An internal review conducted by Penn State in 2019 revealed evidence of 'friction' between football coach James Franklin and a former team doctor. The 15-page document from Penn State's office of ethics and compliance, dated June 3, 2019, could not definitively determine whether Franklin violated NCAA bylaws or Big Ten standards by interfering with medical decisions.
The report acknowledged the athletic department's desire for change following periods of friction between the team doctor and senior leadership. Penn State expressed disappointment in a recent jury ruling awarding $5.25 million to the doctor for wrongful termination.
Penn State emphasized that medical decisions regarding athlete care and participation adhere to NCAA rules and Big Ten standards. The school stated that changes in athletic medicine leadership were made in the best interests of student-athletes.
Coaching staff are expected to defer medical decisions to team physicians and trainers. The report highlighted the challenge of quantifying the extent to which coaches influence player availability.
The doctor involved expressed concerns about coaches interfering with medical decisions across college sports, calling it a crisis that needs to be addressed.
The report, marked as attorney/client privileged draft, was prompted by a complaint to Penn State's athletic integrity officer. It mentioned conflicts between Franklin and the doctor as potentially part of natural friction between a physician and athletic interests.
The lawsuit against Penn State and Franklin was dropped due to statute of limitations, with the case proceeding against Hershey Medical Center and another doctor. Defense attorneys maintained that medical treatments were not altered under pressure from coaches.
NCAA rules require schools to support the authority of athletics health care providers in treatments and return-to-play decisions. The report indicated limited evidence of retaliatory motive in the doctor's removal.
The report detailed incidents from 2016-2019 where the doctor's authority was challenged, including cases involving football player injuries. Franklin recalled only one specific instance of friction with the medical team.
Penn State reiterated its commitment to student-athlete well-being and emphasized that medical decisions are made independently by the medical team, not coaches or athletics staff.
