Penn State AD Pat Kraft apologizes for leaked audio: 'I'm embarrassed'
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Penn State football’s coaching search saga came to an end on Monday, Dec. 8, when former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell was formally introduced as the next Nittany Lions‘ head coach.
It was a tumultuous time for Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft, as he seemingly missed out on numerous targets after firing James Franklin. The two-month search for Franklin’s replacement included a leaked audio clip of Kraft, which appeared to stem from a meeting with multiple players near the end of the season.
Kraft on Dec. 8 apologized for the leaked audio clip, which was posted to social media. He also added context to the situation.
“What I will tell you about that is that I’m embarrassed,” Kraft told reporters. “I apologize to anyone that I may have offended with that video that leaked. It was nine 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.”
Kraft, who seemingly confirmed it was him speaking in the audio clip, appeared to say his career would be over if he didn’t nail the Penn State hire.
“I want y’all to know this too: If I don’t get this right, my career is over,” the person believed to be Kraft said in the recording. “Understand that. If I don’t hire the right person, my career is over. So, it’s very serious to me. … If I don’t hire the right person, in two years they will fire my ass. And I don’t get another AD job. ‘How could you (expletive) up Penn State?’”
The audio recording also caught jarring comments on other Big Ten programs like Oregon and Michigan.
“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.”
Kraft also called Oregon “a bunch of (expletive) weirdos.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penn State AD Pat Kraft apologizes for leaked audio: ‘I’m embarrassed’
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