James Franklin Critiques Virginia Tech Penalty for High-Fiving Military Cadets

<p>The James Franklin era at Virginia Tech began with a significant victory on Saturday, as the Hokies defeated VMI 73-3. The game was a celebration in Blacksburg, but Franklin raised concerns regarding officiating after the match.</p><p>Despite the large margin of victory, Franklin expressed dissatisfaction with a penalty issued during the game. "We got a penalty for high-fiving one of our members of the core," Franklin stated. "Not a huge fan. I don’t know why we can’t high-five somebody in the military; it seems somewhat un-American to me."</p><p>In college football, there are specific rules regarding celebrations that differ from those in the NFL, where celebrations are less restricted. The rules for excessive celebrations in college football are enforced strictly, even in cases involving interactions with military cadets.</p><p>Virginia Tech running back Marcellous Hawkins Jr. received the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after scoring his third touchdown of the game. Following his touchdown with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter, Hawkins ran to the group of cadets and high-fived several of them, which prompted the penalty from an official.</p><p>According to NCAA Rule 9-2, players are prohibited from engaging in any "delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves)." Additionally, players are required to return the football to an official immediately after scoring. Hawkins retained the football while celebrating with the cadets, which likely contributed to the penalty.</p><p>Despite the penalty that Franklin criticized, Virginia Tech had a successful game, accumulating 619 yards while limiting VMI to just 83 yards.</p><p>Virginia Tech's Corps of Cadets has a history dating back to 1872, and the university is one of the few public institutions that maintains both an active cadet corps and a civilian campus environment.</p>