Live updates: James Franklin Maryland postgame press conference

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Penn State head coach James Franklin is meeting with the media on Saturday evening from Maryland Stadium. Winners of a 51-15 decision over the Terrapins, the Nittany Lions improved to 8-1 on the season.

What were Franklin’s impressions from the performance? How did the Nittany Lions’ passing game get unlocked? And, is Penn State ready to look ahead to next weekend’s big matchup with Michigan?

Franklin will tackle those questions and more, and Blue White Illustrated is on hand to bring you his answers.

James Franklin postgame press conference updates

(Page does not refresh automatically. Answers and questions are paraphrased. They will appear in reverse chronological order.)

Press conference has ended at 7:40 p.m.

Questions in the room

On Abdul Carter:

Came out of nowhere last year and became buzz of the season on defense. For him to play well within constraints of defense allows them to be really successful. When Kobe and Curt do it. Dom DeLuca is the man. What about Rojas? Cool seeing those guys come in and make plays. When that unit is playing well, difficult to deal with, especially with depth on the DL.

On Drew’s improvement:

Just comes back to Cover 0. There is no safety. If there’s two, you can’t put any air under it. One, a little bit. With none, you can put a ton of air under it. It’s truly one on one. DBs can act as confident as they want, but when you have to cover 53 1/3, that makes a difference.

On defensive line:

Depth is huge. Best depth since they’ve been here. Not having Amin or Chop for two weeks has been big. Hopefully having both those guys back, and now you have Lyons, which is really big.

On playing game on Penn State’s terms:

Gets that everyone is focused on Penn State, but you look at scoreboards and people battle every week. It’s a long season. You have to find a way to get wins. Got one last week, got better this week. Have won a decent amount. Not as much as everyone wants. But have taken winning for granted. You win and come into press conference and it doesn’t feel like that sometimes. Can control Lasch Building and wants people feeling good after wins because they are hard to get. There are examples every week of people not winning the way they’re supposed to or winning at all.

Chop Robinson: 

Traveled him from a rehab standpoint. There are things you have to do to work back from certain injuries that you have to be able to do. Getting him out there moving without contact is part of protocol to come back. In old days, might be hiding who is healthy and not. Have to turn that information in now.

Not having one of most explosive players on defense and still being able to play that way. Wanted to be able to play well for Chop.

Dante Cephas:

It’s a win win for everyone. Want it for him. Want it for team. When one guy concerns people, defenses can make it challenge. But with multiple receivers and tight ends making plays, it’s a real positive. Big confidence booster hopefully for him and Penn State.

Opening statement

Opening statement:

Had a great crowd. That was significant.

Offensively, stayed on schedule. First and second down efficiency. Manageable situations on third down. Drew comfortable with progressions. Grinded out the run game. They played a ton of Cover 0. Overloaded protections. Had a lot of guys involved, which was good.

Defensively, except for penalties, were able to keep them way off schedule. They had a hard time running the ball for most of the game. Their run game is their screen game, but it wasn’t effective. A ton of completions, but not a whole lot of yards after the catch. And turnovers have been huge. Proud of fundamental football, most important stats are turnovers and explosives, and have done a really good job with turnovers.

Kick return was huge. That’s an explosive. And field goals. Felkins has been comfortable. 

Good win, won and got better, and looking forward to leaving here, getting on bus, and going home.