Penn State AD Pat Kraft apologizes for remarks on leaked audio
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
During the introductory press conference for new Penn State football head coach Matt Campbell, Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft was asked about his remarks to football players, which were later released in a leaked audio file.
“What I will tell you about that is that I’m embarrassed. I apologize to anyone that I may have offended with that video that leaked,” Kraft said in response. “It was 9 or 10 football players that wanted to come in and sit down, and we had an open and honest discussion. But I fell short of the standard that I should represent, for all those people, 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 well, I got to get better.”
In the audio recording, Kraft talked about his views of other Big Ten programs, along with a sharp view of his own job security had he not found a successful replacement to ousted coach James Franklin.
Some of Kraft’s most jarring comments were about Big Ten rivals like Ohio State, Oregon and Michigan, whose highly-publicized, cheating scandal was resolved by the NCAA last August.
“Michigan (expletive) stinks. (Expletive) joke, Cheated their (expletive) off. That’s real by the way, what they did,” Kraft said in the recording.
“Oregon? (expletive) quarterback was shaking in overtime. But we have to win those (expletive) games, and it comes with you guys and a plan and a strategy to go and (expletive) beat Notre Dame and Marcus (Freeman, Notre Dame coach). (Expletive) them. And then go and beat Ohio State in the national championship game. All part of what everything we’re talking …”
The audio also captures Kraft calling Oregon “a bunch of (expletive) weirdos.”
The recording, which features unidentified players speaking, was edited and did not feature the entire meeting, according to the Dead Air Sports Podcast, which released the recording.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State AD Pat Kraft apologizes for remarks on leaked audio
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos