Watch James Franklin's Tuesday press conference
Penn State head coach James Franklin was back with the media Tuesday afternoon for his weekly press conference.
Following last weekend’s 31-14 win over Maryland, the Nittany Lions are now set for a pivotal game against Michigan at home in Beaver Stadium Saturday. The Wolverines rank seventh overall in the most recent College Football Playoff Poll. The game will be a de facto White Out and is set for noon Eastern time on ABC.
To open his press conference, Franklin said he was happy with a few key areas in the win over Maryland, including the turnover battle, explosive plays and the total amount of yards lost on sacks.
He was asked a variety of questions about the Wolverines and their success this season under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, who used to coach wide receivers at Penn State, was a popular topic.
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WR Jahan Dotson, who totaled 242 yards receiving and three touchdowns last week, was another point of emphasis. Franklin discussed how he’s a model teammate for his program and continues to get better in a variety of ways. That’s especially true for young wide receivers like Malick Meiga, who played for the first time last weekend. Franklin discussed what he’s seen from Meiga, as well.
Another popular player was safety Ji’Ayir Brown, who’s coming off two back-to-back strong performances against Ohio State and Maryland. Franklin said that his love for football and his overall maturity has really help Brown’s growth.
Penn State’s struggles in the run game were also discussed. Franklin said that he believes his team took a positive step in the run game Saturday against Maryland. He added that they’ll do whatever it takes to win, whether it be throwing the ball or more running.