Penn State head coach James Franklin answers questions after an NCAA college football game against the Wisconsin Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

MADISON, Wis. — Penn State made news for the wrong reason last week, and James Franklin accepted responsibility.

On Wednesday, Franklin was asked for comment on the summer dismissal of former PSU players Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys, who had been charged with rape.

The alleged assault occurred July 7, the players were dismissed in early August, and the charges were officially levied on Tuesday.

Penn State issued a statement Wednesday that it would not have comment beyond the fact that the players were no longer on the team or at the university.

Nonetheless, Franklin was asked twice about it, and both times he stepped away from the microphone and deferred to assistant sports information director Greg Kincaid, who had read the university’s statement.

Franklin’s refusal to be the spokesman swept social media and was commented on during NBC’s broadcast Saturday night.

Fox reported during the Ohio State-Nebraska game that the Nittany Lions were “dealing with turmoil.”

Following Penn State’s 28-13 win at Wisconsin, Franklin offered an unsolicited apology.

“I didn’t do a great job of handling Wednesday,” he said. “Difficult, difficult situation and I got to own that I did not do a good job of that. … I did not do a good job representing this program the right way.”

Franklin did not elaborate except to say he did not blame the reporters who pressed the issue.

“I respect that,” he said. “The reality is there’s not a whole lot more I can say other than that statement. It’s an ongoing legal situation and it’s challenging. It’s challenging on everybody. … I didn’t do a good job there. I’m trying to get better like everybody else in a difficult situation. … I apologize.”