Live updates: Penn State coach James Franklin press conference
Penn State head coach James Franklin joins reporters from Beaver Stadium ahead of his Nittany Lions’ home opener against Nevada.
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Penn State head coach James Franklin press conference updates
(Press conference has ended at 12:40 p.m.)
Two-deep across the board at WR
08/25/2025 11:39:57 AMCombination of Hudson and Howard. Another guy they looked at who is going to play. Haven’t green lighted him yet, want more out of ST. Pena/Denmark. And Ross/Clifford.
Those are the six right now part of that conversation. Some others you could make arguments by the day. But that’s probably two deep going into week one and feel good about it.
Ross/Clifford to play a lot. Pena/Hudson rotation or tap. And then tagging certain plays for certain guys.
Feel they have a two deep they can win with. And one freshman factoring in with a nice spring, summer and camp, but need him to have a bigger role on special teams. It’s a challenge everyone deals with culturally. Pretty much all HS WR aren’t blocking or tackling on special teams. Geting that group to have bigger impact on ST is important for their development and trying to decide whether to green light or not at WR or any other position, ST playing a big factor in those decisions.
Nickel and Zion Tracy
08/25/2025 11:37:18 AMZion, Woseley, and Dinkins playing nickel. Feels good about all three of them. Appreciates bringing up PFF – and it’s a tool for a lot of people including coaches. But sometimes difficult PFF to grade players when not knowing the plays.
But point is fair. Zion a developing player. Did good things from coverage and return. But a young player developing getting better and better in run and pass game. Experience counts. Has a full year under his belt. Bigger, stronger, faster. And schematically, things asking not just Zion, but whole defense, is a big reason Jim is here.
How to put players in best position to be successful. Break tendencies. Be more challenging to offense and stressful with different schemes that look the same. Be less in terms of coverage diversity so people don’t know they’re in man and giving all man beaters. All thse things. Coverage or run game, when you play more zone coverage and have more defenders with eyes on QB or ball, become better cover guy but also better in the run.
Expects Zion to have a big year. Scheme things will help him. Also more of a 4-3 D that played nickel last year. And more major in nickel personnel and sub to 4-3 when needed for matchups. All those things, plus Zion having a year under his belt and confidence and experience.
Helmet communication
08/25/2025 11:33:45 AMIt’ll be Jim talking to the green dot. That will be a combination of who is on the field, Campbell and DeLuca. One of those two guys will be on the field. That’s a little of the challenge because they think they both can be Mikes and DeLuca the Will. So how to make sure he has a second helmet to not have green dot if both on the field. Need to not get silly penalty with two green dots because DeLuca at Will. Working through that at practice. Using communication all training camp, but working out gymnastics.
Just DeLuca – in at Mike or Will. When he’s at WIll, Amare can handle it. If he’s at Mike, Amare won’t be on the field.
Saving things
08/25/2025 11:31:46 AMDoesn’t have that mentality here. More about what shows up based on film. Putting guys in best position to be successful. Want to play well, build confidence, do whatever necessary to get a win. THis has been the approach for 15 years to try to play a lot of guys. Need to build and develop depth by playing a bunch of guys. Adamant about that, especially early in the year. Get them on the field to evaluate them and see strengths and deficiencies. Approach it like that more than necessarily hiding things or holding back. Want to get these guys on the field and playing well. Need to figure out who is ready and who still needs time developing before getting into the conference play.
DE depth
08/25/2025 11:30:00 AMYou want at least two and a half deep at every position. Five, or six.
At DE – Fisher, Coleman, Dennis Sutton, Harvey, Williams. Other guy on that bubble of green lighting is Kemajou and will play in first couple of games like he’ll play all year. Had a really good spring and camp. Feel like they have six guys. Mason Robinson another guy they’re high on but Mason has had a number of bumps and bruises that have really impacted his ability and time to compete. Getting him back with them fulltime and over a period of practices. He just hasn’t practiced consistently enough to be part of that group. That would give them seven to feel good about. Fish is still working through coming back from his injury. Then depending on some of the freshmen and bumps and bruises, will depend on five or six goung into each game. Young there, but a lot of talent in that room and first three games really important.
Punt and kick return
08/25/2025 11:27:16 AMSingleton and Mack on KR rotating.
Punt return has a number of guys they feel good about. Zion, Pena, Ross – those three guys. Sees all those guys getting touches and opportunities.
Starter at safety
08/25/2025 11:27:21 AMBelgrave-Shorter starter across from Zakee. But Mack and Lane will play a lot. Four they can win with. Belgrave weren’t a lot of conversations happening outside of Lasch, but led in interceptions in camp. He has earned that spot. But other two guys will play a lot and need to play a lot.
Green lights
08/25/2025 11:25:14 AMTwo right from the beginning are Chaz Coleman and Daryus Dixson. Very consistent physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Some guys that could play physically, but show too much immaturity, or mistakes. Those things have to evolve. Other guys that could be in green after these three games and that will be part of the evaluation process. Could have green to yellow, yellow to green. Not finalized until they’ve played in enough games to decide by NCAA rules.
But two approaching it that way are Coleman and Dixson. And another part playing a big aspect is special teams. To burn redshirt and take that approach from game one, you have to factor in on special teams as well and some of these guys haven’t taken that approach, which impacts red/yellow too.
Expectations and next step for the offensive line/depth
08/25/2025 11:21:38 AMA number of guys that they’re expecting big things from. Shelton, Vega, Dawkins, Cousins, Rucci, Donkoh, Shanahan. Seven they view as starters and more they can win games with in Big Ten that are on cusp, by game four or five they can play. Will probably use different packages to get them on the field. Six or seven OL.
This group has a chance to be one of the better groups in the country and one of the better groups Penn State has had.
With two RBs they have, this QB, it puts OL in a position to have a really good year. It starts up front. Traut and Bill Q have done a really good job. Andy K background with OL play. And Ty Howle. It’s a group they take a lot of pride in. Worked hard to get to this point and expected to play at a really high level.
Focus is on being the best team they possibly can be and maximizing that. This unit, like all the others, wants them to think the team will succeed because of them.
Favorite award is Joe Moore award because it’s a group award, which is cool. Have a chance to be part of that conversation deep into the season.
Drew Allar progress from the end of last season to now, specifically
08/25/2025 11:17:22 AMThe question he gets a lot is what he needs to improve on to get better, and James doesn’t think he has one glaring weakness. He just needs to do what he’s done throughout his Penn State career, which is getting better incrementally.
But his body has changed. He’s faster and more explosive. Same thing from leadership standpoint. Stronger voice and more comfortable doing that. Most guys year one don’t come in doing that. They want to focus on their job. Natural evolution.
In terms of completion percentage and TD/INT, he’s been as good as anyone in the country and in the argument at Penn State history. Just keep chipping away.
Big thing this year is building chemistry with receivers. Whether Khalil, Luke, Rapp, or freshmen WR, or year two guys, or transfers at WR. Building that chemistry. All those things have been really important.
Then also year two with Andy allows him to be more comfortable. Putting a ton on his plate. His superpower is how football smart he is. Especially talking about protections, being able to readjust them and put OL in best position to get RB out as often as possible to stress the defense. Getting better in all those areas and took another step. But until out on the field and do it, it’s just him talking about gains he’s seen in the offseason. But not one area. A little in every area.
In terms of an anecdote to illustrate that, not sure he has one. He’s just very steady Eddie. In approach. Workmanlike in weight room, film room.
Got a number of guys, probably 10 this year and Drew one of them, NCAA rule that if you only need nine credits to graduate, then you can be under full time status. But Drew and a number of guys are under full time status. He’s got one class left to graduate at Penn State, which creates really good situation for him to be the best player he can be AND graduate from Penn State. A number of guys like that. Explained that to the team the other day. Ideally, that’s what they’d all like to set up last fall on campus under full time status. Was important to Drew and his summer schedule impacted that too.
Progress of clean-up on defense in preseason camp
08/25/2025 11:11:20 AMYou could probably take that comment and quote for probably 12 years. Everyone goes through that in training camp. You put a ton of stuff in. It’s magnified by what the other side of the ball is doing as well.
Likes where they’re at. But there is a difference in camp when you’re putting everything on their plate and in a game week it’s not like that. You narrow those packages for game week. But also narrowed of what you’re going against, depending on who you’re playing.
Feels like they’re in a good place, but not any different than most years. Year one focus and challenge has been streamlining defense. Put a ton on plate, see how they handle it, then emphasize it to be successful each week.
WR Devonte Ross availability
08/25/2025 11:08:16 AMHad some bumps and bruises this summer that impacted how involved he could be in camp. But he’s ready to go. “We’ll probably rotate him a little bit more because he hasn’t had the full training camp and he hasn’t had the full summer.” But he’s ready to go and has looked good the past week. He’ll rotate with Liam Clifford and both will get significant reps.
Opening statement
08/25/2025 11:04:38 AMLooking forward to beginning 12th year at Penn State and 139th overall as a program on Saturday. The stadium is pretty cool, all the work that has gone on to get *West Shore Homes Field* at Beaver Stadium up and running. It looks and feels better than he anticipated considering being in the middle of a stadium renovation. Impressive. Excited about the environment in the stadium.
Nevada:
These games are concerning for everyone in college football. Hard to have a feel for who you are playing when there are 54 new players on the other team. Team could have a phenomenal year. Hard to project with that type of turnover.
Penn State isn’t a huge portal team, but there are some teams with 84 new players in a program in one year. So have to get familiar with 54 players, which is hard to do in a week one game.
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