BWI Blog: Penn State media day live updates
Penn State football is holding its annual media day on Sunday. Head coach James Franklin will address reporters, along with his assistants and players.
And Blue White Illustrated will be on hand to cover all of it. Join us here to take part in the conversation. Catch up on the exhaustive updates we’ve already had through the first three practices in camp, including an exclusive look at early preseason standouts and position battle progress.
James Franklin press conference updates
The press conference is set to begin at 12:15 p.m. Follow our live updates, here, in reverse chronological order.
On the QBs:
Drew and Beau, in year two, they look like guys that are year two in the same system mentally, physically. They’re stronger, leaner, faster. More confident in reads. Accuracy, decision making, those things. They’ve been impressive.
Smolik has been the surprise so far of the room. Although he’s learning nuances of position and the offense, in the meeting room when asked questions, he’s not where Drew and Beau are in answering them, but he has a natural feel on the field. Like a point guard, depth and awareness. He throws a really nice ball and is doing well. If they can keep building on it, they’ll feel good about where they’re at.
Open practice will get a bigger opportunity to see the team and evaluate the roster, they look like year two guys. Both have the team’s respect.
In terms of decisions, not announcing or making decisions at any position. It’s a competition and they want to create that at every position as long as possible to bring out the best of everyone.
On changes to college football and how it impacts the job:
It’s been dramatic. Doesn’t know if COVID played a part as well, but seems like since then it has sped everything up. But last five years, more five years than in the previous 50, and doesn’t think it’s close. The game and rules were the same for at least 50 years. And now in the last five there have been changes and dramatic ones.
Would make the argument, and could have an interesting debate, that some of the changes were needed. Would also say, in defending the NCAA, which no one seems to do anymore, people see once they try to get involved in it that decisions, changes, and rules are much more sophisticated and challenging than it seems. It crosses over into a lot of different worlds.
Best way to describe it, through his lens, is transfer portal. It’s like the pendulum. The pendulum has overcorrected. But there was a problem. Should head coaches have had power to deny players to transfer to 10 different schools? No. That’s not right. That was unfair. And to be honest, only a handful of people abused it. Same as any industry, maybe five percent, that abuse the rules. And now a rule has to correct for that. Instead of allowing coaches, maybe conferences and commissioners come up with standard, to not transfer within conference or limit it, but it was too much.
Also doesn’t think open transfer is good. It sounds anti student athlete, but it’s not. Still believes in student athlete model, and No. 1 thing they should do is educating. When you look at graduate rates, every time you transfer you lose credit and likelihood of graduation decreases.
Should players have options and choices? Yes. Should players be able to restrict their movement? No. But could have gotten to more of a middle ground than from one extreme to where they are now.
And if you take education out of it, for college athletics and specifically football to teach people how to overcome adversity. And on the other end of spectrum, you come up with rules and guardrails that lawyers use to come up with an exception for every kid.
One of the best things they could do is get all commissioners in same room at same time and do what’s best for college athletics on the whole, because they’re the most powerful people in college athletics.
On adding Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten:
Is appreciative that Dr. Bendapudi and Pat Kraft keep him in the loop. You see what’s going on in college football right now, and it’s not a surprise, but it’s very different from the college athletics everyone grew up with. It used to be a pretty regional. It’s a huge win for USC and UCLA from a travel perspective.
On excitement for this season:
This is as much depth as they’ve had. Three deep at pretty much every position. Would describe it more of a 2.5 deep. If you talk about DE, talking about five guys they think they can win with. Two deep at each side, and then a spare that can swing. And at some positions there is a true three deep. Doesn’t remember having that across the board. And it applies to specialists, who also have more competition.
Stability on the staff is good and leads to a chance to be successful.
Excited? Yes. Questions to answer? Yes. In arguably the best conference in college football, and maybe best division? Hard to say that they’re not. Has been a part of both conferences that are part of that discussion.
Entering the 10th year:
This aligns more with his DNA and who he is as a person. Very loyal. But also it aligns with what the university is used to as well. So those things make a ton of sense. It’s unusual for there to be three athletic directors and presidents in his time.
Is very appreciative and has a ton of respect for all three presidents and ADs, who all came to Penn State at different times with different challenges. But it’s somewhat unusual in today’s college football, which is also in some ways sad, that he’s a rarity at 10 years.
This is a special place with tradition, history and passion. There are 19 alumni in Lasch, 10 former lettermen. Take pride in that as well. There have been challenging days, but many more good days, and wakes up every day blessed and appreciative.
Opening statement
They’re bigger, stronger and faster than they’ve been. They have more maturity.
Practices 1 and 3 were both very good. First day in shoulder pads yesterday. Having all three coordinators back, there’s a ton of value in that. No new teaching except for young players.
So far, so good.
Looking forward to the open practice they’re having. It’s something they wanted to do for a while. Haven’t always been on same page with coordinators doing it. He went with Manny Diaz to visit the Patriots this past offseason and think it’s going to be a good thing. They like to play in Beaver Stadium, which is good. But there is an aspect of playing in front of fans and media that also prepares them.
Asking media to follow the rules. Will pretty much cover a similar format of Eagles and Steelers of what they do for preseason practice. Want to do it moving forward as well.
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