Matt Campbell’s introductory press conference at Penn State was a cause for celebration in Happy Valley on Monday, as a seemingly tumultuous coaching search reached its conclusion.
But it also provided Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft with his first opportunity to publicly address leaked audio that had gone viral amid his program’s search, in which he took shots at multiple Big Ten rivals.
Asked about the leaked audio, which appeared to originate from a meeting with multiple Penn State players at or near the end of the season, Kraft appeared to confirm its authenticity. He also apologized for his comments, which included a blunt assessment of the state of the Nittany Lions program in the aftermath of James Franklin being fired.
“I’ll talk to any of my athletes whenever they ask me to talk,” Kraft said Monday. “I’m very passionate and I’m transparent with my kids and my student-athletes. What I will tell you is that I’m embarrassed. I apologize to anyone that I may have offended with that video that leaked. Personally, it’s been challenging for me, but I am very passionate about Penn State.
“It was nine or ten football players that asked, wanted to sit down, and we had an open and honest discussion. But I fell short of the standard that I should represent for all my staff that sits up there, all 833 athletes that I represent. I can’t apologize enough for those who I may have offended. And I’ve got to get better. But every one of my athletes know they can call me at any point in time and I have open and honest discussions whenever they want. So we’re moving on. We handled it in the family. And I’m proud of our guys. I’m proud of them and excited for them to move forward.”
The most notable portion of the leaked audio came as Kraft discussed multiple Big Ten rivals, referring to Oregon as “frauds” before stating that the Ducks aren’t “tough.” Discussing the disadvantages that Penn State faces in recruiting from a location standpoint, the Nittany Lions AD replied, “have you all been to Oregon? Ain’t sh*t going on, it’s a bunch of f*cking weirdos.”
Kraft also claimed that Ohio State isn’t “lightyears better than us, talent-wise” and said that Michigan was “cheating their balls off” in an apparent reference to the Wolverines’ sign-stealing scandal. The AD and players all offered transparent assessments of the Nittany Lions roster, noting that there were certain positions that clearly weren’t being maximized from a development standpoint.
All things considered, the leaked audio wasn’t especially damning, as many Penn State fans appreciated the AD’s fire during what was clearly intended to be a private conversation. Still, the timing wasn’t great, as it came amid a coaching search in which the Nittany Lions failed to successfully attract several candidates, perhaps due in part to their handling of Franklin’s high profile midseason firing.
Ultimately, Penn State landed on Campbell, a hire that has largely been applauded throughout the college football world. How the former Iowa State head coach performs in Happy Valley will ultimately be what matters most for Kraft, who acknowledged in the audio that it will likely be his job that’s the next to go if his pick for Franklin’s successor doesn’t pan out.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.