Singleton going against Ohio State this weekend.
Penn State has not defeated Ohio State since its thrilling 24-21 win in 2016. The sides have since played several close games, including one-possession contests in 2023 and 2024, but the Buckeyes’ hold on this series remained.
Through seven games, Ohio State owns the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense. The Buckeyes have allowed just 41 total points.
Against a vaunted defense, the Nittany Lions will again start Ethan Grunkemeyer, their redshirt sophomore quarterback, who threw for just 93 yards and two interceptions against Iowa on Oct. 18.
Bottom line: Smith’s squad faces an uphill battle in Columbus. So, how does an unranked team riding a four-game slide enter a tough road environment and defeat the nation’s top team?
“We have to do it together,” Smith said. “We have to be as one. We cannot make mistakes. We have to be efficient with the football. The most important thing we have to do is be able to run the football.”
Penn State’s once-dominant running game, which averaged 202.3 rushing yards per game in 2024, has regressed to 169.6 yards per contest this season.
Nick Singleton is averaging a career low in yards per rush (3.6), a theme Smith wants to change against the Buckeyes.
Penn State will lean on running back back Kaytron Allen (right) this weekend against Ohio State.
“We have to outrun Ohio State to have a chance,” Smith said. “[Ohio State] is big up front, fast in the middle and can cover on the back end. So we have to be creative on offense, [we have] to [Kaytron] Allen going, and we have to find a way to get Nick Singleton going because we’re going to need our two best offensive weapons.”
Injury report
Smith didn’t provide an update on backup quarterback Jaxon Smolik, who exited the team’s loss to Iowa with a left arm injury. If Smolik isn’t active against the Buckeyes, Smith said Bekkem Kritza, a freshman quarterback, will serve as Grunkemeyer’s backup.
Left guard Olaivavega Ioane, who missed the Iowa game, and defensive end Zuriah Fisher are expected to play Saturday, according to Smith.
