Notebook: Penn State has 'more answers' as spring practice ends

On3 imageby:Nate Bauer04/20/22

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Penn State head coach James Franklin expressed his optimism over the program’s progress this spring.

Welcoming the media for the fifth and final time at a midweek practice, Franklin was asked if he’d learned anything. Or, specifically, whether or not he’d come away with more answers than he’d had about his roster coming into the spring.

At the time, meeting at Beaver Stadium for a pre-spring practice press conference on March 21, Franklin had questions.

Among them, he said, Penn State would need to adjust to Manny Diaz as defensive coordinator. Year two with Mike Yurcich would require clean-up of a multitude of shortcomings from the 2021 season. And keeping with his coordinators, new special teams director Stacy Collins would also have to settle in.

And within the team itself, questions were also plentiful.

Quarterback Sean Clifford, his backups, the offensive line, the running backs, the Mike linebacker job, Adisa Isaac’s return from injury, Hakeem Beamon’s return from a year missed for off-field issues, and the program’s “confidence” all made the list.

More than five weeks later, Franklin addressed nearly all of them in his assessment of the team as it approaches its Saturday afternoon Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium.

“Defensively, I think I think we got a foundation laid with some of the wrinkles and some of the tweaks that we’ve made. So I think that’s been really good,” Franklin said. “You’ve really seen the last couple of practices us play faster and more aggressive. Having Adisa Isaac back, having Sal Wormley, those guys back I think it’s been really important. 

“The addition of the new guys that came in January, being able to figure out who they are and how much they’ll be able to impact us for game one, Purdue. There’ll be another wave of guys that I think are able to impact probably after the bye week. But yeah, I think we got a better feel of who and what we can be.”

Enjoying more depth at quarterback, and the return of contributors expected to be key during the 2021 season, Franklin said more answers now exist than a month ago.

However, with another three months remaining until Penn State reconvenes for preseason camp, other questions remain. 

“I think we got more answers,” he said. “There are still going to be a lot of answers and a lot of work to be done before the first game. But obviously, we know more than we did before.”

What else did Franklin have to say at Penn State’s final media availability ahead of the Blue-White Game on Saturday?

Examining the key news and notes items to emerge Wednesday, here:

1) Time well spent at quarterback for Penn State

Penn State’s offensive line depth challenge has been well documented this spring.

At times, the Nittany Lions have had as few as six full-go participants up front in practices. Wednesday evening, nine were seen available and getting reps at practice. 

But according to Franklin, the program has made every effort to not let that situation impact the quarterbacks. Naturally intertwined, the quarterbacks working intimately with the full group up front under normal circumstances, Franklin said a shift has taken place over the past couple of practices. 

“With our O-line situation, that’s challenging because we’ve been able to get the guys a bunch of Skelly reps, but not enough team reps,” Franklin said. “So really, the last two practices, we shut Sean down. Not out of the entire practice, but out of periods of the practice to allow the three other quarterbacks to get more team reps, with an offensive line, with protection calls, and those types of things. So I think that’s been really valuable. 

“We’ll get a chance to watch this film but it was last practice and this practice that we were able to do that. That’s where you have to be really creative, when you are in a situation like we are with the O line. If you’re not careful, it will stunt the development of other positions, specifically quarterback.”

Instead, having already highlighted Clifford’s role this spring and his expectations for the sixth-year quarterback moving forward, Franklin said the rest of the room has gotten value out of the spring. 

Christian Veilleux has gotten a bunch of reps to build off of what he did last year,” Franklin said. “I know talking to the two true freshmen, they weren’t really sure how many reps they were going to get. They’ve gotten more than they thought they were going to get… they’ve gotten a good amount of reps. So I’ve been pleased with that overall. You’d always want more, but pretty good.

“I think we’ve got a pretty good feel for obviously Sean, but [also] Christian, where he’s at, Beau (Pribula) and Drew (Allar). They’ve gotten enough work that you’ve got a feel. I wouldn’t say that any decisions have been made. But, you’ve got a pretty good feel of what you’ve got with those guys.”

2) Feeling the heat

Coming out of Tuesday interviews in which Penn State’s running backs room was described as “stacked” by Nick Tarburton, Franklin acknowledged the reality of the situation among his ball carriers this spring.

Stung by the disappointments of last season, Penn State’s running backs have taken the setbacks to heart. 

“We didn’t have the production that we wanted. And it’s not just on them. There were a number of factors for that,” Franklin said. “But then, on top of that, you bring in two talented high school players that are competing at a pretty high level right now. That’s impacting it as well. 

“So I think everybody is feeling the heat and competitive juices, which I think is great. I think we’re a program that embraces the competition.”

3) Speaking of Penn State’s competition

In what might have been his most subtly pointed comments of the spring, Franklin responded to a question about redshirt freshman offensive lineman Landon Tengwall with something of a challenge.

Initially tabbed by Franklin as the starting left guard at the beginning of spring practices, Franklin identified two key truths. 

Tengwall has been among the starters who have missed time this spring due to getting dinged up. Before the injury, he’d been doing really well. Citing expected starters Juice Scruggs, Caedan Wallace, and Olu Fashanu as having gone the entire spring without missing time, Franklin drew a contrast in development.

“I think Juice, Caedan, and Olu went the entire spring. And their rep count was through the roof because of our numbers on the O line. So those guys, they’ve gotten significantly better,” Franklin said. “It’s gonna be challenging for guys to come in and compete with them.”

On the contrary, the same might not be true at the left and right guard positions in the preseason.

With Wormley still working back from injury, and Hunter Nourzad set to join the program later this spring, Franklin set the stage for competition. A vigorous battle is on tap to fill out the rest of the offensive line’s interior. 

“That’s gonna be a competition. We’ve got some guys coming in, and we’ve got some transfers,” Franklin said. “There will be a pretty good competition, I think, across the offensive line.”

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