James Franklin reveals what it means to have Kalen King playing in Peach Bowl

Penn State is going to get a boost in the Peach Bowl thanks to defensive back Kalen King deciding to play in the game. That’s something that Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin knows is special.

Franklin explained that he knows opting out is a common choice in the modern game but he works to create a culture at Penn State where players don’t necessarily want to opt-out.

“I think you guys have heard me talk about this in the past,” James Franklin said. “These are different times in college football and we’ve worked really hard to create a relationship with our players that there can be open and honest dialogue and discussions. We’ve tried to create an environment where really there’s no reason for any player to opt-out.”

Kalen King looks like he will be a high NFL Draft pick in the spring. That tends to be the kind of player who would opt-out of a bowl game to begin preparing for the draft and avoid a potential injury.

However, as James Franklin noted, this isn’t the first time a high-profile Nittany Lion has stuck around for the bowl game.

“What I mean by that is all the way back to Saquon Barkley, who was being projected as a top-15 pick, there’s a way to do this where the player, the family, the agents, whoever, everybody’s comfortable with the plan,” Franklin said.

“To be able to finish the season with your teammates, I think is important, but I also understand the challenge of it. So, just try to have great conversations and discussion. Kalen was great. Kalen’s parents were great. I had really good discussions and came up with a plan that everybody was comfortable with. So, great to have him here and be part of the program for one more game.”

James Franklin details what he likes about wide receiver signees

Following signing day, James Franklin broke down what he likes about Penn State’s new wide receiver signees. That includes Josiah Brown, Tyseer Denmark, and Peter Gonzalez.

“We love those guys that we’ve got coming in. Kind of different body types, different skillsets, that we think will help that room and create a competitive edge for us,” Franklin said.

“You’ve got New York. You’ve got inner-city Philadelphia, and you’ve got Pittsburgh. We’re excited about getting all three of them…I wish some of them were coming early, but they’re guys that we still feel like will have an opportunity to compete come summer, as long as they handle the next couple of months the right way, which I think they will.”