Everything Penn State coach James Franklin said after practice on Wednesday
Penn State coach James Franklin held his second news conference of Delaware week on Wednesday night. The Nittany Lions are set to host the Blue Hens for the first time in program history at Beaver Stadium Saturday at Noon. The 10th-year leader of the Lions spoke to reporters for the first time since beating West Virginia 38-15 on Tuesday. He was then behind the microphone after practice. Here’s everything he had to say.
On Penn State first-year receiver Malik McClain
James Franklin: “He’s been a really nice addition physically, he’s been a really nice addition culturally. He got here a few days late after the semester started. It was like a scramble. He did extremely well academically, [and] continues to do well academically. He’s always got a huge smile on his face, [and] he’s helping on special teams. He’s helping on offense. We recruited him out of high school, so it was already that relationship. We had a really good relationship with his high school coaches as well. He’s been awesome. He’s one of the more popular guys on the team. Everybody likes him. He’s just been a really good fit for our program and we’re glad we got him. Originally out of IMG. Him and Kaytron, KJ Hamler; we’ve gotten some good guys out there.”
On the Lions’ usage of their tight ends in Week 1 and how Theo Johnson and the entire group has improved in the run game
JF: “I think you guys have heard me talk about it. We have real tight ends here. And, tthat’s no knock on anybody else. But I just think we got real tight ends that both block and are able to hurt you in the passing game. I think Brenton Strange is a really good example that. Why did he get drafted so high? Because he can bring a ton of value. Special teams, offense as a receiver, offense as a blocker; those guys are hard to find nowadays. We’ve done a good job of recruiting those guys. We’ve done a good job at developing those guys.
“Because, a lot of them, I wouldn’t say, necessarily did that in high school. So yeah, it’s hard to say that tight ends are not goimng to be a factor in the game, because there’s a lot of different ways that we’re using them. But we’d like like it to be a little bit more balanced.”
Has Liam Clifford won the third Penn State receiver job?
JF: “Like I’ve talked about for a while, we got two guys that have really kind of established themselves and then we got a number of guys that we feel good about. Liam [Clifford] is one of those guys. Obviously Malik [McClain] is one of those guys. There’s a number of guys that are competing and will continue to be a weekly competition.”
On the status of last week’s questionable receiver, Omari Evans
JF: “It’s early in the week to say, but he practiced today and practice well, so we’ll see.”
On the play of walk-on center Dominic Rulli late in the West Virginia game and the team’s center depth
JF: “Rulli has been been really good for us. We’ve been pleased with him. He’s a hard worker, [and] he continues to get bigger and stronger. Obviously Nick [Dawkins] is a guy that almost became a captain, is so well respected within our program. But we do got some bumps and bruises, and we do got some guys that are fighting through, there’s some flus going through, or some sickness going through campus, that we’re dealing with a little bit right now. But, good. Vega [Ioane] is another guy that’s played center for us and can do it as well. I wouldn’t say he’s a traditional center at 350 pounds, but he’s got the ability to do it.”
On linebacker Abdul Carter, who is facing a misdemeanor charge
JF: “As you know, we don’t we don’t talk about those things publicly. Obviously, it’s being handled and dealt with internally. This is new to you guys. It’s not new to us, as you can imagine.”
On his praise of Penn State running back Kaytron Allen in Tuesday’s news conference
JF: “Yeah, I think in general, I just think there’s guys on our team that our coaching staff has a ton of respect for, and when we talk to football people, Coach [Al] Groh came here this summer and spent a couple of days with us, and and he raved about Katron and guys like Katron within our program. When we talk to the NFL scouts. I hope from our fan base, and from our media, that he’s appreciated externally the way he is internally by his teammates and the coaching staff.”
On the praise Drew Allar is receiving after his first start at Penn State
JF: “”Yeah, I think guys have gotten the chance to see him last year and then a little bit in practice. So you’re getting to see him kind of more extensively now and forming your opinions. We’ve kind of felt this this way for a while that that he had a chance to play really well for us, and be the type of quarterback that people would be excited about, that his teammates would believe in. And really, that room as a whole, I think you guys also got a chance to see it’s going to look different, but that Beau has a chance to be a really talented quarterback as well for us.
“So, I think it’s good, it’s needed, and the thing that’s promising to me is there’s some guys that are super talented, but they don’t work like that. They don’t live it the way he does.So, to me, until he continues to do it game after game and stack days, it’s still somewhat unproven. But, it gives me comfort as the head coach, with an offensive background, to watch him and his habits and how he approaches it, to feel like he’s got a chance to play at a high level on a consistent basis.
“We watched it; I showed a film to the team today before coming out and it was talking about guys like Tom Brady and guys like Michael Jordan and LeBron, who not only had successful careers, but did it for 10-20 plus years, and Tiger Woods, and how hard that is to do. So it’s a great message about consistency. And I think that’s really what we’re all trying to do in college football is, how do you teach young people, college players and college teams, how to practice and play on a consistent level. And that’s our challenge right now. We practice good. We practice like a really good football team. Are we practicing yet and displaying the habits and behaviors of a great or elite team? And that’s a challenge for me and the coaching staff and leaders.”
On if he’ll interact with former Lions ahead of Week 1 in the NFL
JF: “No, I’m I’m too busy. They’re too busy. It was great that all those guys came to the game on Saturday. I only got to see Amani [Oruwariye] and Saquon, they literally came out in the handshake line of the recruits. I was like, you know, did I get another few years with you? But usually they’ll go to my wife’s tailgate, but my wife was under the weather and didn’t have her tailgate like she normally does. That’s usually how we’ll connect with a bunch of those guys. But I don’t get to interact with them a little bit. A lot of times I’ll get a text say ‘hey, I’m coming into town,’ and then I connect them with who they need to be connected with for tickets and all that kind of stuff.
“Micah [Parsons] actually spoke to the team Friday night. he didn’t get to do his share that most of the veterans get to do before they leave because his third year, the season got canceled, as most of you guys know. So he did his share Friday night before the game, which was really cool to hear our players [get] his perspective, not just now, but looking back at his career, and what he appreciates now, and what he sees now that maybe he didn’t see at the time.”
On starting guard JB Nelson
JF: “He’s just so physical. He is a physical, physical presence. Tries to finish people, really is able to get movement. He’s powerful. He’s 330 pounds. He plays with a nasty disposition and demeanor which we need. Typically here at Penn State, especially on offensive line, we”ve got bunch of really good kids, and it’s hard to find those kids that can flip the switch and turn the nasty streak on when you need them to.”
On Malik McClain as a leader in the receivers room
JF: “I think it’s hard to come in and say you’re gonna be a leader from day one when you don’t have the relationships. But, he’s built those relationships, and he’s earned the respect of the room through his actions and his attitude, his work ethic.”
