Live updates: James Franklin, Marcus Freeman meet with media
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Penn State head coach James Franklin and Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman are joining reporters Wednesday morning for a final look ahead at their teams’ matchup Thursday night. Set to face off in the Orange Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff semifinal round, the right to earn a shot at a national championship is at stake.
What are Franklin and Freeman thinking as their teams get closer to the tilt?
Follow all of our live updates from the press conference, here:
Live updates: James Franklin, Marcus Freeman meet with media
(Press conference is set to begin at 9 a.m. Page does not automatically refresh. Updates will appear in reverse chronological order.)
On defense
01/08/2025 08:43:28 AM
Franklin: Starts with making people one-dimensional and taking away their strength. Last week it was reducing the impact that Ashton Jeanty had in the game. One of the better backs in the history of college football based on his production and what he was able to do. Notre Dame does a phenomenal job with its running backs. But now you have to factor in the QB, which creates another challenge and more stress. Focus is still on defending the run. Notre Dame does it a little differently than Boise did last week. But still trying to make them one-dimensional. Understand they’re still going to make plays. QB will make plays. Four quarter game and need to be prepared to compete that way.
Freeman: Have to tactically prepare for strength of opponent each week. Guys across the board that can create issues at Penn State. But have a plan for what they do well. This was no different. Understand they have a really good front. But they have good linebackers and secondary. Will have a plan and this game is about adjustments and making those necessary.
On prep lead-in
01/08/2025 08:40:03 AMFreeman: Both programs found out who they were playing at the same time. Mental prep has been the same. For Notre Dame, a normal Saturday to Saturday game week. Coaches were behind to start. But physically, guys were good. Will be ready to roll. But have to be ready to utulize every moment they have between now and the game. Didn’t have two extra days. Need to be ready to go tomorrow night.
On independence and consistency
01/08/2025 08:38:40 AMFreeman: Franklin has more experience in college football and being a head coach where you can formulate a strong opinion. For Notre Dame, whatever you tell them, they’ll make the most of it. Pride themselves on independence. If they can’t, they’ll make it work. Doesn’t have a ton of opinions on it. Not strongly opinionated. Notre Dame administration will make best decisions for them.
Franklin: Looks at CFP committee, and most things in life tries to see things from both perspectives. If he was in that room and being criticized about who makes playoff, four or now 12, and everyone has an opinion. How do you put those people in that room with a really important decision and they can’t compare apples to apples? That makes it difficult. Strength of schedule plays a factor. Notre Dame plays a great schedule every year. And gets impact of independence on their program. But for that committee, how do you make decisions when every conference and school is different? Makes it very difficult on them.
On Tyler Elsdon story and if there is room for that player
01/08/2025 08:35:34 AMSure hopes that doesn’t become the dinosaur. Worries about the 105 impacting that. Dom DeLuca was a walk-on, tore his ACL, earned scholarship as a captain, playing really well. Are there less of those stories now with the 105? They’re the stories that make college football so special. Really important to recruit your own state and footprint because there are kids who will come to Penn State because it’s special and the place they always wanted to go. Can recreate some of those circumstances. But cannot express the impact Elsdon has had on Penn State football and the locker room. He is beloved because he’s earned that respect and done it the right way.
On evolution of playoff allowing northern schools to compete than past two decades
01/08/2025 08:33:17 AMFranklin: Was a little apprehensive this year, for the first time had midyear guys come in early and it has been a real positive. Would be very comfortable doing it moving forward. At the end of the day, you look at college football and the history at places like Penn State and Notre Dame, tremendous history. There are some changes going on right now. What that is specific to, not sure. Not sure if there is enough data to make a strong statement on it. But there have been a ton of changes in college football over the last five years and programs that are embracing it, being creative and aggressive, and being bold, which is what Penn State is trying to do, then it is helping. And it’s showing up. Good for college football having more teams and part of the country represented. But it is a good story line for college football right now.
Running the football and stopping it
01/08/2025 08:30:26 AMFreeman: It’s really what they need to do well with this team. That’s been a big indicator of outcome of the game. Just from defensive coaching background, when you can’t stop an offense from running it, it can be demoralizing. Probably ranked higher in pass efficiency defense, but it’s so important to them to stop the run and when you get late in the season, it’s going to be important like turnover margin and those things. When you look at Penn State, if you don’t stop the run, you won’t have success.
Abdul Carter health
01/08/2025 08:28:46 AMAnticipate Abdul playing. He’s doing everything he possibly can to play. His approach has been awesome. He’s lived in the training room. But it will be a game time decision and we’ll see.
He’s put a ton of cryptic messages out on social media. Learns as much from those as he does the trainers. But hopeful he will play.
Challenge of having the longest season they’ve been part of and how to manage it
01/08/2025 08:27:08 AMFranklin: You’re going to have to be open minded, creative, flexible. Have tried to do that. The sports scientist everyone is using, they have Dr. Andrew Nelson, has done a phenomenal job. Does a really good job of tying it all together. The coaching. Trainers and doctors. Players. Making sure weight room complements the field. That’s been really valuable. Subtle changes you can make to practices or lifting to keep guys as fresh and healthy as possible. Another thing is how important depth and development in your program is. Gotta be willing to play guys. Have done that all the way back to Vandy. Some assistants are better at it than others. Some guys won’t rotate guys in. But also something they have to look at for what’s best for college football. What’s best in university setting. Not sure this is what it was designed to be. A lot of times when coaches talk like this, people roll their eyes, but when every decision they make is based on finances, not making great decision in best interest of student-athletes and football. Thinks it should be consistent across college football. Everyone should be in a conference. Everyone in a championship game or not. SEC voted against going to nine games and commissioner agreed and kept it eight. Big Ten went to nine games. Not a math major, but the numbers make things more challenging if you’re playing one more college game. Things need to be consistent. Look at the calendar. Just a ton of things that need to be discussed and looked at, and need to do it with people who don’t feel pressure from their university or conference. Nick Saban wasn’t happy about him promoting him as commissioner of college football. But having someone like that would be valuable for college football.
On having former HC as DC for both staffs
01/08/2025 08:21:47 AMFranklin: Just about having the most qualified people as you can have. Loves being head coach at Penn State, but there are times he would love to be back running an offense, and if you’re not careful in today’s college football, being a head coach can pull you further away from why you wanted to be a college coach in the first place. The more guys you can have on your staff with tremendous experience, the better. Sometimes going back to being an assistant after being a head coach, it makes you a better coordinator. Tom has been awesome. His humility and faith are impressive. He’s jumped right back into it and done a great job. Family and Tom enjoying it. Blessed to have him and the rest of the staff.
Freeman: Hired Al Golden for his great defensive mind, but two, at that point did not have a former head coach on the staff and felt it was important to have a guy with that experience where he had none. The growth they’ve had with their defense has been tremendous. He gets credit for that and players. Will ask him things and at some point you have to make a decision, but it’s good to have guys with experience in areas you don’t. Talked to them about dealing with a playoff. The mentality, how they practice, those things. Believes in that and gaining wisdom from people with experience. That was a huge part of hiring him.
Notre Dame not being in a conference
01/08/2025 08:18:06 AMFreeman: Looks at it as a positive. Can play coast to coast. New York, College Station, Los Angeles. View program as a global, national program. Not much different than Big Ten now with some west coast teams in it. But view independent as a positive thing. Know they can’t play in a championship game or have a first round bye, but continue to use not playing week 13 as a bye. In terms of finances and TV deals, people can go further. But that’s another positive that being independent provides them.
Jeremiyah Love injury status and Jadarian Price:
01/08/2025 08:16:10 AMMarcus Freeman: Jadarian earns the right and takes advantage of the opportunities. Jeremiyah has had a good week of practice. Have to be smart about how they use him. No one feels 100 percent right now at game 15 or 16. But J-Love will be good to go.
Freeman, same thing
01/08/2025 08:11:58 AMGrateful to have the opportunity and grateful when your name is the first. But don’t want to forget how you got to this point. Not just your team, but the people in the profession before you. But also, crediting Jack Swarbrick and Father John Jenkins. Wants to make sure he recognizes them for hiring a 35-year old who’d never been a head coach before. It takes a lot of people committing to something bigger than yourself to get a team that gets into a position to be here. If this creates an opportunity for other minority coaches, that’s great. Is all for that and grateful to be a part of that. But the attention on one person takes away the focus on what really gives your program a chance to get here, which is team and the ability to be part of something bigger than yourself.
Franklin on being prepared for this moment as a Black coach:
01/08/2025 08:09:26 AMRemembers being the OC at K-State and working for an African American coach, Ron Prince. Raheem Morris is godfather of Shola. Ricky Rahne was grad assistant. Scott Frost. And that year, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith in the Super Bowl. And there was a lot of talk about two African-American coaches in the Super Bowl being a big moment creating change and opportunities for guys who’d earned the right to sit in those types of rooms. If you look at that time, Tony Duny ended up becoming the coach who won the Super Bowl and there were six head coaches for 127 D1 schools. Now there are 16 coaches of color in these positions. Thinks it did have an impact. Hopes this game has an impact. Looking for guys to be able to get in front of search firms and ADs and take advantage of opportunities they’ve earned. Doesn’t take it lightly. But ultimately, it’s about Penn State and Notre Dame and representing “our conferences, excuse me, our conference.”
Marcus Freeman:
01/08/2025 08:05:47 AMGrateful to be part of this prestigious bowl. First opportunity to be part of this game. Appreciate the welcome to South Florida for the program and families. They know the work that goes into putting on this game. Looking forward to great opportunity tomorrow night against a great team. THis team is a good one and one they have to continue to prepare for. Will continue that prep the next 24 hours. Will do that while being grateful for the opportunity ahead.
James Franklin opening statement:
01/08/2025 08:04:25 AMHonored and blessed to be here to represent Penn State and the Big Ten. Honored to compete against Marcus and his Notre Dame team. Have a ton of respect for him and his career. Friends and coaches in common. Just excited to be here. It’s been a crazy college football season not only for Penn State, but across the board. Couldn’t be more excited to be here and playing in the Orange Bowl. Great history between Penn State and Notre Dame.
Talk about it with our premium members in the Lions Den, here!
