Live updates: James Franklin weekly press conference
Penn State head coach James Franklin is meeting with reporters at Beaver Stadium for the first of his weekly in-season press conferences. The Nittany Lions are set to kick off their 2024 campaign at West Virginia on Saturday afternoon.
Are they ready?
Blue White Illustrated will provide live updates from Franklin on Monday afternoon here and in the Lions Den message board. Responses will be presented in reverse chronological order. The page will not update automatically.
James Franklin live press conference updates
(Press conference will begin at noon. Press conference has ended at 12:41 p.m.)
Questions in the room
Logistical challenges of playing at West Virginia:
Everybody knows, it’s pretty much proven, that a home field advantage is a real thing. It factors into a lot of things. That’s number one. Number two is when you talk about specifics of home field advantage, it’s the noise in the stadium. You can replictae that a little. Players at Penn State playing for the first time, how do they handle that on the road in front of people that hate you? It’s traveling for the first time. The hotel. The bus. The meals. The sleep. All of those things factor in. So just making sure you’re doing everything you can. Some you can prepare them for, others you can’t.
Making sure the freshman doesn’t leave a test or tip sheet on the floor of the hotel because everyone in that hotel knows someone who knows someone who can get it to West Virginia football. It’s magnified in a place that doesn’t have an NFL team. Everything in that state revolves around Mountaineer football. Seventh winningest program in college football depending on metric you look at. They’re a prideful place.
There are a ton of cool things about West Virginia, this game, and the history behind it. Also look at when was the last time West Virginia won. When Penn State won. Tap into that experience and how it happened. Just some moving parts you can replicate and others you can’t.
West Virginia returning starters you know vs. transfer portal/young guys priority:
Hard question but you can make arguments both ways. A team returning a ton of starters and ones that had success, that creates challenges. If you look at people that rank teams, that’s a big factor is how many returning players you have. Then the unknown of transfer portal, especially coming from smaller schools and having less information on them. Both are challenging.
West Virginia has done both. Opening with this type of game, it’s really good because it motivates and prepares everyone, but you better have your Is dotted and Ts crossed to be prepared for that environment. You can’t get a ticket to this game. Similar to conversations of fans about why playing West Virginia and Pitt makes sense for a lot of reasons. But also understands why to schedule out of schedule lower level games to open because things will show up in this that won’t in game two or three.
Losing hair and sleep doing everything they can to eliminate what typically shows up in week one and deter them from happening.
Personal preparation for the season:
Is a curious person by nature. An important quality for a leader. Leads to being a life long learner. Constantly trying to get better. Reading leadership books. Going to leadership – goes with Pat, some others to a summit. With the special forces leadership from all over the world. That has been profound.
Going and visiting different coaching staffs. Having conversations with people from a competitive standpoint that you can talk to. Gerad Parker is someone he knows very well and can talk to. Visited this summer and this past week. Used to be Brent Pry but there is less of that right now because they’re kind of competing. Manny Diaz, but competing, so less of that.
And then coaches on the staff that have left. Ken Wisenhunt. Gratitude is an important quality, so try to reach out to Deb Yow, Ralph Friedgen. Have not done it yet this year but will. And have brought phenomenal speakers into the building. Athletic department had a phenomenal speaker this morning.
Asking questions. Learning from Tom Allen, Andy Kotelnicki, Justin Lustig, Pat, Neeli, Matt Schuyler. Try to be a sponge as much as he can specific to football but also leadership. Just being curious and wanting to grow nad get better and having people you can talk to inside and out of the program is valuable.
Green lights/yellow/red:
It’s a moving target. There will be guys after game one that will become green lights based on how they play or bumps and bruises. Will try to manage it to have flexibility as long as they can. This will change.
The two decided greens are Cooper Cousins and Dejuan Lane. Some of that is how they’ve conducted themselves, that they’re ready, and some of it is the position. There are other guys that if they needed, they could greenlight and go, but maybe there is more depth there at their position.
Could be more.
Julian Fleming:
He’s done really well. As much as anything, back to the veteran presence, he has brought that to the team. Another veteran guy that knows college football, knows the conference, and knows Penn State well and Penn State knows him.
It’s really cool for him to be back home and playing for Penn State. Positive for a lot of reasons. But you see the same thing in his play. He understands football. Has tremendous IQ. Big, strong, physical. Will make the tough catches. Has been a physical blocker throughout his career. Good special teams player. But as a veteran, older player, intentional about what he has to do to be successful and approach to the offseason.
Good for the receivers room and team and happy he’s here.
Placekicker:
Have a good idea. Think they have three guys they can win with, but haven’t made any announcements and this week will factor into that. Don’t want to say something they haven’t announced to the team. All three of them come within two percentage points. Like 85, 84, 83 percent on kicks in practice. So not a slam dunk answer. Will still evaluate that this week and make some decisions.
Dealing with outside noise/Pat McAfee:
Love his energy and enthusiasm for sports and college football. Good for college athletics in general. He’s fun. His ability to speak freely is unique and fun in a lot of ways. It’s a fine line. The old billboard material. Don’t want to create it for others. Also strongly recommends players getting off social media in season. Amazing how many say they are good with it and then they take the advice the next year. Kind of like him handing the phone to Destiny and let her manage things is the healthy way to go.
Wants to make sure what they’re saying is consistent. But looks at it as bulletin board material. Cut out things in the newspaper while some teams create things that never existed to motivate their team. Won’t do that.
Receivers ready to play:
You want 2.5 deep at every position. In 11 personnel set, you’re talking about two deep at two positions and a swing guy. Close to that. If you look across the board, a guy like Mehki Flowers has stepped up. Tyler Johnson. Anthony Ivey. That’s a critical group for them. Would like it to be for game one, but reality is even if for some of them it’s game three, four, five – have to identify them that might not be ready today but they’re needed to be ready by game five of the season. Obvious to pinpoint the guys ready right now. Who are the guys that you need to pour into them and develop them for game five of the season? Those need to step up but have shown enough that you’re excited about what they can do. Tyseer Denmark is in that conversation as well.
Liam Clifford:
More confident, comfortable, consistent. Look at college career like high school career. Got better every year and had dominant senior year and really good junior year. College going about the same way. Faster than people give him credit for. A big catch radius. A chance to be a playmaker this year. Has flashed that in the past. Comes from a football family. Parents were at parent meeting the other day. The Cliffords have been to eight straight parent meetings. Almost had them run the meeting (kidding).
Has really matured. Maturity in college football has a chance to win you games in a similar way that it has impacted college basketball. Older, veteran team or older, veteran position. Those things show up with Liam. Would not surprise him for Liam to have a really good year.
Kaden: Has some bumps and bruises and missed time. Working through that right now, but hopeful he can go this weekend and factor in.
Stability and most progress for the program in his 10 year tenure:
Proud of a ton of areas. In terms of the staff, able to hire and retain the staff like they weren’t able to before. You don’t see them losing guys to lateral moves anymore, which happened in the past, which is problematic. Facilities-wise, weren’t in a great place. Some resistence to that early on, but were able to get a lot of it done and thank god because if you didn’t get it done, you can’t do it moving forward. The football-specific training table. Only top 10 program in the country that didn’t have a football-only training table. First year having it in the facility and building. Huge win for them.
A ton of areas. Academically. Athletically. The list is significant.
But as everyone knows, all that matters now at this point of the season and year is how they play. So focus is directly on WVU and being in best position to go win. Will be a tough place to play. That’s a team that should have won 10 games. Houston was a very tough loss. Ended season winning five of last six including the bowl. Positive momentum. So focus totally on that right now.
Things that will impact this season: The training table is a significant win. Keeping guys big and strong through a long, challenging season, more competitive schedule than Penn State has ever had. Have been fighting for it for 10 years and got it with Pat and Vinnie.
Questions on zoom
Offensive line:
Feel like right tackle battle has been healthy and positive with the work those two have gotten in, and that’s Donkoh and Rucci. Both can play and win with and both will play. A lot of times, asking for specific answers at this point, but haven’t told the players yet what the rotation will be. That’ll be on Thursday. Then another conversation at the hotel and players at that point aware of it as well.
But at this point still practicing and making evaluations to determine rotation. Starters, in a pretty good place where they’re at. But that’s to be determined based on how they practice. But expects to see a lot of Anthony and Rucci.
Toughness of camp/physical and season-ending injuries:
Have some bumps and bruises like you always do. No different. You have the meeting with leadership council every year and they get to the point where they’ve had enough. It’s good feedback to hear for him, Chuck Losey, and Andrew Nelson. But back in a good place like htey have been. A few things lingering waiting to determine. But overall good.
Guys specifically that have been asked about, he has answered. But won’t do it without being asked specifically. Also hard to say season ending injury anymore because even guys that are kept out a while, a lot of them could be back late in the season or playoffs.
In-helmet communication:
Like most people, will have QB and MLB wearing the helmet. That’s how most colleges will use it, modeling it after pros. Have had DV sports at last few practices running it for them similar to how it’ll be on game day. Doing it with crowd noise has ben valuable. Deciding how much you’re still going to signal. Are you going to still huddle on offense? If not, how do you get the communication over 53 yards. Same thing with corner. A lot of conversations with NFL teams. Some trial and error themselves. Simulating noise home and away. It’s been good.
The more they do it, the better they’re at it. Have been doing it at practice without the DV sports people there cutting mics off with 15 seconds left on the clock. It’s one way communication. How does Mike linebacker let the DC know he got the call. As everyone knows, these things won’t be perfect. Backup signaling.
Position group to improve offensively the most since the end of spring to now:
Would probably say receiver. But would also say you could make argument at other positions. Quarterback. Offensive line, specifically with who they lost to the NFL. Those three positions. Knew who they were at TE and RB. The three positions they needed it. A lot of energy poured into those positions. A lot of strategy about how to position those areas to be the most successful. What they’ve seen in training camp and coaches on both sides of the ball feel that way.
Reaction to Pat Kraft contract extension:
Stability in college athletics and college football has a chance to be a differentiator like never before. It’s always been a differentiator if you look at certain programs, but now magnified even more with turnover you see. He knows Penn State. He understands college athletics and the changes they’re under right now. That stability at the lead position in athletic department is critical.
It was strategically the right thing to do. Had an ICA meeting this morning and he announced it there. People are very happy about it.
Biggest thing is having a man leading the department that is a fierce competitior in everything he does, and that’s important. Hates saying someone in the foxhole with you, but whether it’s women’s soccer, fencing, or wrestling and college football, that’s important to have someone that can relate, understands the challenges and wants to come up with solutions.
What stands out is Pat and Vinnie finding solutions to challenges they have had for years. And then bringing ideas to the table without coaches having to do it. Good for university, athletic department, and strategically for Penn State moving forward, so very happy about it.
Opening statement
You blink and they’re back. It’s gone quickly. When you talk about winter workouts, spring ball, summer training, camp: Have maximized it as much as possible. New rule changes, have done a good job preparing for tech and rules changes to allow them to make adjustments quickly. New rule changes for what you can do with players and staff the past few years has helped with new coordinators. A lot of work done. Those things have been valuable.
Training camp was good. Competitive, physical, tough as designed to be. Now in a position over the last week and a half to cut back to make sure the guys feel good and legs are back. Now getting into traditional game week. Had bonus WVU practices at the end of training camp, but now in traditional game week. Excited about it.
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