Penn State AD rips recruiting strategy under James Franklin in leaked audio

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Athletics director Pat Kraft ripped Penn State football recruiting and NIL procedures under former coach James Franklin in an alleged team meeting.

“We probably need to (expletive) change the way we recruit. Because Alabama ain’t around (expletive). Oregon? Have you all been to Oregon? Ain’t (expletive) going on, it’s a bunch of (expletive) weirdos,” Kraft can be heard saying in audio that became public.

Kraft’s profanity-laced discussion with players before the regular-season finale at Rutgers was part of a purported audio recording of a team meeting that was leaked this week to the Dead Air Sports podcast. Kraft’s passionate discourse touched on a wide-range of topics — from taking shots at Big Ten opponents and his own program’s recruiting, to interim head coach Terry Smith, how NIL is allocated and the future of the program.

The recording, which features unidentified players speaking, was edited and does not feature the entire meeting, according to Dead Air Sports.

Recording and leaking the meeting without proper consent could be a felony under Pennsylvania’s wiretap laws.

Penn State officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kraft began his recruiting talk in the meeting by commenting on the 11 players in Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class who eventually flipped to Virginia Tech, where Franklin is now the head coach. The Lions, then, stunningly signed only two high school prospects during Wednesday’s early national signing day.

“All the guys that (were) on visits to Virginia Tech, they’re not even top-500 (ranked) kids that can help us win. You need help,” Kraft said, speaking to the players in the room. “You needed a wide receiver, but we couldn’t get a (expletive) dog to help open things up. Am I wrong? Would you have taken (Ohio State’s) Carnell Tate?

“Those are the things we have to get addressed if we are going to actually win a national championship, which is what we will do here. That’s what Ohio State, Michigan, as it pains me to (expletive) say, and Georgia, Bama and Oregon right now, although I think they’re frauds … think they’re not tough. That’s our edge, is the toughness.”

Kraft also made clear that he did not approve of Penn State’s NIL payment plan to players under Franklin — despite increased university investment.

“This is one of the highest-paid rosters in the country. … This roster that’s on the field right now, probably top four (in the nation). Now, how the money is spent is a different story. … it’s the strategy behind it that matters,” he said.

An unidentified player then described what believes is the NIL issue at Penn State: “The NIL with (Franklin) was kind of more like feed everyone and obviously pay the bigger guy. But I think with Terry (Smith), how he’s straight on with us … he’s going to pay who he needs to pay and not be a players’ coach and just pay everybody.”

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at  fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football AD Pat Kraft rips recruiting, NIL in audio leak

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