To fully appreciate the latest spat between Penn State coach James Franklin and Maryland coach Randy Edsall, look back at their history.
Anyone really think the most recent public exchange between them is just about recruiting turf? Of course it isn't. Here's the latest flare-up:
Franklin boasted about Penn State's recruiting prowess in New Jersey and Maryland, saying he considered those areas "in-state" where recruiting is concerned and that Maryland and Rutgers "don't have a chance." Naturally, Edsall swallowed the bait without even biting the hook.
"We're not gonna boast and brag. We're more about substance at Maryland," Edsall said, per The York Dispatch. "We're gonna find guys that fit the profile we're looking for. We're gonna worry about ourselves and not worry about anything else. Talk is cheap."
So where did things go off the track for a pair of guys in a profession that collectively presents itself as a tight-knit fraternity?
Edsall questioning Vanderbilt, under Franklin's watch at the time, for tampering with a transfer lit a flame that could burn awhile. More than two years ago, The Washington Post reported Edsall put Vandy on a list of schools to which he would not release quarterback Danny O'Brien or two others to transfer. Typically, transfers are only restricted from joining conference foes or certain non-conference teams on future schedules. Vandy, as an SEC school, didn't fit that criteria at Maryland (ACC). Edsall later relented, but the fact that he raised an ethical question publicly obviously rankled Franklin for the long-term.
Game on.
Add to that: Franklin left Maryland for Vanderbilt on less than favorable terms. Turf wars in recruiting don't look like they'll be the end of this mess.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter *@ChaseGoodbread*.