Christian Hackenberg Denies Blaming James Franklin for Struggles at Penn State

Former Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg struggled after a strong freshman season, but he doesn't pin any of the blame for his underwhelming career on Nittany Lions coach James Franklin. 

Hackenberg spoke about Franklin in an interview Wednesday on The Dan Patrick Show, in which he denied a prior report that suggested he blamed Franklin for his struggles:

"

I basically went into every interview and said here's what we did. And the overruling theme was that it was just different. And then I was very focused on making sure that they knew that I was focused and ready to take this step to the next level. ... I basically said it was different. Explained the differences. And continued to just be very focused on the future and doing what I know I need to do to be the best professional quarterback I can be. ... I know exactly what I need to get better at and coach Franklin wasn't the one pulling trigger. I was. So I think that would just be an asinine statement for me to go in there and say that. I know what I need to do and I know what I said. If someone interpreted it that way it would be very shocking to me.

"

The MMQB.com's Robert Klemko reported in March that Hackenberg blamed Franklin for his lackluster sophomore and junior seasons during interviews, citing two personnel sources on two separate teams. Hackenberg thrived as a freshman under the tutelage of Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien.

It appeared as though Hackenberg was destined for greatness when he threw for 20 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions as a true freshman—until O'Brien departed.

From there the former 5-star recruit, who was regarded by 247Sports as the No. 2 pro-style QB in the 2013 class, didn't live up to the hype. He threw 12 touchdowns to 15 interceptions in 2014 and completed only 53.5 percent of passes last season.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Hackenberg measured at 6'4" and weighed in at 223 pounds, confirming his prototypical build for his position. His physical tools aren't really the question; it's more to do with the lack of production at Penn State.

ESPN's Jon Gruden is among those who really believes in Hackenberg as a Day 1 draft pick, per ESPN insider Adam Schefter:

But CBSSports.com projects Hackenberg to be drafted in the second or third round.

Publicly addressing the Franklin situation just before the draft on April 28 was a savvy move on Hackenberg's part, and his testimony seemed earnest. If Klemko's report holds any merit, though, Hackenberg may have already turned off NFL talent evaluators in interviews.

With a draft stock already incredibly difficult to gauge, the Franklin-blaming controversy makes Hackenberg an even bigger wild card leading up to draft night.