Trace McSorley, Saquon Barkley come out in support of James Franklin, say they were never pressured to play when injured

Two former record-setting members of the Penn State backfield have come forth in support of head coach James Franklin, who was accused in a lawsuit of interfering with the team doctor’s treatment of football players and trying to influence when those players could return to the field.

Quarterback Trace McSorley, who set 16 school records as a three-year starter from 2016 to 2018, and Saquon Barkley, who set the program record with 43 career touchdowns, said they were never pressured by Franklin to return to games after being injured.

Scott A. Lynch, the former Penn State football orthopedic physician, filed a lawsuit last Friday alleging that Franklin improperly interfered with his management of treatment for student athletes, and tried to influence his decision-making on when to return injured athletes to the field.

He said he was removed from his position last March for reporting the alleged actions to the appropriate authorities.

In a statement Wednesday night on Twitter, McSorley said he suffered two injuries in his senior season. After a knee injury against Iowa, he said Franklin “continually checked in on me and how I felt, even telling me not to push it. That message continued throughout the week as we prepared for our next game.”

McSorley, now with the Baltimore Ravens, also suffered a foot injury in the Citrus Bowl against Kentucky that he initially thought was more serious than it turned out to be.

“Again, Coach Franklin and the staff were telling me not to push it,” he said. “It even got the point where they told me I was not going back in, in order to protect my future. Fortunately that wasn’t the case and I was able to continue to play. Both times I was the one who made the decision to re-enter the game.”

In an interview Tuesday with New Jersey Advance Media, Barkley said Franklin stopped him when he tried to play through an ankle injury he suffered in his freshman year of 2015.

“I personally wanted to get back on the field as fast as I could, and play as fast as I could,” the New York Giants running back said. “James Franklin was awesome for me. I tried to force it and he just wouldn’t allow me to force it. I sat out the next two weeks and was able to come back and be healthy the rest of the season.”

Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, said he never felt pressured to play when injured, though he acknowledged he could not speak for every player to come through the program.

“Coach Franklin’s been nothing but a role model and mentor to me,” he said. “I feel like he’s a part of my family.”