Live updates: James Franklin weekly press conference
Penn State head coach James Franklin is meting with reporters for his weekly press conference ahead of Saturday’s game with Washington.
Live updates: James Franklin weekly press conference
(Updates will appear in reverse chronological order. Press conference has ended at 12:46 p.m.)
Passing game impacted by run game being out of whack:
11/4/2024, 12:46:04 PMAgain, competition plays a factor in all of this. Can’t answer these questions and act like competition doesn’t factor. It does. What was different in that game, except for opening drive, weren’t able to stay on schedule. The more you can stay on schedule, the more shots you can take down the field. Did a good job in that game making sure talented DEs didn’t wreck the game like they have in the past. Did good job from game planning to make sure that certain players and positions didn’t impact game more than they needed to. Even not staying on schedule with too many third downs that make things difficult. Third down with running or high percentage passing, shots down the field, all those things. Run game is critical to that. Opponent plays a factor in it. But end of the day, have to do good job of putting players in best position to be successful to manufacture yards against those opponents. When you’re doing things to stop DEs, that creates more challenges inside. That’s where the chess game comes. Not only is it the competition in terms of personnel, it’s coordinators as well. Point is a fair one. The run game definitely impacts the passing game, specifically on third down and ability to take shots down the field. Go hand in hand. No different than on defense, sack production and three-and-outs go way up when they’re off schedule.
How coordinators handled the game:
11/4/2024, 12:42:18 PMFirst thing he’ll do to take the motion out of it is look at the stats. Where are they at statistically on defense? On offense? On special teams? One of the things that helps with is it takes emotion, bias, and who they’re following out of it. Because who you follow has an impact on the perception of the job you’re doing. That’s No. 1.
No. 2, that he made very clear starting with himself and entire staff on Sunday morning after all grading film and going through everything, talking about how positions played, recruiting, is making sure everyone in the room that the buck stops with him, that everyone is in that room to beat that opponent and opponents like that. The 7-0 leading up to that is awesome. Appreciate it. Don’t take it for granted. But they’ve done that. So reality is, everyone in that room is in that room based on these types of games and that’s why they’re there. Wants everyone to clearly understand that. He clearly understands that. Wants everyone in the room to understand that as well.
Have done some good things and a lot to be proud of, but these are the games they’ll be evaluated on. Won’t hide from that. But guys like Terry Smith, Andy Frank, Kevin Threlkel, Chuck Losey, recognizing what those guys have done for the program from the beginning and what they took over. Gotta balance the both. But got that message across very clearly to them the same way it was made to him.
Interception from Drew late first half:
11/4/2024, 12:38:50 PMFrom what he’s seen from Drew at Penn State and last 12 months, that won’t affect his confidence. When you do what he did at USC, that doesn’t impact him. Want receivers coach, receiver, Drew, Danny, Andy, and James to take responsibility for that.
Wants Drew to say to himself, all red zone throws thrown in way that no one but receiver could catch it. High where receiver catches it or it’s out back of end zone. Also want receiver and WR coach to take total responsibility for it. If everyone does that, that’s healthy. For coach, was player in that position enough times in practice that they have the fundamentals, technique, confidence to make that play in that moment. That’s what they should all be doing. If they haven’t, that’s where introspection, adjustments happen to make sure those things do happen on a regular basis.
But to him, that’s healthy way, for Drew, coaches, receiver to take responsibility for it. Problematic for QB to say that wasn’t me, that’s the other guy’s fault. Is very proud of how that was handled. It’s very telling. From the things being said about how guys handled it, is proud of them and how they’ve handled it because everyone taking ownership and everyone wants the next opportunity, which comes against Washington. Still have a chance to do the things they talked about before the season, what fans want, what lettermen, what alumni want, and what the fan yelling at him walking off the field want so badly. Totally gets it. You don’t fill up 110,000 seat stadium without passion and commitment. Does it go too far some times? Yes. Does it need to be addressed? Yes.
Wanted Jason Kelce to have a good time here. Loves in 2024 that there was a consequence to the person’s action. Passion great, yes. But that doesn’t excuse bad behavior at times. It comes with the territory, but that doesn’t make it right.
Vets saying they want rematch with Ohio State:
11/4/2024, 12:33:53 PMTotally fine with that. Having confidence and grit and determination and anger at the moment that they want a second shot. In today’s college football, that’s a reality in ways it hasn’t been in the past. That wasn’t his message in locker room. But there were people talking about it and he’s totally fine with it. Wants to play well enough to continue playing as a team and family as long as they possibly can. In today’s college football, those things are possible. They’re realistic. Which is cool about college football now, where that wasn’t the case in the past. You used to have to wait a full calendar year, depending on the schedule.
Interaction with fan:
11/4/2024, 12:32:07 PMSomeone screaming at him and daughter, within a few feet walking off the field. He’s good with that. Asked man what his name was. It’s like posting something. Post it with picture and name and own it. Asked him what his name was. He started stuttering and backed up and didn’t say name. Critiques and opinions come. Asked young man what his name was.
Goal line sequence:
11/4/2024, 12:30:32 PMThere is no discussion during a playcall. Those things lead to confusion, delay of game, where you don’t want to go. What will happen is, after play call, say you may want to think about this. Pushing ball down the field. Those types of things. From a sequencing standpoint, have four downs. Calling third down understanding you have two downs. But not discussions about a call when the call is made. Last thing you want to do is the person calling game, that head coach or someone else is interjecting in those critical moments and making that coordinator hesitate. Those discussions are happening all week long with prep and planning about what’s best in those moments, and then as game is going on, pass/run game going well, that’s the emphasis. After you run the ball from third and goal and you get stuffed, everyone telling you to be creative. If creative doesn’t work, then everyone saying you got too cute and should have run it. End of the day, 20/20 hindsight. Could they have done all those things. Reality is, back to when they won B1G championship on fourth-and-1, made stop to win, team they played didn’t pick it up, that was difference in the game. YOu gotta be able to get a yard when you want one. Play calls matter and count, but end of day, you gotta be able to get a yard from a mentality, fundamental, schematic standpoint. But have also been a part where you’re creative on first/second down, throw on third down, then everyone says you got too cute. When you don’t get ball in end zone, you will be second guessed.
Addressing team mindset:
11/4/2024, 12:26:39 PMFirst thing is, have read and seen other programs that felt like they were loose, they were not dotting the Is, crossing Ts, getting away with things from talent standpoint and then after a loss, not being late to meetings, no more doing stuff. That’s not Penn State’s issue. Guys understand expectations and standards. Not about having a setback and doing things differently. If the process is the right process, shouldn’t change a lot from week to week, and that’s a big reason they’ve been so consistent.
But, it does cause everyone to be introspective. After game, first thing everyone should do is look at themselves. Coaches, players, offense, defense, special teams. That if the culture is not right, they’re pointing finger in other direction. Have been around coaches blaming players for things not going right. Players blaming coaches. Offense blaming defense. Defense blaming offense. Penn State doesn’t have that.
Dvon has done a really good job with messaging to whole team. Seniors addressing team after each game. For them, more than anything, it’s about being introspective. For him as head coach, not just the things this week. It’s all the things that go into being a championship program. The things he can control, he controls. And then things outside of his control, that he has support to get those done too.
Introspection:
11/4/2024, 12:23:21 PMHandled this week with staff very different than they had in the past. A ton of time spent on that in the offseason and during the week of being intentional about how they approached this game. Talked to players, coaches, other coaches about that. So very introspective. But end of the day, didn’t play well enough against a very good opponent to get the W. Obviously needs more time and discussion spent on things to do outside of what they did that game week. Had already planned out what he was going to talk about and say. There are a lot of things that go into it. Nothing more he wanted to do than come into postgame press conference to talk about why that game was different and where they’re headed as a program. But couldn’t. Will save that for a later time.
Last defensive drive:
11/4/2024, 12:21:27 PMStarting with 4-yard QB sneak. Obviously want to score on goal line, but situation to get safety gives you unbelievable opportunity to win the game. As an optimist, an opportunity to do something really special. Whether those are championship drives from offense, or defensive gut checks, have to be able to stop run when everyone knows they’re doing that, just like on offense being able to do it when you have to.
Overall, how they played against them, played well. But there are three drives in that game where they didn’t play up to the standard of how they played this year.
Discipline and coaching it:
11/4/2024, 12:19:32 PMFirst thing is, point is a good one. Did not turn that in to the Big Ten officials this week because he knows what the response would be. Technically, by the rules, there is justification for making that call. Also knows he watches hours of college football and that call could be made five or six times a game in every game in college football. So didn’t turn it in. The way you address it is, in team setting, make an example for the player but whole team, on both sides of the ball. It needs to be addressed with the individual, which it has, and the group, which it has.
Face it head on, have the conversation. What is concerning is if it happens in back to back weeks. Where you feel like you’ve addressed something and it happens again.
Receivers playing at level to make goals possible:
11/4/2024, 12:17:07 PMHave improved from last year. Didn’t have guys step up in critical moments or multiple guys go over 100 yards. So significant strides made there. But still more work to do. Last game an example of that. Have to be able to threaten and stretch people. Make plays and create separation. Make tough catches. That needs to be an emphasis for the rest of the season. That question and being able to run the ball in traditional running sets with traditional backs and being able to make more plays in the passing game at receiver position is really important for this game and the season.
Playing best football in biggest games:
11/4/2024, 12:17:25 PMObviously didn’t do that. Competition factors into that. At end of the day, lost to a top five team and one of the top programs in the country and had opportunities to win the game, and had those opportunities to win those games in the past. Gotta find a way to get it done, and that starts with him. But also very proud of where the team has been consistently. Most teams in the country would be envious of consistency of the program over past 10 years.
Running game:
11/4/2024, 12:13:51 PMTraditional running game with two backs, have to get going. Competition plays a part in difference from beginning of the year to now. But things they need to do in terms of scheme to make them defend the field and spread the box as much as possible. Whether that is outside zone, gap schemes, inside zone, personnel. Some of the heavy stuff has been really good. But it’s age-old argument of run/pass game, if you go heavy, they have chance to go heavy as well. You bring in another lineman, they do too. You take lineman out and people wonder, but you put more WRs in and spread field, that’s one less block you have to make in pass protection. People think throwing it down field you need to keep guys in, but that invites them to bring more guys.
Can expand on some spread stuff to get some guys out of box to create more space and from scheme standpoint making sure they’re making them defend the field as much as possible. Outside runs, outside zones, which also has impact on inside zone and gap schemes as well.
Film review, goal line stand:
11/4/2024, 12:11:18 PMObviously, didn’t get movement. Didn’t get movement up front. Have two of the better running backs in the country. Want to feed those guys and allow them to get downhill. They’ve done a good job of that this year and through careers. But also in critical moments, gotta think players not plays. In one of those three downs, at least, gotta make sure Tyler Warren touches the ball, however that is – wildcat, passing game, as a ballcarrier. But again, have two really good RBs they feel really good about and have to touch ball as well.
Hindsight is 20/20, but end of the day, have to be able to create movement and pick up one yard. Gotta do some things better scheme wise and better job of fundamental and technique to get movement they need.
Opening statement
11/4/2024, 12:06:55 PMNo one more disappointed than guys in locker room and staff. Embrace the standard and expectations.
Opportunities for growth: Need more discipline. Giving away too many yards, extending drives, margin of error is too small with teams like that. Concerning when it happens back to back weeks. Need to get that addressed as soon as possible.
Third down was a key stat in the game. Defensively, had three drives that you’d like to be different. Have to give them credit. The two scoring drives and drive at the end of the game. Then offensively, the interception in the end zone and goal line stand were difference makers in the game.
Zion Tracy is really coming on as D and ST player. Looked a lot more confident catching and returning punts. Zakee trending positively.
Barker is 2 for 2 and 8 for 8. Gabe deep kick after the penalty to stop them at 26 yard line.
Overall, have things to work on. Most importantly, on to Washington. Have to find a way to get a win this week. Staff and players did a good job yesterday making corrections and moving on to Washington. Can’t let one loss turn into two by controlling things in building and flushing it. But social media, campus and community makes it tougher to do that. But have to move on and get a win against really good Washington team.
