Trust, request leads to a position change for Cristian Driver

Penn State freshman Cristian Driver came to school last summer as one of the most versatile prospects in the Nittany Lions’ Class of 2022. After one season, he’ll put that on display by switching sides of the ball. Driver played this past season as a cornerback but will make the move to offense for the spring. 

“Pretty much [the plan] was to finish the season at corner and then make the transition to receiver for next season,” Driver said at the team’s Bowl Media Day in Pasadena over the weekend. 

“For me, I just feel more confident at that position. I feel more comfortable playing that position. Of course my dad played that position. Coach Franklin coached my dad at that position, so I think I’ve been able to and I can pick up great knowledge from both of them.”

A position change was expected after the season, but not necessarily one as drastic as this undertaking. Penn State thought that Driver’s future could be as a big-time safety, but they wanted him to get coverage experience at cornerback in his first year. His play did draw praise from the defensive staff this fall.

Driver asked Franklin, coaches to make the change

Driver himself requested the change in a meeting with coaches in the fall. The Nittany Lions were thin at cornerback this bowl season, however, so the full-time move won’t happen until the new year. 

“He trusted us at first and we thought the best position was on the defensive side of the ball, but after a year now or I guess really half a year, going through the fall, he’s most comfortable being on the offensive side of the ball,” James Franklin said last week. “So we asked him during this bowl, we were going to move him. We’re a little thin at the corner position, so we asked him to stay there during the bowl, and then he’ll transition right when the bowl is over for spring ball to offense.

“He came to us after the year and said he’s most comfortable on the offensive side of the ball, really feels like he can help there and have a significant role. For us, we’re always going to play guys where they want to play. We’re not into moving guys to positions.”

The son of former Pro Bowl wide receiver Donald Driver, who played a year under Franklin with the Green Bay Packers in 2005, Driver felt that his future is best suited following in his father’s footsteps.  

“I think I’ve just learned so much from my dad at the receiver position that I feel comfortable playing there,” he said. “I’d never really played corner before this year, so this was really my first time ever experiencing that. I had great coaches and great teammates to learn from, but I think for me receiver is definitely my position.”

Penn State’s wide receiver outlook provides an opportunity

Franklin and Penn State cornerbacks coach Terry Smith started recruiting Driver as a freshman in high school and eventually landed his signature. Driver credited the Nittany Lions’ coaching staff and his teammates in making his transition a smooth one for Liberty Christian School in the Dallas, Texas area. 

Driver will now join a wide receiver room in transition under Taylor Stubblefield. The Nittany Lions will lose their top two receivers this offseason in Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley and they’ll rely on a less-experienced crop in 2023. That means an opportunity is there for Driver and a few of his freshman classmates. 

“I think this offseason is going to be a great chance for me to get into the system and learn the system,” said Driver. “Coach Mike Yurcich has a great plan for next year. In that receiver room, Omari Evans, Kaden Saunders and some of the others will make a great impression on what we’re trying to do.”

Driver played in three games as a true freshman, including the Rose Bowl win over Utah on Monday, and retained his redshirt status.