Live updates: Penn State head coach James Franklin press conference

Penn State head coach James Franklin is back in the Beaver Stadium media room for his weekly press conference ahead of his Nittany Lions Saturday night showdown with Illinois.

Live updates: Penn State head coach James Franklin press conference

(Press conference begins at noon. Updates will appear in reverse chronological order. Page will not refresh automatically. Press conference has ended at 12:37 p.m.)

Questions in the room

Drew’s role in delivering the football around: The first thing is it goes hand in hand with question about the OL. QB can’t work through progression without the OL. Protections, adjusting to it, Nick Dawkins, that plays a part in ball distribution as well. Plays a part in QB being able to attack entire field. But reality more often than not is you’re still better if ball can come out to first or second progression as much as possible. That’s where scheme and route running is important. Arm strength also factors in. YAC impacted by that. If the ball gets there in a hurry, they catch with cushion, you get more YAC. Will see more of that with the deep ball, which will continue to get better. Doesn’t want to overthrow deep balls. If it’s in stride or behind, gives you a chance to catch it or draw a PI. But can be more in sync there.

Tablets have been good for making coaching points and adjustments. Sometimes you tell guys something and they have seen it differently than you. Typically when there are disagreements in what you saw, what player saw, and what happened, you have to wait until Sunday. Now resolved quickly. That’s where it’s most valuable and important.

Elliot Washington: He has just been playing and practicing really well. Earned the opportunity to get more playing time. That’s one thing. He earned that opportunitiy. But AJ had a stomach virus on Thursday and Friday which affected him. He missed practice time. Wasn’t able to eat the day before and the morning of. But then he ended up bouncing back and playing well. Typically with those flus, once you get meds, you’re better in 24 hours. But Elliot earned that opportunity. But that also was a factor with AJ.

And Kimber, plus Zion, Cam Miller, feel like they have a lot of depth at the corner position, which is also part of how they’re solving depth issues at other positions. Some of those corners being able to play nickel/safety has helped because they have so much depth and talent at that position.

Tom Allen feedback from the box: The biggest thing is, there are a lot of ways to be right and do things that work. Different offenses, defenses, special teams. Guys that are successful calling from sideline and booth. For James, he is a big believer that if all things are even, best place to strictly call the game – the plays, the defenses – it is in the booth. You can lay out all your call sheets. Makes it easy to write down and take notes. Be focused on the game, not dealing fans and emotions of the sideline or weather. Just calling the game.

He wasn’t sure after not being up there for so long. Being a HC and all the things that come with that. He wasn’t sure how he’d feel up there. But after being up there and doing it, became an option viably for him and Penn State. Will take it week to week and see what’s best for the team and the defense. But he liked it. Other thing he did a good job of is Jevan and went up there Friday and did a full dress rehearsal. Dan Connor on the sideline, going through calls, going through communication, Dan communicating with linebacker. Feedback was good. And when you play well, that has an impact too.

Liam Clifford/Julian Fleming production going into Big Ten: It’s helpful. Want to get a ton of guys involved. Not just those two guys to not focus on stats. It’ll be different each week. Can be a big week and then next week get less opportunities. Based on what the D does. Want to put personnel in positions to make plays, but D dictates where the ball goes.

Doesn’t know if he’s ever seen a stat where eight different players scored. Whenever you can get so many guys involved and Illinois can’t focus on one guy to stop the ball. That might’ve been the case week one, but after week two and three, a ton of different guys impacting the game. Have multiple QBs on the field. That makes it more difficult for DC to tell team how to stop something to win the game. Having some more guys that Illinois is looking at and saying Liam Clifford can hurt them if they’re not aware, and same for Julian Fleming, and Khalil Dinkins, Luke Reynolds, and on and on and on… there is a lot of value in that for them and for Penn State.

Luke Altmeyer: Sometimes it’s just being a year older. More confident and comfortable. He’s managing the game. Throwing high percentage. Protecting the ball. Getting it into the end zone. And they’re doing a good job mixing run and pass so he isn’t carrying the burden himself. Slightly improved across the board. Part of it is OC, OL, and OC knowing the QB better. Has been impressed with him. Highly recruited guy out of high school. From a maturation standpoint, taking nice steps.

Young linebackers: Ta’Mere is a guy they’ve been excited about since they recruited him. He had bumps and bruises that limited time and would have been valuable to him and Penn State. His durability and ability to play and play well is important. He needs reps and time. DaKaari Nelson was a move they weren’t sure how it would go. Big difference between DB and LB. He has been a really pleasant surprise. Playing really well on ST right now and growing into the LB position. That has been a real positive. Going to have to continue to develop depth there. Speca did some nice things running the defense. Elsdon has played a ton of football, tons of confidence. Rojas continuing to develop into a player. And Abdul is an option there as well. But need to continue that development.

Questions over Zoom

Tom Allen in the box: Doesn’t like to say permanent, forever, or always, but thought it went well. He hadn’t been up there for 15 years. Talked about doing it the week before, ended up doing it last week. Thought there were real advantages. Will see how this week goes. Could see it being a week to week deal where they do what is necessary. With leadership they have from the staff and players, feel good about that aspect, but have lost guys as well, which impacts it. Will see how it goes this week, but last week it was a positive and Tom thought that as well.

Receivers: Has been pleased with the step they’ve taken. Surprised that Kris and Greg haven’t come to him and shown him a ton of articles about receivers, what Marques and those guys have done, because there were a bunch when they didn’t. But overall, pleased with what they’ve been able to do. Have to continue to build their confidence and production. But hard to argue they’re not the most improved position on the team, and they need that. But again, if you’re going to be critical, should be praised when doing good things, which they are.

This week, they’ll be challenged. Gotta put them in position to be successful. They gotta get better, compete, and be aggressive. At their best when they’re being aggressive. Seeing it more consistently in practice and in games.

Offensive line: Have been pleased with them. When you can protect the quarterback and rush for 300 yards, it’s good. Allar’s mobility has been good. He’s taken it to another level this year. Keeping plays alive like the long play down the sideline to Omari that he extended the play. Has been pleased with it. The one motion with Vega, not sure if that skews grades or perception. Doesn’t have an overall impact of how OL plays and grades. But it’s fun. It’s cool to see and look at. But where it helps you is creating time that the defense has to spend working on it. They’ve been looking at Kansas film, Penn State film. When you can put different things on tape that they have to deal with, motions or shifts, it forces them to spend time on it and creates some opportunities to take advantage of leverage, angles, and grass.

Defense: Bowling Green gave people some concern, but went to Texas A&M and gave them a handful, so that was helpful for Franklin and others to see that. But again, when you hold any D1 team to 67 yards and its eighth lowest in Penn State history. Took significant strides last night and it’s something to build on, but Illinois will be different. And they have lost significant players that has tested depth.

Sounds silly, but thankful for 7:30 game. With some young guys they’re playing, they’ll need every minute of prep. And they’ll take advantage of that. 

Last week was a nice step. Didn’t play as well in week two but has better perspective on that now than after the game. And got better this week. But have to take another step. Looking at Sunday’s practice, guys looking at it the right way.

Scholarship roster limit change to 105 players: Won’t get into detail on strategy. Will have conversations after the season. That’s not for right now. Also, the rule is for the season, so that doesn’t mean in training camp and spring ball your numbers have to be at 105. So in some ways, will create a system where you’re going to have tryouts and cuts in high school. Guys fighting to get onto the active 105 roster. But it will limit some opportunities, no doubt about it. Have had some great stories at Penn State and in his time. Doesn’t think there are many coaches that love it. You look at programs like Nebraska and others that have a really robust history with walk-ons. This creates challenges for everyone. Some programs more than others. And it reduces opportunities, which you hate to see.

Will help FCS and DII football. But hurts for kid that wants to chase dream at Penn State and earn a role or scholarship. So, doesn’t love it, but all deals with finances and budgets.

Cam Wallace/Dom DeLuca longterm injuries: Typically doesn’t have these answers in this press conference. Need time to evaluate the injuries and time to have conversations with the kids and their families before saying something to the families. Would recommend saving these questions until midweek. But typically won’t have it on Monday.

Opening statement

Opening statement:

Watching the film from Kent State was what they thought and discussed afterward. 

Illinois: Knows Bret Bielema for a long time. Has been around really good coaches and programs. Great job at Wisconsin. Great job now at Illinois. Some time in the NFL as well. Their win at Nebraska was really big for them and they’re coming in confident. They’ve already been on the road and had success in a tough environment. So that gives Illinois a ton of confidence coming into this game at Penn State.

Biggest difference for them is the quarterback. He’s one of most improved quarterbacks in college football. Running back is a thumper. Really good production out of WR 13 and 4. They mix in tempo. Bret’s background is about runs + completions. Have blended the two nicely.

Defense: Have done a really nice job. Their DC left for Purdue. DB coach by trade but doing nice things. DE is doing a nice job. Linebacker 28 is a captain. Secondary will really be a challenge for Penn State. Receivers have made nice strides since last season but will be challenged this week. They play a decent amount of man and are fiercely competitive.