Speaking to the media after a cool-down period, James Franklin said all the right things about the questionable play call that allowed Ohio State to beat Penn State 27-26 in Happy Valley Saturday night. Mainly, that it was on him (because it was, without question). That’s what coaches are supposed to say.

It’s less advisable to handle it this way, though.

James Franklin did not appreciate some fans telling him he made a bad call at the end of the game https://t.co/rhZXCfU21b pic.twitter.com/MDWvtNJEgH — Penn State Football (@psufootball) September 30, 2018

That’s Franklin trying to engage with a student who basically relayed to Franklin the thoughts of EVERY SINGLE FOOTBALL-WATCHING PERSON ANYWHERE on Saturday night. Franklin takes exception and is being held back by … somebody. Which just is not a good look.

As the fans go on to discuss, Franklin is emotional over a devastating loss to Ohio State for the second year in a row. Palpable anger is to be expected!

He still shouldn’t need to be restrained from … what, exactly? A shouting match? Rocks, paper, scissors to decide it all? Or maybe he was seeking an exchange of ideas, a meeting of the minds. “What, random sophomore engineering major, would you have gone with there?”

Franklin needs to let this go. That’s neither the time nor place to show you’re fiery. Those are your own fans. It’s silly.

Franklin out-coached himself. He came up with a play that would put Miles Sanders in position to pick up the first down because Miles Sanders had to that point been mostly ineffective and Ohio State wouldn’t be keying on Miles Sanders. And then the play failed for the same reason Miles Sanders had been failing all night: poor blocking.

Football coaches can look at the game and say, pretty quickly, we had the right call we just didn’t execute. They sit around watching film all week, understanding it at that level.

Fans don’t care. They want the best player on the field to get the chance when it matters most. That’s all.

Franklin knows that, and he should have known how emotional they would be, too, and he should have known, even right then, that even if the play design was solid the decision, ultimately, was not and he, most of all, should have just walked right past it without saying a word.