Live updates: James Franklin Fiesta Bowl press conference
Penn State head coach James Franklin is meeting with reporters to kick off the Fiesta Bowl. Follow along with our live updates from his first press conference ahead of the event, here:
Live updates: James Franklin Fiesta Bowl press conference
(Press conference has ended at 12:45 p.m.)
Boise State
12/23/2024 11:41:08 AMPlayed Nevada in the Boise bowl game while at Maryland. Love the city and university. Great experience. Biggest compliment he gives Boise, is people in coaching profession, you ask why places are good jobs and why are some bad? Why do some places always struggle. Why do others thrive. Danielson has done a phenomenal job, but ton of coaches there have had success. There is typically ingredients in universities that have allowed them to be successful. University, community, it’s embedded. That’s why you see multiple people having success.
The administration must get it. The town must get it. The university, from the president to the professors, all the way down to the students, they all get it. That’s why places like Boise have thrived. The peoplke that have worked there enjoy it. Treated first class. Town loves it. Great crowds and support. The blue turf was something that differentiated them at a time when it’s time to differentiate yourself in college football. That was something that also made them unique and interesting.
Then Coach Petersen did it in a way to build it in a way that had success after he left. Have a ton of respect for Boise, university, history, traditions. They’ve played in these games before and played well. So they know they need to be ready for this team, for their athletes, and the way they’ve won at a high level for a long time. Boise has Penn State’s attention and respect.
Ashton Jeanty workload
12/23/2024 11:40:42 AMHe’s a beast. He’s a beast in terms of his production. But also his interviews. He understands how to be a pro, taking care of body, doing all things necessary. Also the way he is built and his running style help that as well. All of it is super impressive. But most impressive is yards after contact. He has more yards after contact than most of the elite backs in college football altogether.
Conditions, wind/cold effecting offensive gameplan, going for fourth-and-13
12/23/2024 11:32:30 AMConditions affected both teams, specifically going the direction of the Penn State tunnel. Their guy missed a short field goal. Affected them on offense, going on fourth-and-13, didn’t feel comfortable kicking in that direction with the wind. And for both offenses, cold weather had impact, but more the combination of the wind with that as well. It really impacted how both coaches managed the game. How both offenses managed the game. And special teams. To start second half, do they want ball and the wind, or want the wind in the fourth quarter. So decided to take the wind in the third quarter, put the game away in the third quarter and run it in the fourth quarter. Was so disappointed when they kicked off, kicked line drive with good return, when thought was to pin them deep and have to go into the wind, hopefully get three-and-out, turnover, get offense ball back and take over the third quarter. That was disappointing. But all those things factored into decision making and game management.
Calling game aggressively defensively on Saturday
12/23/2024 11:29:35 AMThought that was a part of it. So was the crowd. Home field and crowd were significant. But being able to line up in cover zero and bring pressure and from different places, the offense has to decide who to block. QB has to get everyone on the same page and get rid of the ball. And Penn State has ability to drop out and play zone, which puts someone free in protection because they haven’t been identified correctly, and you’re forced to hold the ball until someone is open. Want to create mistakes, cause pressure, and put the QB in a challenging position as many times as possible. This is a very different challenge in that it’s all about stopping the running back and the plays that complement him.
Playing to win, not lose
12/23/2024 11:24:40 AMHave talked about that a lot with the players, with the staff, in terms of how they call the game, how they prepare for it, game plan, playing on toes not heels, instead of going for PBU, go for the interception. Some of the calls they’ve made on fourth down, want to be as aggressive as they can. Wanting to use trick plays and play action. Going after the offense. Want to be aggressive, don’t want to have any regrets, and playing to win is a mentality everyone has to embrace and be on the same page. D needs to have O back. Times where O needs to have D back after making one of those decisions. Same with ST. Everyone needs to buy into and embrace that philosophy. No regrets. Don’t want to sit in the locker room after the game and say woulda, coulda shoulda. Want to be aggressive. More often than not, those have worked out. And other times where it hasn’t but other side of the ball has their backs and make the decision right. Like Saturday fumbling snap on fourth and one. Those things and decisions.
History of this game
12/23/2024 11:21:39 AMDon’t get into it because the time isn’t worth taking it away from preparing for the specific opponent they have this year, which is Boise. Players have awareness of Penn State history, former players coming back, guys on the staff, so don’t spend a whole lot of time talking about those types of things. All energy is focused on this team, this opponent, in this second round of the playoff.
Nick/Kaytron
12/23/2024 11:19:54 AMThey are intentional about making their stats the same. They’re really good friends. Thunder and Lightning is applicable. Nick can go the distance. Kaytron is an extremely physical runner. Both smart, high football IQ guys. Nick is trying to beat you with speed on the edge. Fatman will try to run you over more times than not. But both have been productive. Rotate both of them. Times this season where both were banged up. But last few weeks are as healthy as they’ve been. Great students and teammates and are thriving. Times where both would like a few more touches and be feature back, but also both understand this is in their and Penn State best interest the way they do it.
At this point in his career
12/23/2024 11:17:37 AMIt’s always been about the players, but when you get more seasoned in the profession, you’re focused on all different types of things. Young OC, you’re worried about points and yards and turnover ratio and explosives. All those are still important and matter, but the older you get, you try to keep the main thing the main thing. End of the day, boils down to the players having a tremendous experience at Penn State and winning as many games as possible. Developing them as young men. And getting them in a position to chase their dream in the NFL. The older you get, you get rid of all the other things like stats and it just comes down to relationships, player development, staff. Has always been a relational leader. That has always driven him in this profession. But still time and energy focused on other things. Now, tries to keep main thing the main thing, which is family at home and family at work.
Southern Cal trip takeaways:
12/23/2024 11:14:36 AMSpent a lot of time in the offseason studying travel plans. How to do it. When to do it. Feedback after Southern Cal was that they did the right things. Record of cross country for east coast going west isn’t great. But this is different because it’s not like an in-season game, but also isn’t like a traditional bowl. Enough time to get acclimated. Feel good about it. Tapping into sports science resource as much as they can. Having been able to play well against USC and now traveling to west coast again for playoff, there is value in doing it once already this year.
Transfers, recruiting, the holiday schedule balance
12/23/2024 11:13:00 AMPracticed yesterday like normal Sunday. Tried to help everyone get out of town. Went early in the morning so guys could get out to fly, drive, wherever they’re going. Then off until Christmas Day evening. Will have a team meeting and practice that evening. It’s a little bit of time off for everyone. Coaches worked all day yesterday, getting out of the office now and have some time with family. Then after Christmas Day, around 5 p.m., getting into normal game week. Count back seven days from whenever the game is and try to stick with that routine as much as they can. Players and coaches believe in it. Then back to normal, except obviously don’t have school and those things.
Abdul Carter
12/23/2024 11:09:24 AMDisruptive as he’s been all year long. The amount of holding calls that have been called against him is up there with anyone in the country, but also calls that could have been called. He is a problem. Issue in the run game with TFLs, sacks. Just like spending time talking about their RB, they’re talking about Abdul Carter. Interesting matchup and chess game with both staffs and how they use those guys so they can both be as effective as possible in this game.
Boise backfield, RB and QB:
12/23/2024 11:07:35 AMIt all starts and revolves around Jeanty. In any other year, the guy wins the Heisman and can make argument he should have won it this year. He is hard to tackle. He’s compact, 5-10, has the ability to run away from you, make you miss, involved in the pass game, the run game. And then QB is athletic as well. Reminds him of the QB they faced from West Virginia that they had a ton of respect for on tape. They’re a problem. It starts and ends with RB and they do a really good job of getting him involved in run game, pass, and play-action to get explosives down the field in passing game.
Opening statement:
12/23/2024 11:05:57 AM
Shouting out Coach Katie and women’s volleyball for winning a national championship.
Honored to be here and represent the Big Ten and play a tremendous opponent like Boise. Has a ton of respect for that university and program. An exciting team and program for a long time.
Coach Danielson has done a great job in year one, being promoted from within. Understanding that team and what it takes to be successful. Their one loss was to Oregon. Played extremely well. This will be an exciting game and challenge.
Stacy Collins, know him well and has done a good job. Was at Boise when he was hired and went back to the west coast. Great opportunity, exciting, great experiences there in the past.
