Penn State AD says career is on the line over coach hire in leaked audio
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Athletics director Pat Kraft told Penn State football team members he believes his job is on the line with the hiring of a new head football coach.
“I want you all to know … if I don’t get this right, my career is over, understand that,” Kraft said in audio leaked this week. “If I don’t hire the right person, my career is over. So, it’s very serious to me. This isn’t like what people just think. You (players) are going to graduate and move on. If I don’t find the right person, in two years they will fire my (expletive), and I don’t get another AD job.
“‘How could you (expletive) up Penn State?'” he asks, rhetorically.
Kraft’s coaching search talk was part of a purported audio recording of a recent meeting with players and staff that was leaked this week to the Dead Air Sports podcast. Kraft’s passionate, profanity-laced meeting touches on a wide-range of topics − from taking shots at Big Ten opponents and Penn State’s own 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 a request for comment.
Kraft, of course, is at the center of Penn State’s ongoing, 54-day head coaching search to replace the fired James Franklin. Since, Penn State has been linked to numerous candidates, including Texas A&M’s Mike Elko and BYU’s Kalani Sitake, who have ended up staying at their schools with favorable contract extensions.
Meanwhile, Penn State will learn its bowl destination on Sunday − unsure if Smith will be leading it or on staff at all by the end of the month.
In the purported recording from a team meeting, Kraft mentioned Smith several times, all positively.
“Terry’s a legitimate real, real candidate,” Kraft said. “I’m looking you all in the eye. I would never (expletive) lie to you. Please understand that. You’re hearing the questions that we have to get answered. I want you all to know, too.
“That’s what’s going to matter next year. We ain’t (expletive) trying to win six, seven (expletive) games. We’re trying to win the whole (expletive) thing. And we damn know, let’s just call it what it is. It’s two (expletive) games you gotta win. You get past Ohio State, Oregon, whoever the (expletive) you get. Like, that’s it. Everybody else we should (expletive) blow their (expletive) doors off. They don’t hold a (expletive) candle to you all.”
He takes shots at Big Ten rivals Michigan and Oregon and Indiana.
In regard to recruiting, a Penn State player purportedly says this to Kraft: “To be very frank with you, I think the biggest reason why players do not want to come here is we’re in the middle of nowhere, honestly.”
Kraft’s response: “Oh, I agree. Our fans, our people don’t understand. It’s a challenge. ‘What am I going to (expletive) do?’ Oregon? Have you all been to Oregon? Ain’t (expletive) going on, it’s a bunch of (expletive) weirdos.”
He goes on more about PSU’s rivals:
“Ohio State is Ohio State. But (expletive) A, it’s not like they’re lightyears better than us, talented-wise. Just can’t be able to get over the (expletive) hump. Michigan (expletive) stinks. (Expletive) joke. Cheating their (expletive) off. That’s real, by the way, what they did.
“Oregon? Their (expletive) quarterback was shaking in overtime. But we have to win those (expletive) games.”
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 AD Pat Kraft rips Ohio State, Oregon in alleged team meeting
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