Live updates: James Franklin weekly press conference

Penn State head coach James Franklin is back at the Beaver Stadium podium ahead of his Nittany Lions homecoming clash with UMass.

Follow along with our live updates from Franklin here or in the Lions Den:

James Franklin press conference updates

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Press conference has ended at 1:14 p.m.

Questions in the room

On trust between Drew and receivers:

It’s a process. Have made progress this season. Back to health conversation, that’s been impacted there as much as anywhere. When you have two guys in WR, and trust and consistency there, and you lose one for a couple weeks, that magnifies that. Having Trey back and KLS on the field while others develop trust and confidence is big. Having Trey back helps KLS, Drew, Yurcich in calling the game. That will really help having those two guys on the field at the same time.

On balance:

In terms of being able to run or pass, have as good of balance as they’ve had or he’s been around. Are there some areas they’re still searching for? Yes. But their ability to run or pass the ball is problematic. Does believe that. You look at it in short yardage, it shows up. Can throw or run in short yardage. That makes you difficult to defend. People have to respect it in short yardage.

Ability to dictate the game with how they run against really good defenses, not get away from it, stick with it, has been really good. Ability to throw for high percentage and protect football has also been good.

Still room for growth with total package offensively. But to the point, the balance they can exhibit on first and second down, and even third down, makes you challenging to defend and it complements defensively, time of possession, them creating turnovers, offense controlling the ball and the clock, you’re left with very little opportunity on the other side, which is frustrating when you’re playing from behind.

Zuriah Fisher:

Big fan. Recruited him. Linebacker and tight end. Showed up here and thought he could grow into DE. Already had the size. Super long arms. Made that change with his blessing and support and started doing good things. Then had an injury, missed some time for it, and he keeps chipping away at it and getting better and better. Physically and mentally on the DL. Understanding the scheme. Another really good example for the locker room. Just getting 1 percent better and it might not jump out at you dramatically, but he continues to get better. Making plays for them. Has a bright future at Penn State and after that. What everyone is looking for at DE. Can be disruptive. Has size. Length. Athleticism. Has had a smile on his face since he got here. More adversity and personal setbacks than most, but continues to find ways to be successful. Will have a good year this year and springboard into future years.

On self scout of size on interior D-line:

Bigger across the board. Part of that is just the natural maturation process that happens. But also, have done a good job of emphasizing it and putting right weight on. Want lean and athletic, but more important, playing in a way that they’re so disruptive. More consistently gap sound. More disruptive consistently. Manny and Deion have been very pleased. Sit in there, watch the game on the ride home of the game, then at home, then in the morning with the defense, and guys are doing their jobs. 

Bigger on the DL has been helpful. It’s one of your tools. Strength, speed, intelligence, quickness, size. They’re all tools and you want as many on your belt as possible. But also playing bigger in terms of being disruptive, gap sound, and being consistent.

A lot of times, you didn’t make the play, but you created the play for someone else by doing your job. Created opportunity for a sack by doing your job. That’s one of the things that has been really cool is seeing guys embrace their roles and if they do their job, the plays will find them. That’s typically when problems happen when you feel like you have to make a play.

On Manny Diaz the person:

When you talk about intelligence, you’re talking about people that can take complex ideas and really be able to explain things in a way that whether it’s the players or whoever else, can receive that information so that it makes sense. Manny has done a really good job of that with the defense, and specifically with the players. Also helped that he took over a unit that had played good defense before. A lot of those things of how they were taught, Manny is bringing a slightly different perspective, and veterans in that room have appreciated looking at the game in a different lens. When you’re young, you think there is one way to do things to be successful. As you get older, you learn there is a lot of ways to do things and be successful.

When Brent Pry left, that was hard for a lot of guys on the team and specifically on defense. Then you go out and hire Manny and he comes in and right away can get in front of the room and talk about how we’re going to play defense and build on that foundation, he got bought in right away, and in some ways has taken it to another level. For veterans, it’s an a ha moment for them and appreciation.

Playing with a lot of confidence and that stems back to Manny and D staff. To corners and what they allow them to do. In some ways, thinks about turnover on the staff not just at coordinator positions from guys that were established guys around here. That’s why hiring and recruiting are two of the most important things you can do to build on foundation and those relationships.

And as a person, Manny and his wife, his sons, it’s been awesome. The thing that has surprised him the most is how quickly he’s been able to adjust here and hit the ground running. When you have an experience like he went through. Felt bad calling him the next day, but how quickly he and family transitioned here and not miss a beat, that’s been really impressive.

He’s just been one of the guys. That defensive staff has really good chemistry and players see and feel that as well.

On Hunter Nourzad: 

He’s done a really good job. Culturally, been a great fit for them. Really well respected in the locker room from players, from the staff. Him coming back this year was important for him and Penn State. That was a decision he needed to make and the right decision. That’s part of his responsibility as a coach, to make sure when a guy comes back, it’s good for all parties involved. His ability to play center and guard is extremely valuable. His approach, maturity. He’s getting an MBA from Penn State. When he’s not in class, he’s in weight room, stretching. Nutrition and hydration. One of those guys important as an example for the team. Have been fortunate that the guys they’ve pulled from Ivy League have been great fits academically. He’s been awesome. When you have a center that can be the quarterback of your offense, and a left tackle like Olu, that’s a pretty good recipe for success at those two positions to build rest around. That center piece is important and has done a really good job.

On priority of getting run game going earlier:

Want ability to do both in any game, any situation. That’s how they view balance and want to build on that. This game could look very different based on how they decide to defend them. That’s what they want to do to manage and win the game. Big pass plays are still coming. But want to do what they need to do to win the game and take what defense gives.

On health perspective and JB:

Nothing has changed with JB of how they normally discuss injuries. In terms of health, in a pretty good place. In terms of number of reps they’ve had in games, number of guys that have played. You always love to be totally healthy, and “we’re not that” but “I think we’re in a pretty good place.”

Staff did a good job managing bye week reps. That’s also what you’re trying to do in practice, of the guys that have earned that. The guys who played a ton of football at Penn State, in college football, this season. Those things factor in and you manage that as well. Nothing has changed from an injury stand point to address with us. But reality is need to be in a good place going into this game and coming out of it.

Questions on zoom

On Drew Allar protecting the football:

Doesn’t want to talk about it a whole lot. But he’s done a really good job from decision making perspective. From accuracy perspective. One thing most exciting last game is Mike’s ability to call shots downfield, and if coverage sinks, taking check downs. That’s extremely valuable for a play caller to have a QB that takes the check down. Biggest thing is his poise. A lot of times, turnovers go hand in hand with guys that are panicking in the pocket or decision making, force you into a bad decision.

Doing better job in games and practice of throwing the ball away. You have to do it in practice in addition to games. He’s also shown that when pressure comes, he knows where the outlets are. So as soon as he makes a sudden movement to avoid pressure, he’s trying to get it to the back. All things they take a lot of pride in, but also goes with OL and blind side, RB and protection, fundamentals of two hands on the ball in the pocket.

On scheduling philosophy for 12-team CFP:

There is a team in this conference buying out of signed game contracts to go in complete opposite direction. It’s magnified and that’s why people are changing their schedules. You look at who you have to play just in the conference, it will be more challenging than it’s ever been. The philosophy or model won’t change.

You have to do what you can to be 1) undefeated at the end of the season 2) expanded CFP creates some wiggle room 3) and on top of that, if you aren’t scheduling to be undefeated, it’s the least amount as possible to be in the playoffs.

Another team in this conference, with a ton of success past couple of years, following the same argument. From ADs and people he’s talked to, if anything, it magnifies it even more.

On Don Brown’s influence over younger James Franklin:

It’s funny because it’s both. For everyone, coaching or any other profession, you learn from a lot of good experiences you have and from things you would do differently. Don did a really good job of getting defense to understand and buy into his system and play extremely hard. What he learned on other end of the spectrum, as a head coach, is Don has always run an unorthodox system. As a HC, has a very structured way of installation and teaching, and a lot of that comes from Don. When you’re trying to install offense or defense, doesn’t allow offense so that Manny has to teach defense ahead of schedule. That is his base. He doesn’t have a traditional base. So how he does a marvelous job of getting guys to buy into his system, it’s phenomenal. But then also, in terms of how they structure practice and how they build, making sure offense and defense is doing it in a way that allows both sides to build a foundation and go from there. Have a ton of respect for him. Will have challenging looks this weekend.

On value of corners who you can trust and its snowball effect on the defense and what Manny can do:

If you look at college football and the NFL, it starts at corner and DL. Those positions are critical to how you play defense and what you’re able to do defensively. It’s predicated on those position. Having two corners who are unusual in how many boxes they check. Sometimes you have guys good in coverage who don’t want to tackle. Or they’re not great blitzers. These guys do a lot of things, and they’re big guys. Can mix it up in there. Kalen and how quickly he triggers on perimeter players.

Those guys have been a big part of defensive success. Combination of them covering to allow them to get home on sacks because QB has to hold ball by taking away first option, that helps defense. And vice versa. Starts with those two positions, but specifically the two corners mentioned.

On what he wanted to get accomplished over the bye week:

The bye week is self scout. Looking at yourself and what you do well. That was valuable. Then practice enough to stay sharp and get full speed good on goo, which are really valuable. But not too much to not have a chance to recover and get healthy for second half of the year. Were able to do that. Practiced Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then Thursday was a coordinator and GA practice, which was more of a jog through. 

A ton of recruiting. Started in Connecticut, North Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, Massachusetts. Got a ton of work done in recruiting. So that was valuable. So did the rest of the staff. Then back in for not a traditional Sunday practice because didn’t have previous film to review, so were able to get ahead. 

Then with staff changes over last couple of years, have personnel able to do other projects for them as well, which is also valuable. Strength in those numbers and guys with tremendous experience and resumes getting projects done.

Got a lot done. Difference from Vanderbilt to now is staff size. Have more staff, and the staff they have is more experienced across the board. Just have more guys with experience who can give good info and get work done on their own. Players got time off, home to see family, see high school games. Productive, but now time back to work.

Opening statement

Let’s have Beaver Stadium rocking again. If you’re not using your tickets, give them to someone who will.

Wants to give someone some love. Johnny Dixon. Started in training camp and has continued. Have two corners, specifically Johnny and Kalen, who are tough and physical. They do a really good job in a lot of different ways. Johnny a great blitzer and supports the run.