Overview
- During a virtual press conference on Monday, coach James Franklin repeatedly said variations of “Hey, Michael,” cutting off Baltimore Sun reporter Michael Howes as he tried to begin a question.
- Howes posted on X that he was on Zoom and could not see Franklin, so he assumed Franklin’s audio was glitching and did not respond to the repeated greetings right away.
- Franklin allowed Howes to proceed after the greeting exchange and the question focused on Franklin’s past working relationship with Maryland coach Mike Locksley.
- The clip circulated widely by Tuesday and outlets described it as awkward and cringeworthy while noting there has been no reported disciplinary or institutional fallout.
- The episode underscores two points to watch going forward: Franklin’s well-documented prickly history with reporters from his Penn State tenure and how virtual press logistics can amplify small missteps into reputational moments for coaches.