Live updates: Penn State coach James Franklin holds Michigan week news conference

After a short hiatus from game-week action, Penn State head coach James Franklin is back at the Beaver Stadium podium on Tuesday. And this time, he’s got a huge game to talk about.

Now 5-0 on the 2022 season, the Nittany Lions are looking to go into Michigan on Saturday afternoon with an upset of the No. 4-ranked Wolverines in mind. Can Penn State score the upset in this one? Franklin will tackle his review of the win against Northwestern, a look ahead to the Wolverines, and more on Tuesday.

Blue-White Illustrated’s Nate Bauer is posting live updates from the news conference inside The Lions Den forum. Click here to access those. Or, watch the press conference live, here.

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Follow our live updates, presented in reverse chronological order, here.

Live updates: Penn State coach James Franklin press conference

(Updates will begin at 12:30 p.m. Press conference has ended at 1:06 p.m.)

Questions in the room

On challenges of coming out of the bye historically: A lot of what they’ve talked about. Staffing has helped with analysts getting them ahead and staying ahead. Depth has played a part in the past and that’s better. Talked about it and studied it a lot in the offseason. Have done everything they can to help them win on Saturday. But to say they didn’t spend time looking at it and studying it, wouldn’t be accurate. The opponent factors into it, but have spent a ton of time on it this offseason and season.

On balance in the passing game: Have to be more productive in explosive plays in the passing game. If you look at them historically, have done a pretty good job of that. Probably wish at this stage to be more productive there. Will need that Saturday. Production down the field in passing game. That’s shots downfield or making someone miss to get explosive plays. Lacked running explosiveness last year. Had explosiveness in passing game last year. Need that this year. 

Would like to throw for higher percentage, but creating explosive plays in the passing game is extremely important.

Hakeem Beamon: Wants what’s best for Hakeem and program, and those two things can be complementary pieces. When you talk about a team like this and winning up front on offensive side with OL and TEs, and on defense with DL and LB, having talent up front is necessary and critical. And Hakeem is a perfect example of that. Will need Hakeem to play well on Saturday. Can say that about pretty much every position on the field.

On KeAndre Lambert-Smith: Hopeful to have KeAndre for Saturday. Will see how it works out. Even if he wanted to answer it, at this point in the week, hard to know.

On overall health: Overall, pretty good. Part of it is how they’ve managed practice. How guys have taken care of bodies. Have had a bunch of discussions about nutrition and how it factors in. And also willingness and ability to play guys. Reps of two-deep this year is significant. Value in gaining experience for depth, but also getting ones out to be in position to be as recovered as possible for the following week.

On mentality of physical game coming out of a bye week: That’s where having a mature team is important. And having physical, aggressive Tuesday, Wednesday practices are important. Want to be as fresh as you can be, and need to get guys feeling good and bodies good. But it’s all really important. Fine line of understanding physicality needed to win this game, but also putting players in best position to be fresh and explosive fast and violent. That’s where experience matters and some experts on staff to weigh in on those things are important.

On Saleem Wormley: View it that they got a starter back. Point is, going into last year, he was a starter based on how he played in camp. So to lose him for the year was significant. To get him back a year older, wiser, more experienced, and him to gain confidence with how he’s played to this point, has been valuable. Whenever you get someone everyone views as a starter back, it’s important. He’s smart, powerful, and has played at a high and consistent level. These games against teams like Michigan, these opponents, have to make plays on perimeter. Winning up front is important on both sides of ball.

Evaluating Sean Clifford: Like the OL. Sean has done some really nice things. Some plays he’d like back, no doubt. But overall, managing protections, the run game, and making those 4-6 plays a game you need your QB to make, that the media, fan, coach would watch and say that’s a critical play that Sean was able to make. His whole career and season keeps building up to moments and opportunities like this. But no doubt, some plays he’d like back and they’d like back. But him playing well on Saturday, all positions and all players, to win on the road against this type of opponent, have to play well. That includes QB.

Questions on the phone

Evaluating play of linebackers so far: Felt good about two outside linebacker positions. But feel even better that depth created with Abdul behind Curtis, most people agree in a better position from that standpoint than beginning of the season. And biggest question was at Mike linebacker. Both Elsdon and Kobe have played a lot of football. They’re no longer first-time starters. That’s no longer something that’s discussed or accepted to talk about it. Will be challenged in this game talking about the run game and variety/diversity of it. The play action off it. And the talent as well at WR/TE/RB. In a much better position at LB than they were before the season. But will need those guys to play really well on Saturday based on what they’ve seen on film.

On grappling with knowledge of big games and dictating big plans: Know these games each year are critical. Not only program in this conference or country in this situation. But the point is a good one. If you put all your eggs in this one basket, you can put yourself in situation where you don’t handle the ones before that you need to, that everyone looks past. That’s the fine line managing those two things. Doing everything you can to get to this position. And then being as strategic as you possibly can to take advantage of these opportunities when they come.

That’s where not only is this Saturday critical in how they manage the game and players make plays with confidence and swagger. It’s all of the progress you can make the other 364 days a year that add up. Those wins add up all year long to put team in best position to be successful on Saturday, consistently. That’s where he’s excited. Pat has been great with those things. He’s been really good at recognizing those things without him having to say anything about it. All the way up to the president and chair of the board as well. It’s all of it. That alignment is critical.

That’s all great. No one wants to talk about that. Everyone wants to talk about Saturday. So, have to do everything possible to get to 5-0 to have this opportunity. Have to approach it the right way. Staff and players. It’s going to be a challenge. But this is why you come to Penn State, to play in games like this. But have to find a way to be successful.

Evaluating the offensive line so far, and what’s next: There have been flashes of good things everyone is excited about. Staff, team, fans. There have been times where they’ve been happy with how it’s looked and how productive they’ve been. Other times they need to clean things up. Those are opportunities for big plays as long as they can communicate those things and get a hat on a hat. When you look at Michigan last year and this year, it’s getting hat on a hat. A lot of things go into that. It’s all of it. But for him, it’s consistency. Making the big block. Getting hat on hat. But also blocking with mentality to finish people. So a ball carrier can turn a four yard run into an explosive run. 

Taking steps in the right direction. Group starting to play with confidence. Doing a good job staying balanced and being a little more unpredictable. At end of the day, it’s about execution and keeping people on their toes. If you can run in predictable passing situations and be efficient and effective, that’s what you want to do. Want to keep people honest.

On Michigan settling on one quarterback and challenges of McCarthy: It would be different if they played both quarterbacks all the time. But it was a pretty good sample size of who those guys were. Especially when the other guy played entire season. Biggest challenge for Penn State is that they’ve been great on first down. When you’re as efficient as they are on first down, it keeps them ahead of the sticks, takes pressure off everyone. It’ll be a real challenge for them. This quarterback, they’ve been impressed with his poise back there. He’s been very accurate and can make all the throws on the field. He has real good arm talent. Part of his poise is his confidence and athleticism. If he gets pressure, he runs well enough to get away from most people and avoid hits. Keeps people on their heels. That confidence from his accuracy, athleticism, and staying ahead of sticks is what makes him and their offense challenging.

On improvement in the bye week: Thinks so. Did a good job with self scout. Know who they are, what they are, areas to work on, areas to build on. Took some time going good on good in practice. And taking time to get a head start on Michigan. All those things are valuable. Also the time off for the players. Not so much for the coaches, who he wishes had more time off. Timing of it is pretty good. This one has been pretty good when others haven’t been.

Practiced Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. In the past, Thursday was GA led and non-travel scrimmage. They did that, but everyone was out there and got extra time prepping for Michigan. Extra day of practice, though more of a jog-through, for extra prep.

Depth since beginning of season has been better than the past and better since beginning of the season. Fewer question marks of the depth. Overall and at specific positions there were questions about before the season.

On having a No. 1 receiver this year, or not: Feel they have three that are that. Parker Washington, KeAndre, and Mitchell Tinsley. What they’ve seen in practice and all season is one thing, and production in games, is different. It’s all of it. Consistently making tough catches, creating separation, or making the throw, all those factor in. Think they have three guys with the ability to be that. But obviously, need to get it done on Saturdays.

On handling pass rush: People have gotten away from run because they’re down by too many points. When you’re up by a certain margin, you get more passing opportunities to pin ears back and rush the QB. Very similar to their offense and how they’ve managed it the past few years, and being able to stay on schedule. If you can get a bunch of yards on first down, it helps manage that. So, better equipped to do it from personnel standpoint. But also better equipped to not get away from the run and be one dimensional, sticking with the plan.

Opening statements

Special Teams: Hennings, punt and kick return. Kicker Jake Moody and Brad Robbins all playing at a high level. Punter is playing as well as anyone in the country right now. 

Have to deal with personnel, scheme, and venue. Looking forward to the opportunity.

Defense: When you look at what they do defensively, it starts with Mazi Smith, who Penn State recruited hard. He anchors defense. Mike Morris. No. 25 linebacker. D.J Turner. Thing that is maybe surprising, departure of two DEs last year, for them to pressure and sack QB at the rate they are has been impressive. Multiple fronts. Talented secondary. They do a really good job putting players in position to be successful.

Offense: They’ve had a unique situation with the Ravens and Jim’s brother being the head coach there. A bunch of staff back and forth between those two organizations. A ton of respect for what they do and how they do it. Extremely efficient. Stay on schedule. First down huge for their offense. They can run it, throw it. The OL is considered best in college football last year. Have maybe most productive back in college football past couple of years. TEs that make plays. And a QB leading nation in completion percentage.

Know plenty about Blake Corum. Ronnie Bell has been doing it for a while. JJ McCarthy is the new face but extremely talented. And they’re similar to Penn State with a deep and talented TE room. Even with injuries there, Shoemaker is playing really well for them.

Harbaugh: Tons of respect for him, the program, the venue. They have a lot planned for the game. Should be a great atmosphere. Guys are looking forward to it and prepping for it. This is why you come to Penn State.

Opening statement: Sending thoughts and prayers to Mike Hart and family. Big Ten through and through as player and a coach. You don’t ever like to see anything like that. Truly wish his family, him, the running backs at Michigan all thoughts. 

Hopefully, he’s healthy enough to be involved in the game on Saturday. But if not, wishing him nothing but the best.