"That's a bold lie" "Respect": Fans divided over James Franklin's Ashton Jeanty comments before Fiesta Bowl
Penn State coach James Franklin was full of praise for Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty ahead of their meeting in the Fiesta Bowl.
Jeanty finished second in the Heisman Trophy race, only 214 points behind Travis Hunter. He carried the ball 344 times, gaining 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns.
According to Franklin, Jeanty is one of the best RBs in college football history.
However, fans had a mixed opinion of Franklin's comments.
Some fans backed the Boise State RB as the true Heisman winner:
"Jeanty was robbed by the Heisman Committee," a fan said.
"But yet the committee gave the Heisman to a dude because the only “coach” at a major lets a family friend play both ways. That kid wouldn’t last 1/2 a quarter in the SEC trying to play suicide ball. Furthermore…no other “coach” in the country would allow it," another commented.
Some fans claimed that the coach was setting up a narrative for the media to boost his side's image.
"You do understand Franklin is saying that so his defense looks even better when they shut Jeanty down. Franklin knows his D Line and LB’rs are no match for Boise OL. Don’t think for a second this comment is anything other than self serving," a fan tweeted.
"Covering his tracks in case he blows this game," another countered.
"Definitely one of the best" - Ashton Jeanty talks about Penn State's D Line
Penn State's defensive line has been critical in the team's success during the 2024 season. Defensive end Abdul Carter led the unit with 45 pressures and 10 sacks, earning him the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award.
Fellow defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton led the team with eight quarterback hurries and four sacks. In the College Football Playoff win against SMU, the defensive line recorded 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and seven pressures, helping to hold SMU to 58 rushing yards.
Ashton Jeanty showered praise on the unit ahead of the Fiesta Bowl.
"It's definitely one of the best defensive lines. As a collective unit, they're all great and make each other look good. Not just the defensive line, but the whole front seven. You’ve got linebacker King, a big guy at 6'1", 248, and Abdul Carter, number 11, off the edge—he’s a great player. They're all working together as a great front seven, and we’re going to have our work cut out for us." [14:07]