Live updates: James Franklin weekly press conference

Penn State head coach James Franklin is back at the Beaver Stadium media room podium. Two days after his Nittany Lions topped Rutgers, 27-6, the weekly press conference will be his final of the 2023 season.

Follow along for updates from the session.

James Franklin weekly press conference updates

(Updates will appear in reverse chronological order. Page does not automatically refresh.)

Press conference has ended love 12:48 p.m.

Questions in the room

On Manny Diaz and coordinator hires:

Every offseason, that’s a challenge when you have good and talented people. Have to do everything they can to retain him, him to feel good and appreciated. That’s with the entire staff.

What can Penn State do to make sure guys don’t leave for lateral moves? That’s the main focus. Have to make sure assistants don’t leave to be assistants, coordinators to be coordinators. If guys have a clear promotion, want that for them. Want for Manny and his family to want to be here until he has a really good coaching job that allows him to flourish. 

Brent handled it as well as any. Turned down a bunch of jobs and waited for the right one. The longer you do this, the more you recognize it. 

For him, Pat, Vinnie, will do everything they can to make sure guys aren’t leaving for lateral moves. That’s the focus. The other opportunities, that’s in their best interest if it’s the right job. And it’s a compliment to what they’re doing here.

Clarifying if Yurcich decision had been made before the game:

Everyone knows him well enough to know that’s not the case. Every recruit he’s ever met with, talks about committing to Penn State and to James Franklin. Because the nature of college football, doesn’t want a coaching change, and now all of a sudden, you’re unsure. Covers that with every single recruit. But also can see based on the timing of how things played out, for a young kid, connecting the dots in the wrong way. But media talking to the young kid can figure it out.

Would never do that. That doesn’t make sense. But for a young kid, could see that and not connect the dogs that way because we’ve been around him long enough.

Confidence for Drew Saturday before he left the game:

Thinks he’s been confident each week. His numbers back that up. They’re really good. Have there been times where he hasn’t been in rhythm, yes. Missed some throws he’d like back? Yes. Times he wasn’t protected as well as should have, yes. Not enough separation for TE, WR or running back? Yes. 

But those conversations he’ll be having the rest of his career. But his confidence during the week in the plan, yes. Confidence on Saturday, yes. Exciting thing is there is a ton of room for improvement with him and Penn State.

Game plan smaller and tighter than it’d been: 

This is when he gets asked questions he doesn’t know if they’re meant to be, but if he answers it the way it’s asked, it can be divisive. Not saying it’s meant to be that way. Doesn’t want to do anything that comes off as disrespectful for anyone that has been here.

That’s always the challenge. How tight can you make the game plan to get players enough reps against all the looks they might get in the game, to play fast and assignment sound. But not too small that there isn’t enough in the plan to give defenses challenges and issues. That is always the challenge.

As a coordinator, coming from west coast system, the game plan was massive. Then you realize you want to give the guys just enough. So they got smaller and smaller every year. That’s where it’s an art, not science. How many plays in the game plan? What games were they best in? Then how many of those plays are new concepts? And what’s the sweet spot for that as well?

That might show up on third down or red zone. Trick play or a shot. So all of those things have to be factored in. That’s where the best ones are. They’re as tight as they can be with the game plan, but not so tight that it becomes easy for the defense. That’s constantly a challenge each week. 

Then how complex the defense you’re playing, the more whittled down the offense needs to be. If it’s a base defense, you can be more creative. That’s a constant battle and struggle.

On relationships, and that with Ty and Ja’Juan together:

Something they work hard at. It happens organically when you work together that much. Do a share thing with players and staff in front of the team sharing personal things about their backgrounds. But at the end of the day, two really good guys with really good families. Specifically for Ja’Juan and probably Ty a little as well. But the longer you’re in this profession, you realize what they have at Penn State is hard to find. A place you can legitimately offer a kid a great education, play big time football at the highest level, in a community that makes sense to raise and see your family, and work around good people in the office. An environment your wife and kids can come to the office every day. 

They’re old enough and experienced enough to appreciate that. All those things and that perspective is valuable and with those two guys, they’re experienced enough to recognize it. They’ve also developed deep and significant relationships with their rooms. That’s why they’re recruited so well at their positions and have great depth. Other people recognize the type of men they are.

Questions over zoom

What he’s most thankful for with Penn State football and being the coach:

The people. Loves the players he’s been able to get to know and their families on a significant level over the last 10 years. Probably have become more aware of that, because of Vanderbilt. Amazing how many of those players from Vanderbilt have stayed in touch, come here to visit, he connects with out of town. Those relationships are real, significant relationships. Players coming back to games here or on the road. The relationships with the players, the ups and downs, twists and turns of what healthy relationships go through, with the staff, all the people working in Lasch, all the different roles. 

Thinks about the people on campus he’s developed relationships with. Neeli Bendapudi, Michael Wade Smith, Pat Kraft, Vinnie, Matt Schuyler, Sandy, Eric Barron. 

Was against the QB club when he first got here. Looks forward to it now. You don’t want to go to the press conference and answer questions, or QB club and answer questions, but the people. Steve Jones and Jack Ham. Just the people. Kris and Greg. That’s really what it is. It’s about relationships and people. You’ve got your family, and then your extended family. That’s what he’s most thankful is all of the wonderful, different people he’s gotten to know.

That’s what’s so great about college football. Locker room is full of people from totally different backgrounds. World can learn a lot from a college football locker room. You have people that could not be any more different from the way they’re raised, educational experience, ethnic backgrounds, religious diversity. It is as good as it gets, and a lot of people can learn a lot by being part of a college football locker room and sports in general. That’s where they are so valuable to the educational process.

Deservedly questioned at times. But when professors come as guest coach program, they leave thinking this is truly a complement to what they learn in the classroom. Very proud of that. That’s what he’s most thankful for.

Beau Pribula, not throwing much, more pass attempts this year:

A couple of it is situational. Have had passes in for him every week. But get into a situation where the majority of his reps have come in four minute football and you’re trying to run the football as much as you can.

Went up to him on Saturday, despite there being a lot of time left in the game, still wanted to milk the clock. In a good position with the game, want to put a really good drive together, eat the clock. Said something to Beau about it and Beau said, yeah, I’m used to this. Been doing it all year long.

So part of it is where you’re at in the game.

But as you can imagine, has been more in his package than what we’ve seen.

Assessing how Ty and Ja’Juan called the game, and before/after Drew left:

It’s all of it. Was very pleased with how they operated from the Lasch Building, in the office, how they game planned, how scripts were done the night before, how the cards were done for the scout team and go over them in detail. The collaboration, the environment created that everybody spoke up and had opinions, that was really good.

Ja’Juan and Ty were really good complementary pieces of each other. When they got up in front of the team, did a really good job explaining how they’d play offense this week and how that would put team in the best position to be successful. On game day, did a really good job throughout the game of making Rutgers defend the whole field, put people in conflict, and when had success with plays, went back to them and forced defense to adjust. When you have a good play, want to run it again before they get back to the sideline to let coaches make adjustements.

The one backed up situation where they didn’t take time off the clock, didn’t get a first down, and put D in bad position, that is the one thing he would be critical of. Need to at least eat some time off the clock. Was really good and thinks they will build on it this week.

Both Ja’Juan and Ty are loyal and appreciative to Penn State. To the players. And to the staff. And they’ve created an environment that was really good last week and will refine the process even more this week. Again, third down and explosive plays, met both of those in the same week. Can’t remember a week with only one missed assignment. Game plan smaller and tighter than it’d been all year, but enough to create challenges to a really good Rutgers defense.

Nick Singleton handling this season:

Understands the question, but what he would say is, there is a lot more to playing well than just the runs and just the stats. When you grade Nick’s tape this year compared to last, he will grade out just as well, if not better, as a well rounded football player. If you look at him blocking for Kaytron on the touchdown the other day, he took his guy five yards into the end zone. That is a distinct improvement on last year. His ability to catch the ball, run routes, and be a legitimate factor in the passing game, dramatically improved.

If you just take the stats, gets it, but when you study the game and really study the tape, he’s improved as a football player. Down the road, when these things are evaluated by people that evaluate players nationally, this year is setting him up for a ton of success in his future, not only at Penn State but afterward. 

There are also players that may have three or four exciting, explosive runs, but then they’re not doing the other things and fans say he had an unbelievable game, but he really didn’t.

When you’re studying the tape, and all of it, having a better year.

Consistency of defense through the season:

Have been fortunate to play good defense at Penn State for a while. Does believe Manny Diaz has done a phenomenal job of taking what they’ve done over 10 years and taking it to another level. Have discussed a slightly different style. This style, you can be more suffocating. Have talked about that in the past. Not a lot of gimme, free yards on the field from press coverage they play. 

He’s done a great job teaching the standard. Teaching players how to view the game on that side of the ball. Teaching football in general. 

Have a message in the team meeting room, then loves the coordinators reinforcing that message and how it connects to offensive football, defensive football, and then go to the position rooms and they do the same things. Manny has done a really good job of that. Teaching defense, setting standard of how they go about practice. Has really taken the defense to a different level from a consistency standpoint and style they’re playing overall. 

Manny would want to credit the defensive staff as well. Poindexter, Smith, Deion Barnes. And really the analysts as well. Manny trusted and didn’t want to make changes on the defensive staff, wanted to hire a DC and keep staff in tact. Brought Coach Lister with him and those two guys have done a great job melting in with the existing staff. 

Manny has done a phenomenal job, it’s been earned and appreciated across the board.

Wide receivers, last few weeks, have been less involved production and targeted:

No. 1 – that was something they talked about this morning, needing and wanting to get those guys more target. Whether it’s shots, lengthy discussions, or targets, and a lot of times will check out of the play not getting looks they anticipated. But want to get those guys more involved.

No. 2 – tight ends are good and need to be involved and getting them more targets as well. 

So, combination of getting them more targets and touches. But also more 12 personnel and that in the passing game.

Learning anything about Drew Allar since Saturday, plan if he can’t go: 

Expect Drew to go. Just like they planned on last week, thinks both of those guys will have roles. Thinks Beau will be ready to go. He didn’t flinch, staff didn’t flinch, players didn’t flinch. Went in and made plays they expected him to make. 

Too early to say, haven’t practiced since the game. But all indications are back to normal.

Opening statement

Won all of the key stat battles against Rutgers. Offense met their explosive play battle and third down battle. Only had one missed assignment during the game. Ty, Ja’Juan and players did a good job.

Beau Pribula one of the players of the game.

Positives: Played complementary football. Emphasized critical stats. Were successful in those stats. Specialists playing at a really high level. Punter 52 yard average, Felkins 2/2, and two touchbacks. Tyler Duzansky doing his job.

Michigan State: Ton of respect for Barnett as a man and a coach. Well thought of within the conference. Has been there for a while. Michigan State guy. Spread team, west coast based. Runs around zone schemes. Have been pretty impressed with Malik Carr, TE. Really has the ability to make plays in the passing game. Is a challenge there. RB Nate Carter. WR Foster. All jump out on tape.

D: Scotty Hazelton. Fourth year at MSU. Nice job. Four down front. Impressed by Cal Halliday, MLB. Productive. Nickel Spencer. Safety Mangan. 

No changes to discuss on depth chart. Redshirts or those types of things.