Penn State didn’t have a lot of problems in its 34-12 season-opening win at West Virginia Saturday.
The quarterback didn’t have many issues, either.
Drew Allar played arguably the best game of his college career, going 11-for-17 for 216 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
One of the only blemishes of the day for Allar and Penn State was the ending of the first possession. Allar bobbled center Nick Dawkins’ snap, and West Virginia recovered to set itself up inside the Penn State 30.
WVU recovers the fumble and Drew Allar is UPSET at the officials! #CountryRoads
pic.twitter.com/uTTDcEAuvl— Play The Fight Song (@PlayTheFightPod) August 31, 2024
After the play, Allar was furious, screaming at the official. Almost immediately, FOX color commentator Joel Klatt speculated that Allar was upset because West Virginia clapped the snap cadence.
In his postgame presser, coach James Franklin confirmed that this was the case.
Less than 48 hours later, Franklin was asked about Allar’s “demonstrative side” that was on display Saturday, which he showed off after the fumble.
Again, Franklin referred to the clap.
“Did you guys go back and watch that play on the TV copy?” he said. “What did you think?”
Franklin then made it clear what he thought.
“I’m not talking about hearing things,”
he said. “You see the guy clapping. It was pretty obvious on TV. It was interesting. I don’t know if everybody saw that.”
Franklin then said the official review that took place after wasn’t because of the clap. That’s not something that can be reviewed.
He didn’t specify what was being reviewed.
“I think a lot of people thought that’s what they were reviewing,” he said. “That’s a non-reviewable play. There was some confusion about that as well.”
This isn’t the first time Franklin has mentioned an opposing defense clapping the snap count.
After the team’s 42-39 loss to Pitt in 2016, Franklin brought up Pitt’s defense clapping.
“You’re not going on two,” Franklin said after the game. “You’re not going on three. You’re not using different things in your cadence to keep the defensive line. Then you’ve got a one-clap cadence, and they’re teeing off on that.”
