The Penn State-Iowa (fake) injury beef is very well-publicized news at this point, with Iowa fans booing a perceived stretch of fake injuries from the Nittany Lions’ players during Saturday’s 23-20 Iowa win, Lions head coach James Franklin denouncing the boos and Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz saying the Iowa fans smelled a rat.
Of course, Lions quarterback Sean Clifford was knocked out of the game, and it was announced Wednesday that Lions defensive tackle PJ Mustipher is out for the season, so the injuries are a legitimate gripe from the Lions’ side.
So things are a bit contentious around the two fan bases right now, and surprisingly, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi backed Franklin and Penn State in the war of words, in a video shared on Twitter by Pitt Rivals Panthers-Lair’s Jim Hammett.
“A lot of talk about cramps and tempo and injuries, you know, and I don’t agree with James Franklin on a whole bunch, but James, I’ve got your back on — you know, when you’re not playing a high, fast-tempo offense, a team that huddles, nobody goes down with a cramp. So… that’s a bunch of bologna,” Narduzzi said in an interview.
The PSU loss, without Clifford and Mustipher — two of the Lions’ top players on offense and defense — and a handful of other Lions’ players exiting with injuries at points during the game, was particularly crushing for the Lions. A 17-3 lead at the time of Clifford’s exit, Iowa stormed back to a 23-20 win with 10 unanswered fourth quarter points.
Iowa jumped to No. 2 in the AP Poll, currently in the driver’s seat in the Big 10, while Penn State fell to No. 7 in the latest poll, likely needing wins over Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State over the next few weeks to trigger a rematch against the Hawkeyes in the Big 10 title game.
Regardless of the Penn State-Iowa contention, the Lions have the support of the Panthers — a sentence many thought may never have been typed.
Between Narduzzi’s comments on “not getting enough respect” to now this? Are you kidding me? Every other time Coach Narduzzi opens his mouth, something cringeworthy comes out.
Come on Pat, why even comment on it?
If you were drowning, Franklin would give you an anvil.
He’s got beat VT Saturday…
Why even comment on it? Because a reporter asked him a question about it.
Iowa is so overrated.
The Big Ten is always overrated.
They rarely play any quality out of conference games to keep the illusion of their “greatness”.
So how did he feel about Keyshon Camp’s acting job against Tennessee? Just like Franklin and the members of the State Penn cult (who wished death upon the children in Kinnick) he’s rather hypocritical.