Penn State coach James Franklin on Monday addressed two interactions that went viral at the Nittany Lions’ game against Ohio State at Beaver Stadium. The first involved his with a fan after the Nittany Lions game. 20-13 loss to the Buckeyes. The second involved former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce, who was filmed smashing a person’s cell phone after being confronted by a fan who was filming him asking a provocative question about his brother Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

Leaving the field following Penn State eighth consecutive loss to the BuckeyesFranklin faced boos from the stands above the Beaver Stadium tunnel. A fan approached the railing above the tunnel and said something to Franklin, who was walking with one of his daughters. Franklin responded by asking, “What’s your name?”

In his weekly news conference Monday, Franklin expanded on his perspective on that moment.

“I’m very good at that,” Franklin said. “Someone yelled at me and my daughter a couple of meters away as we were leaving the field, I’m fine with that. That comes with the territory. I asked the young man what his name was. To me, it’s like posting something. If you’re going to post something, post it with your picture and your name and own what you post. And if you’re going to say something, make it yours. I just asked the gentleman what his name was) he started stammering and backed off and didn’t say his name. “Criticisms and opinions, that’s part of the territory, I just asked the young man what his name was.”

Franklin also addressed a Viral moment that occurred outside Beaver Stadium involving Jason Kelce, the former Eagles center who was attending a Penn State football game for the first time. Several people caught Kelce grabbing someone’s phone and smashing it to the ground after the person insulted his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and singer Taylor Swift.

“Jason Kelce was coming to State College for the first time,” Franklin said. “I wanted him to have a wonderful experience. I didn’t get to meet him or see him. I saw something I wasn’t very, very proud of. I wish that didn’t happen. There’s also the year 2024, I love that person, there’s a consequence to his actions. So it can go too far sometimes, and we talk about passion and all that stuff being great? Yeah, but that doesn’t excuse bad behavior sometimes with the territory, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.”

According to the Daily Times CenterPenn State police are investigating the incident. Penn State police log from Nov. 2 lists an incident record involving criminal conduct and disorderly conduct on Curtin Road outside Beaver Stadium. Kelce briefly addressed the incident as part of ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown.”

Franklin repeated Monday that he understands fans’ frustration over the Nittany Lions’ eighth straight loss to Ohio State. He also reiterated that State of Pennsylvania (7-1) can still make the College Football Playoffs.

“We still have a chance to do the things we talked about at the beginning of the season, and what our fans want so much and what the Lettermen want so much and what the alumni want so much and what that fan yelling at me and running away “. the countryside needs it so much,” Franklin said. “I totally get it. No fill 111,000 seats without passion or commitment, and we appreciate all that. Can it go too far sometimes? Yes. Should it be addressed? Yeah.”

Penn State hosts Washington on Saturday at Beaver Stadium for the annual White Out. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 pm ET on Peacock.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinions and perspectives on the SI.com network. Editor Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, following three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.