James Franklin: College football has changed and "we have to change with it"

Penn State head coach James Franklin returned to The Field restaurant in State College Thursday for his weekly radio show.

It did not lack for intrigue.

Joining host Steve Jones to talk Nittany Lions football ahead of a Saturday showdown at Maryland (3:30 p.m., FS1), Franklin also welcomed questions from fans.

Included among them, Franklin was asked pointedly why he chooses not to make a definitive statement about his commitment to the program.

We’ll start there looking at the highlights of the weekly radio show:

1) Options or leverage?

In the first and only fan question to come on the night, Franklin was told unequivocally by a “die-hard from the 1970s” how valued his contributions have been to the program. 

“I want to thank you personally for maintaining the standards that Joe set here and improving on it and making them your own,” the fan said. “To the old-timers, you can’t understand how much that means to us.”

The dialogue is worth parsing, so this is the exchange from there:

“I appreciate you saying that,” Franklin said. “I think that was probably one of the biggest challenges in coming here is how do we embrace and honor our history and traditions but also push the program forward? And it’s a balancing act. So it means a lot to me that you feel that way. But I think it’s one of the more challenging things to do.”

At this point, the fan said he wanted to understand why, “when a lead position comes open, and the name goes out there, why don’t coaches just shut it down right there and end the speculation like Mike Tomlin? Is it to keep all options open? Is it leverage?”

This was Franklin’s response, in its entirety. 

It’s all important. 

“Well, I think it’s a fair question. I don’t know if it’s completely appropriate in this setting for me to get into it in detail. But I think for me, what I’ve tried to do since I’ve been here is I have tried to show through my actions over eight years of how loyal I have been and what this place means to me,” he said. “For me, I want to make sure that we are competing every other day of the week, so we have the best chance to compete on Saturdays. 

“College football has changed dramatically. And we have to be willing to change with it in every experience there is. I understand your question and I get it, but I think I’ve proven my loyalty over time. 

“I would love to get to a point where I can come out and make a strong statement sooner rather than later. Some of those things are out of my hand.”

This is, quite honestly, as much as Franklin has actually said on the subject since the Southern Cal job initially opened and his name was floated as a candidate, and again once the LSU job opened to the same result. 

Establishing his record of loyalty over his eight-year tenure, Franklin pivoted to the crux of the situation as it stands at Penn State regarding his current and future employment with the program. 

Pushing to ensure a competitive environment for the program with its national peers, 365 days a year, Franklin also noted that the game has “changed dramatically” while insisting Penn State be “willing to change with it” on a holistic level. 

The last portion of Franklin’s statement is the tell in all of this, though.

Saying that he “would love” to be able to make a “strong statement sooner rather than later,” Franklin effectively indicated his underlying desire to remain at Penn State while holding the institution to account for the evolution he considers necessary to compete nationally in all of the areas he alluded to previously.

2) Sizing up Maryland

Looser and more direct than his Tuesday press conference, Franklin detailed the challenges at hand for the Nittany Lions in their game against Maryland.

As opposed to listing out highlight performers in all three phases of the game, Franklin quickly got to the point when it comes to the Terrapins.

“I think it starts with their quarterback. Obviously, it’s Tua’s little brother from Alabama now of the Miami Dolphins. Very talented guy. He’s able to make plays with his feet and his arm and is a dynamic playmaker. They got a lot of speed and athleticism,” Franklin said. “They play a multiple defensive front and scheme. They’ll play three down as well as four down. 

“They do a really nice job and they got athletic, fast guys. I know they’re excited about the opportunity. Being on the road, that will factor into it. But it’s gonna be a challenge. We’re gonna have to be physical up front. I thought we took a stride in that last week with our tight end and O line and running backs. 

“We need to continue to do a great job there and then we’re gonna have to make some plays in the passing game.”

3) Franklin identifies secret sauce

Later in the show, Franklin laid out the element of the passing game that came to the forefront in Penn State’s 33-24 loss at Ohio State but hasn’t always been consistent this season.

Led by four catches each for Theo Johnson and Brenton Strange, with Strange notching a touchdown, Franklin offered his thoughts on what makes the Nittany Lions play to their capability as an offense.

“I think that’s when we’re at our best is when our tight ends are involved,” Franklin said. “They have to account for them in the running game, they have to account for them in the passing game. They’re physical guys as well. 

“And you look at all three of these guys, I think they could all have the ability to make plays and be complete tight ends, which are hard to find nowadays. So I think that’s when we’re our best on offense.”

Strange and Johnson are currently the fourth- and fifth-leading receivers for the Nittany Lions this season with 14 catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns, and 10 catches for 153 yards and a score, respectively.