Live updates: Penn State AD Pat Kraft press conference
Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft is meeting with reporters on Monday morning from Pegula Ice Arena. The venue change is due to ongoing construction efforts for Beaver Stadium’s massive renovation project.
Sure to tackle that topic as well as what has been an eventful and impactful offseason for the Nittany Lions’ football program, his press conference is likely to cover a broad spectrum of issues.
Follow along with our live updates, here:
Penn State AD Pat Kraft press conference updates
(Press conference begins at 11:30 a.m. Updates will appear in reverse chronological order. Page does not automatically refresh. Press conference has ended at 12:10 p.m.)
On Beaver Stadium:
02/24/2025 11:09:53 AMFeels really good about it. Fundraising has been awesome. Really excited about that. Will have temp seating. Think of Northwestern a little how they built that stadium on the shore. Or Waste Management. Those are the people handling it. It’ll look very temporary. Should be at full capacity with the temp, or really close. Will see a construction footprint, but shouldn’t have issues. They’ll work throughout the year. Temp seating might be a better view than old west side. Really happy about where it’s going. Something fans are going to be proud of. Want to make it the greatest home field advantage in sports. Will see more and more info come out on that over time as they put it together. But really happy with where they are from philanthropy, suite sales. The spring game is going to be a little interesting. Doesn’t know what it’s going to look like. Expanding the east side concourse. Have to hit a mark for the Nevada game. Will figure out nuances to that, but west will be under construction. Will be an interesting Blue-White Game. Excited about where it’s going and direction they’re heading.
On a football general manager:
02/24/2025 11:05:56 AMTotally agree with James. If they found the right person that could fit and do what they need. Have people in the building doing that job right now. A lot of these general managers you’re seeing right now have full roster discretion. That’s hard in college football. They’re choosing players like the pros. Players come here to play for James Franklin. Different ways to look at GM. How you look at the cap. Handling the scholarships. It goes up four percent every year. How much do you have? That number on the cap keeps going. Continue to talk to a lot of people, but as this is evolving, work in the building has been going on. Wouldn’t put it past James to hire one at some point. But have to manage all of it and make it all aligned. Have to balance all of these things. It’s really data now. Some would argue that’s a GM, it’s not. But need a space for all sports to manage all of that. Giving coaches the resources. If James had someone today, would hire them.
On the portal:
02/24/2025 11:03:08 AMTrying to work on the timing of it. No one has free agency in the middle of a championship run. That is where they have to look at it. It’s not as easy as moving the portal window. That’s oversimplification. Have to look at the opportunity giving student-athlete opportunity to be successful academically and competitively. The era of coming in midyear is new. That wasn’t a thing 20 years ago. All these things have evolved and changed, then you throw portal in and you have to make a life decision when the people you had a hand in bringing to life.
On multi-year contracts:
What, are you going to sue a kid for leaving? The rules have changed. It’s a one year window. Wants young men and women to be here for a long time. Hoping new world can slow that down. But have a buyout… OK, who is going to sign that? Have to recruit against Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State. If they’re not doing it, it won’t work. Have to come together in sports to make this better for the student-athletes and the sports.
On NIL management of football roster:
02/24/2025 10:59:39 AMJames would laugh about it, and their friendly banter. New world of NIL and the portal. Thought Ryan did a really good job at Ohio State. Trust your evaluation, recruit the kids that fit what you want, and hold onto them. That’s how you win a national championship. That’s the model. Your kids are your culture. The young men in Penn State locker room are phenomenal. Want to hold onto their own. Know they’re passionate for playing for Penn State. They tasted it. So when they got over it, coming back and winning that way. A transfer doesn’t always feel that way. If you think you’re going to win a national championship by living in the portal, you’re wrong. You have to have the patience to stick with it. Gives James all the credit in the world. Stuck with his guys, that he knows. You gotta be in the world where you lose someone to the NFL like Abdul Carter, you gotta backfill and create depth. That’s where portal comes into play. All know they need WR help. Gotta find one. Have some good ones in the building, but no secret. Have to trust that process. James has done a masterful job and it’s a testament going back to the staff of what he’s done to build that culture of family. Look at how many people have left. It’s remarkable. Why they’re excited for next year. Have a lot of work to do before then. But excited.
On women’s volleyball coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley:
02/24/2025 10:55:43 AMJust remembers her coming in far earlier than anyone knew what she was about to begin. That’s pretty remarkable. Like anyone on staff, going through trials, will be there for them any way they can. A little bit like the THON piece. So much bigger than NIL or sports. Watching from afar, not sure anyone can understand how difficult that was for her. And her fight isn’t over for her. Will keep fighting. But haven’t seen anything like that. Was in locker room after Pitt loss. They never flinched. Nobody gave that team a shot at Nebraska. Was sweating bullets. Go rewatch it. Never did that team waver. When you have someone like Katie who didn’t flinch when what was put in front of her and her family. Just so proud of those women and that staff. Then her at THON this weekend puts it in perspective.
On job of Mike Rhoades:
02/24/2025 10:51:22 AMHe’s done a remarkable job. Told him the other day after a loss, more as a therapist, but the expectations he has to go to the tournament every year is a step forward. No one is more frustrated and bottled up like Mike is right now. Not making excuses, and he wouldn’t either. Gotta get better. But isn’t looking for a quick fix. Need to do it the right way. Gotta build depth. It’s physical in the Big Ten and guys can’t play 40 minutes a game. If you’re going to build a roster in this day and age, he’s understanding and growing. He’s asking questions. He’s learning. You gotta keep evaluating yourself. Have everything in front of them still. The year they went to the tournament, got two buzzer beaters and it shifts everything for you. Haven’t won those games this year. But it’s still a work in progress. Stick with them. More than ever confident in what he can do here. Not looking short term. But the NCAA Tournament is the objective. And he knows that. Get in the Tournament. Want coaches looking at it that way. Gotta continue to help. Steal one from alma mater this week would be nice.
On what separates Cael from everyone else:
02/24/2025 10:48:28 AMGets asked it by everyone. Not just alumni, but elite football/basketball coaches. He is a unicorn. One of one. It’s Cael, Casey, Cody. That entire organization and how they run. He recruits amazing young men who are fully committed to being the best. The way Cael does it is so unique. Take care of your person first. People understand that and love to wrestle, and then they get better and better. The culture that unit builds, there is nothing like it. Is the worst to have around them. Because he’s already nervous. But you do the best you can, it happens and you move on. He’s done more for Pat, just watching them, and to take a deep breath and understand keeping the main thing the main thing, and it’s special.
Tells coaches all the time to go talk to him. You think it’s something different from what it is. Amazing people, great fathers, great leaders, and they get that culture to buy in and be exactly who they emulate. And they don’t complain about a thing. Would find Cael $100m if he wanted it. But it’s the opposite of that. He never asks for anything more than what it takes to win. Takeaway over tthree years is that it’s fun to bury people. Competition is great. Have to understand what we are watching. It’s not even a dynasty. It’s maybe better than anything anyone has ever done in all of sports. He’s just one of those people that thinks at a different level in all the right ways.
On new costs of football coordinators:
02/24/2025 10:44:12 AMThe loaded Jim Knowles question. You go get the best. Get the best coordinators you can. They set the tone. James is the CEO and has done a masterful job of building best staff in the country. You have to pay market. But Penn State can afford it. Why short change it? You have a chance to get the best. Have two of the best coordinators in the country. James has to deal with so many new things in the last three years. Portal, players dealing with so many different elements of life. Need strong leaders in offense/defense room to give you best chance to succeed. Doesn’t make those decisions lightly, but it was a no brainer with Jim Knowles. Going to give themselves best chance to do that.
On proposed CFP changes:
02/24/2025 10:42:17 AMNot against it. But have to do other things first. Have to do the football calendar. It’s like Frankenstein. Bits and pieces of putting things together over years. If you go to 16, no one gets a bye. Not sure if that’s good, bad, or indifferent. Doesn’t want to take two/three weeks off. But, when do you start season to do that? How do you avoid a Beau situation? Everyone evaluating spring football right now. Not sure what that will look like next year.
Is absolutely open to anything. Doesn’t think it’s bad to go to 14/16. The more tournament you have, great. But gotta continue to look at all the other aspects of that. Are you going to play into February. The football players do go to class. Have to understand the bigger impact to that. Do you move it up to week zero? Do you have an OTA style? Not opposed to 14/16, just want to know more about what does the whole calendar look like.
Gives fans a ton of credit. Go to B1G Championship, home for playoff, out to Fiesta, out to Miami. And you’re booking flights one week out. Just think there are a lot of things and nuances that might not be getting attention, but trying to operate this world, need to better understand how this will work.
On being all-in on football:
02/24/2025 10:39:05 AMHas been all-in on football, basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling. It’s not just about money. It’s how you invest it. Is committed to working with coaches and winning. You don’t come to Penn State and say see what happens. Is here to win national championships and do it the right way. Committed to it. It takes everybody. When it comes to football, close. Going to keep going until they get where they want to be. Working together with James and all his coaches.
How will wrestling work:
02/24/2025 10:37:38 AMNot going to have 30 scholarships. Working through that number right now. But Cael will have more scholarships to invest in the program. How are you spending that money? Cael will be part of revshare world. Football, men’s women’s basketball, wrestling, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball. Trying to manage the money so that they have the ability to use rev share to tilt things their way.
In relation to wrestling, tells Cael will do whatever need to do to give him resources he needs. Doesn’t envision any program doing 30 scholarships for wrestling. But will do what they need for him and will add scholarships for him in the future.
How is Penn State football positioned for NIL:
02/24/2025 10:35:47 AMChange the conversation on NIL. It’s marketing now. Penn State is doing that. What people think of the traditional NIL piece, they’re where they need to be, but in this system you have to show fair market value, and that’s where the power of Penn State is a huge asset. Lean into that with business partners. That’s the new world of NIL. Met about that with SEC and Big Ten.
Everyone is discussing $20.5 and rev share. One of the biggest pieces of house case is pulling scholarship restrictions off. As they’re raising money, the $20.5m gets all the headlines, but greatest wrestling program in the world gets 9.9 scholarships. Have the ability now to help teams in the space of revshare, but if they do it right and raise right amount of money, can direct it to scholarships, and that’s a huge advantage.
Can always be better, wants to be better, but landscape is changing.
Opening statement:
02/24/2025 10:33:14 AMCommend the THON students who put that incredible event on. It’s overwhelming. $17.7m is amazing. Being on the fundraising trail, seeing what they do, and the dancers, make sure to thank them for what they do for so many people. Puts what they do in athletics in perspective.
Everyone talks about Beaver Stadium and football, but make everyone aware of what’s happening outside of football – women’s volleyball success, men’s and women’s fencing, women’s hockey going for third straight conference championship, lacrosse, men’s ice hockey, men’s volleyball, men’s indoor track, women’s gymnastics. Important that everyone understands what’s going on. Poised for even more success.
