Live updates: James Franklin weekly press conference

Penn State head coach James Franklin is meeting with the media on Monday afternoon from Beaver Stadium as his Nittany Lions prepare to travel to take on Southern Cal this weekend in Los Angeles.

Follow our live updates from his press conference, here:

Live updates: Penn State head coach James Franklin weekly press conference

(Press conference begins at noon. Paraphrased topics and responses will appear in reverse chronological order. Press conference has ended at 12:42 p.m.)

Questions in the room

After 5-0 starts last three years, 13-11 after: It’s continuing to do the things they have to each week as the season gets more difficult. Play in one of the best conferences in college football, which is going to create challenges. Have three teams ranked in the top four. You embrace playing in one of best conferences in college football and the challenges that come with it. Need to make sure they’re doing it for the long haul and as schedule goes on and opponents get more challenging and bumps and bruises affect depth, have to find solutions to give you the best chance to be successful.

The new Big Ten: Even when he watches other teams, doesn’t watch them like a fan. It’s too much of what they do and their lives to just watch it like a fan. Sending clips to Jevin all night long. Tailgated for the first time in his life for the Luke Combs concert. Ate hot dogs. That was cool. But hasn’t done a whole lot of that. For him, in his mind, doesn’t look at it as a fan. It’s the next team on the schedule they need to find a way to beat. It doesn’t matter if it’s a conference game or nonconference game. For them and what they’re trying to do, they’re all significant. The reality is, for where they’re trying to go, each week is the Super Bowl and try to approach it that way and respect. Try to be as informed and aware as they can of the environment, locker room, stadium, so they can replicate those things during the week so when they get there, guys aren’t surprised. Show guys pictures of the locker room, sideline, to get guys as prepped as possible. Those are the things when they go and scout hotels, that’s what they’re doing with travel people.

Penn State starting out 5-0, lessons: For him, talking about it after wins, enjoying it for a couple of hours. Being able to recognize these things and the hard work that goes into it and not taking it for granted. When you can say you’re the only team in the country to start four straight years at 5-0, that’s impactful. Consistency is something everyone is working for and is hard to do. This week a good example of that. When you can also say it’s the first time in Penn State history, that’s also something to be proud of. Everyone has done that. It’s an opportunity after the game to recognize those things and they’re special and don’t take it forgranted because a ton of programs would like to say the same thing. But all that matters end of day is handling your business this week going 1-0 because if they don’t, that stat won’t mean anything. Time and a place to recognizing the work that went into going 1-0 that week. Recognizing a guy like Liam having first career 100 yard game, Tyler Warren breaking record at TE position, Barker making those field goals, which were awesome, you want to recognize it before moving on to the next task and objective.

There should be confidence that comes from those things that you can take into the next week. But a ton of things going into the next game to correct. Wants to do that after the game because the next day, spend that time making corrections.

Zakee Wheatley against run and pursuit: Playing really well. Flashing and playing fast and physical last week. Talk about team defense, and sometimes you get a sack for a certain reason. Same as pass defense. Corner setting edge and DE pursuing and LB pursuing allows safety to play fast and confident running an alley to where the ball will hit and not making an open field tackle. Zakee continues to play faster, more aggressive, more confident. And the other 10 guys in deffense doing their jobs allows individuals to shine. Zakee a good example of that.

Penn State getting bigger up front defensively: Have made progress there. Specifically DTs. Helps having unusual guys in DDS and Amin. Bigger there. Wasn’t necessarily the plan, but those are their body types. More strategic about that at DT. Zane is a guy that athletic and movement, was going to factor in. Undersized in high school but ready to play as a freshman, which impacted size of depth at DT. But now across the board have good size. Look at Beamon, had struggled with weight for a while and he was 297 last week. OL are trying to get movement to the second level, but when you’re not able to get movement on those guys, doesn’t care what the system is, there are still times where the gap you’re trying to penetrate, they’re double teaming you, and you have to hold point. Five or 10 pounds makes a difference. Ioane being 350 pounds is unusual. But size is a weapon. Can’t not give credit to Pat and Vinny, and the chefs. Was one of only a few top programs to not have a football specific training table until this year, and it has been a huge win. It goes more than calories and pounds. Also about chemistry and morale on the team. No different than family in own homes. Value in that after practice everyone going in there, laughing, having a great meal. That’s something so exciting as an athletic department. This will be available to all teams next year. That will be a huge win for entire athletic department.

Ryan Barker: Loved his stats. Loved his film. Then met him and he’s a big, strong guy, which factored in. Had a frame that could put on size and strength to increase kicking power. Came to camp and kicked well. But still didn’t know what they were getting. Then last year he showed up and opened everyone’s eyes as a pleasant surprise, and competed for the job last year. Then again, with less experience, competed all spring and training camp again. Would say going into the spring or end of spring, was the leader. Then early in the summer, was the leader. Then Sander gradually overtook him. But came down to the wire. Has been really impressive since he stepped on campus. Impressed by how steady and level he is. A very mature way about him. Has been very impressed. Very consistent. OK, you have stats saying 91 percent of kicks. But thing with him is, almost like a machine. A large percentage are right down the middle. Not just that he makes them, but accuracy of kicks. How quickly can you flush it and bounce back? That’s important at every position. But magnified at kicker without many opportunities. But ability to flush last play, good or bad, is really important and from what he’s seen, has done a good job of that.

Time zone challenges for Penn State: There are two ways of looking at it. You have a bowl where you want to get there early to get adjusted to time, climate. And when you don’t, then you just don’t make an issue out of it. You stick to normal routine, play the game, and get out of there. Also a time of year where the weather is similar. Some of bowl trouble is the weather. Middle of winter here and playing in a climate that is very different. In-season, talking to NFL and college teams that have done it, you want to keep routine as consistent as possible. Have factors that have to be considered that are unique, though.

D’Anton Lynn: Doesn’t know him well, but guys from Pennsylvania and Penn State, he tracks. A guy that they have on their radar. Wants to know where all Penn State grads in NFL and college are coaching, and Pennsylvania people born and raised in this state. That’s an important piece to be aware of when putting a staff together.

Having home stand: Opening the season in West Virginia helps. That was a tough environment to open the season in. If you hadn’t had one of those games, would be more concerned. As a team, know their identity now. In a much different place now. Know who they are and USC is. Not guesstimating. Enough to come up with a real plan on O, D, and ST. But, going on the road in general, and this conference, is challenging. Going to pay them and the situation the respect it deserves and will prepare that way.

Linebackers: Considering all the moving parts at that position, has been pretty pleased with it overall. When you talk about DaKaari, he’s playing better and gaining more confidence than anyone anticipated, especially since he wasn’t a linebacker then. Elsdon and DeLuca have played a ton of football. And also, Lane coming on at safety allows them to get Jaylen Reed back playing the Lion position, which he started the season playing really well. Depth at safety impacts linebacker and vice versa.

Travel plans: Not only are they one of most northeast schools, but based on runway, weight, size, fuel, can’t get out of here unless they stop for fuel. With that, have to fly out of Harrisburg. That’s something to be discussed is increasing the size of the runway here and airport, for a lot of reasons – university, business, athletics now that they’ve decided to make this move as the Big Ten. That’s something they need to do for a lot of reasons. Now you’re talking about adding two hours on top of the 5 1/2 hour flight. That’s a big reason for leaving Thursday. Feel good about the plan. That’s something to address moving forward. Something that changes things for Penn State compared to a lot of other programs in the conference. Got the double whammy. It’s the distance *and* the airport.

Questions via zoom

Steps for Penn State to get off to better starts: They do script opening drives. Most people in the country do that. You don’t always stick to it. But making sure they get some early high percentage throws, get the ball to playmakers, being able to run and get ahead of the sticks. All are important and they spend a ton of time talking about it as a staff. That’s part of walk-throughs at hotel and during the week. Investing a ton of time in it and realize how important it is. Have done it some games on offense, some on defense, some on special teams. Would be beneficial to do all three phases, which they haven’t done yet this year.

Pass rush: Has been impressed. Have gotten used to DEs being disruptive. Can’t remember the last time they had someone as disruptive as Durant at DT. Now you have DE on either side that can be problematic. Pick your poison. You can’t double them all. And if you do, your RB or TE isn’t getting out. A lot of times when you keep guys in, people are going to add on, so that’s not always the solution. Thinks Zane changes things for Penn State and opponents. And the depth and size at DT has been helpful, not only for the unit and productivity, but to keep Zane fresh as well. Deion doing a really nice job, him and Torrence. That position has done a really nice job and Zane is becoming more of a leader on the team and the defense.

Injuries vs. other teams he’s coached: Has mentioned here that they’ve had more season ending injuries than in years past, and obviously that isn’t ideal, and makes development more important. A lot of those have been non contact. Running without a hit or rolled up on. Just happens. Spent some time looking at that as a staff to make sure they’re not missing anything. But yeah, you’d prefer to be as healthy as you can be. Wouldn’t say they’re that. Doesn’t talk about them on the front end, so hard to talk about them on the back end. Next man up, need to develop depth. Have to continue to do that at safety and other positions. Quinton getting in this past weekend. The challenge is how do you balance it? Easy to say play them, but doesn’t want to look back at the end of the year and have kids wish they would have redshirted. That’s what they’re trying to do.

Nick Singleton: Thought he would go out. Didn’t practice Tuesday or Wednesday. Was limited Thursday and Friday. Trainers take those guys and work them out on their own. And then Saturday, he wasn’t 100 percent, but thought he was going to go. He was very close to going last week. So without setbacks this week, would anticipate him going. And him practicing Tuesday and Wednesday, but will see how it plays out. Very confident, and Nick is as well talking to him Sunday, that he’ll be ready to go.

Physicality of the offensive line: Thinks they’re more physical as an offense right now. That starts up front, OL and TEs. If you look at Warren, blocking physical, Dinkins had some on Saturday. OL, Vega got everyone excited, not just the motion stuff. But you watch the guys on the sideline, there have been significant runs to the sideline that have gotten people to erupt. Same on the other sideline. More physical. Starts up front and more it has been in the past. Something they’ve worked to promote and guys are having fun with it and it’s growing. Building a reputation of being a physical team, which they take a lot of pride in.

Assessment of offense to this point: Not sure if they’ll ever be where they want on offense and defense. THere will always be areas they’re looking at, trying to get better, being critiqued. That’s always going to be the case. But thinks they’re doing a good job of getting the ball in playmakers hands. Specifically the proven commodities. Still think there are guys, specifically at WR, to get the ball in their hands to develop the offense. But thinks it’s been positive that there has been a game where Omari made big plays, Trey made big plays, and obviously Liam this past week, and Julian has flashed. That is helpful. Would like it to be a little more consistent. But it’s helpful that when you watch their tape, all those guys have made plays, and that’s concerning. Running backs and tight ends have been doing it for a while. Receivers, feel like they’re developing and having a nice year. That was a big question coming in. If someone said before the season where they’re at currently, people would overall be pleased, but not satisified. Need to develop it as the season goes on.